In Eric Bechler's sermon on 'Of God's Decree, 1689 SLBC, Chap. 3, Par. 7', the focus is on understanding and responding to God's decree, particularly the concept of predestination. The sermon emphasizes the 'high mystery' of predestination, acknowledging that while scripture provides guidance, full comprehension is beyond human capability. Believers are encouraged to study scripture directly, rather than solely relying on commentaries. Assurance of election is discussed, highlighting the importance of attending and yielding obedience to God's will as revealed in scripture. The sermon outlines a dual response to God's decree: one directed towards God, involving praise, reverence, and admiration, and the other towards fellow believers, characterized by humility, diligence, and consolation. Through scripture references, the sermon reinforces the need for believers to live out their faith actively, ensuring their calling and election are sure.

This is the last week of our chapter in God's decree. Our focus is on our attitude towards and our response to God's decree, to as it says the high mystery of predestination. So what is meant here by high mystery? There's a lot of confusion and controversy regarding predestination, regarding election and free will. This is partly because we are not able to fully comprehend this doctrine.

God has revealed clearly in his scriptures what he wants us to know about predestination, and there are many passages tied to this doctrine. Yet, do these verses fully explain the doctrine? No. We see from Romans 11.33, Oh, the depth of the riches, both of the wisdom and knowledge of God, how unsearchable are his judgments and his ways past finding out. And we also read in Deuteronomy 29, 29, the secret things belong unto the Lord our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever.

And because we are unable to fully comprehend this doctrine, we must use it as it says with special prudence and care. We need to ensure that we are searching what scripture says about predestination, not just what Calvin or Luther or others teach about it. It's helpful to have those commentaries, but the final authority must always be the scripture. We must let God's word teach us. God, before the foundations of the world were laid, chose those who he would call, those who are ordained to eternal life, those elected.

Knowing those who are elected is problematic. We can look for evidence but we cannot know the heart with certainty. We're human. We read from 1st Samuel 16, 7, for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart. However, we can be assured of our election and we take great comfort in that.

The confession here states men attending the will of God and yielding obedience thereunto may be assured of their eternal election. What does it mean here to attend? No Webster comments to listen to regard with attention, to regard with observation and correspondent practice. We attend the will of God revealed in His Word. We listen to the Word.

We hear it preached. We read it. We memorize it. We study it. In these ways we attend to the will of God.

Yet it is not just attending, there's more. We must also yield obedience thereunto. We're called to this by Paul in Philippians 4 and 9, those things which ye have both learned and received and heard and seen in me do, and the God of peace shall be with you. So we must do, we must act on it, we must live it out, We must obey God's commands, His will. If we're doing these things we may be assured of our eternal election.

Let's look at some of the verses. In 1 Thessalonians what we read, chapter 1 verses 4 and 5, Knowing, brethren, beloved, your election of God, for our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance, as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake. Second Peter 1, 10. Wherefore, the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure for if you do these things you shall never fall. The confession adds that the men may be assured from the certainty of their effectual vocation.

Here it's simply that we can use the word calling in place of vocation to make it a little more clear, be assured from the certainty of their effectual calling. So how do we respond? To this assurance of eternal election, Our confession breaks us out into two directions, the response to God and a response from all that sincerely obey the gospel. The confession states, so shall this doctrine afford matter of praise, reverence, and admiration of God. The focus is first on our response to God as it should be.

How should we respond to His gift of grace? We respond with the praising God for what He has done, Ephesians 1 6, to the praise of the glory of His grace wherein He hath made us accepted and the beloved. We respond with reverence to God for what He has done. Hebrews 12 28, therefore since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe. And we respond with admiration of God for what he has done in 1st Samuel 12 24.

Only fear the Lord and serve him in truth with all your heart for consider how great things he had done for you." And secondly, the confession calls us to a response to those who sincerely obey the gospel. The confession states, so shall this doctrine afford matter of humility, diligence, abundant consolation to all that sincerely obey the gospel. We need to respond with humility as Paul writes in his letters to the Romans in the Colossians, Romans 11-20. Well, because of unbelief they were broken off and now standest by faith. Be not high-minded, but fear." In Colossians 312.

Put on therefore as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercy, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, and long-suffering. We respond with diligence, as Peter writes in his general epistle, 2 Peter 1 10, wherefore the rather brethren give diligence to make your calling and election sure, for if you do these things, you shall never fall. And finally we respond with abundant consolation. What is meant here by consolation? No Webster defines it as comfort or a refreshing of the mind or the spirit.

We have abundant comfort, our spirits are abundantly refreshed. From 2 Corinthians 1, 3 through 7, blessed be God, even the father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the father of mercies and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted by God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ. And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer. Or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation, and our hope of you is steadfast, knowing that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation." This was our last paragraph in chapter 3 of God's Decree.

As a reminder, we could summarize chapter 3 with the following. God hath decreed in himself from all eternity by the most wise and holy counsel of his own will freely and unchangeably all things whatsoever comes to pass. Circumstances don't determine what he ordains. What he foresaw in the future does not dictate or influence what he will do. God freely by himself without any conditions predetermines all that happens.

God knows all that will come to pass. God ordains all that will happen. He is sovereign over all that was, all that is, and all that will be. He's completely sovereign. He's perfectly sovereign.

He does this at his good pleasure, and he does this for his glory Before closing let's touch on a few questions from this particular paragraph. Are you attending to the will of God? Are you reading, listening, studying His word? Are you yielding obedience to the will of God? Are you walking the talk?

If not, are you too busy? Do you have the wrong priorities in your life? Are idols interfering with your focus on God? Do you have assurance? Is your election sure?

If so, how are you responding? Are you praising God? Are you showing God proper reverence in your actions, in your speech, in your clothing? Are you responding with humility, diligence, and abundant consolation or comfort to those around you? These are some questions just to think about in the coming week.

Next week, we'll move to the chapter on the creation.