Westminster Confession, Chapter 3
Of God's Eternal Decree
God from all eternity did, by the most wise and holy counsel of his own will, freely and unchangeably ordain whatsoever comes to pass; yet so as thereby neither is God the author of sin, nor is violence offered to the will of the creatures, nor is the liberty or contingency of second causes taken away, but rather established.
Scripture references for paragraph 1
Berean Standard Bible. Public domain text and source credits.
Romans 9:1515For He says to Moses: “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.”
Romans 9:1818Therefore God has mercy on whom He wants to have mercy, and He hardens whom He wants to harden.
Romans 11:3333O, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments, and untraceable His ways!
Ephesians 1:1111In Him we were also chosen as God’s own, having been predestined according to the plan of Him who works out everything by the counsel of His will,
Hebrews 6:1717So when God wanted to make the unchanging nature of His purpose very clear to the heirs of the promise, He guaranteed it with an oath.
Proverbs 16:3333The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD.
Matthew 17:1212But I tell you that Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but have done to him whatever they wished. In the same way, the Son of Man will suffer at their hands.”
John 19:1111Jesus answered, “You would have no authority over Me if it were not given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed Me over to you is guilty of greater sin.”
Acts 2:2323He was delivered up by God’s set plan and foreknowledge, and you, by the hands of the lawless, put Him to death by nailing Him to the cross.
Acts 4:27-2827In fact, this is the very city where Herod and Pontius Pilate conspired with the Gentiles and the people of Israel against Your holy servant Jesus, whom You anointed.
28They carried out what Your hand and will had decided beforehand would happen.
James 1:1313When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He tempt anyone.
James 1:1717Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, with whom there is no change or shifting shadow.
1 John 1:55And this is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you: God is light, and in Him there is no darkness at all.
Although God knows whatsoever may or can come to pass upon all supposed conditions, yet hath he not decreed anything because he foresaw it as future, or as that which would come to pass upon such conditions.
Scripture references for paragraph 2
Berean Standard Bible. Public domain text and source credits.
1 Samuel 23:11-1211Will the citizens of Keilah surrender me into his hand? Will Saul come down, as Your servant has heard? O LORD, God of Israel, please tell Your servant.” “He will,” said the LORD.
12So David asked, “Will the citizens of Keilah surrender me and my men into the hand of Saul?” “They will,” said the LORD.
Matthew 11:2121“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.
Matthew 11:2323And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to heaven? No, you will be brought down to Hades! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day.
Acts 15:1818that have been known for ages.’
Romans 9:1111Yet before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad, in order that God’s plan of election might stand,
Romans 9:1313So it is written: “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”
Romans 9:1616So then, it does not depend on man’s desire or effort, but on God’s mercy.
Romans 9:1818Therefore God has mercy on whom He wants to have mercy, and He hardens whom He wants to harden.
By the decree of God, for the manifestation of his glory, some men and angels are predestinated unto everlasting life, and others fore-ordained to everlasting death.
Scripture references for paragraph 3
Berean Standard Bible. Public domain text and source credits.
Matthew 25:4141Then He will say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.
1 Timothy 5:2121I solemnly charge you before God and Christ Jesus and the elect angels to maintain these principles without bias, and to do nothing out of partiality.
Proverbs 16:44The LORD has made everything for His purpose— even the wicked for the day of disaster.
Romans 9:22-2322What if God, intending to show His wrath and make His power known, bore with great patience the vessels of His wrath, prepared for destruction?
23What if He did this to make the riches of His glory known to the vessels of His mercy, whom He prepared in advance for glory—
Ephesians 1:5-65He predestined us for adoption as His sons through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of His will,
6to the praise of His glorious grace, which He has freely given us in the Beloved One.
These angels and men, thus predestinated and fore-ordained, are particularly and unchangeably designed; and their number is so certain and definite that it can not be either increased or diminished.
Scripture references for paragraph 4
Berean Standard Bible. Public domain text and source credits.
John 13:1818I am not speaking about all of you; I know whom I have chosen. But this is to fulfill the Scripture: ‘The one who shares My bread has lifted up his heel against Me.’
2 Timothy 2:1919Nevertheless, God’s firm foundation stands, bearing this seal: “The Lord knows those who are His,” and, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord must turn away from iniquity.”
Those of mankind that are predestinated unto life, God, before the foundation of the world was laid, according to his eternal and immutable purpose, and the secret counsel and good pleasure of his will, hath chosen in Christ, unto everlasting glory, out of his mere free grace and love, without any foresight of faith or good works, or perseverance in either of them, or any other thing in the creature, as conditions, or causes moving him thereunto; and all to the praise of his glorious grace.
Scripture references for paragraph 5
Berean Standard Bible. Public domain text and source credits.
Romans 8:3030And those He predestined, He also called; those He called, He also justified; those He justified, He also glorified.
Ephesians 1:44For He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless in His presence. In love
Ephesians 1:99And He has made known to us the mystery of His will according to His good pleasure, which He purposed in Christ
Ephesians 1:1111In Him we were also chosen as God’s own, having been predestined according to the plan of Him who works out everything by the counsel of His will,
1 Thessalonians 5:99For God has not appointed us to suffer wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.
2 Timothy 1:99He has saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works, but by His own purpose and by the grace He granted us in Christ Jesus before time began.
Ephesians 1:66to the praise of His glorious grace, which He has freely given us in the Beloved One.
Ephesians 1:1212in order that we, who were the first to hope in Christ, would be for the praise of His glory.
Romans 9:1111Yet before the twins were born or had done anything good or bad, in order that God’s plan of election might stand,
Romans 9:1313So it is written: “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”
Romans 9:1616So then, it does not depend on man’s desire or effort, but on God’s mercy.
As God hath appointed the elect unto glory, so hath he, by the eternal and most free purpose of his will, fore-ordained all the means thereunto. Wherefore they who are elected, being fallen in Adam, are redeemed by Christ, are effectually called unto faith in Christ by his Spirit working in due season; are justified, adopted, sanctified, and kept by his power through faith unto salvation. Neither are any other redeemed by Christ, effectually called, justified, adopted, sanctified, and saved, but the elect only.
Scripture references for paragraph 6
Berean Standard Bible. Public domain text and source credits.
Ephesians 1:4-54For He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless in His presence. In love
5He predestined us for adoption as His sons through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of His will,
Ephesians 2:1010For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance as our way of life.
2 Thessalonians 2:1313But we should always thank God for you, brothers who are loved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning to be saved by the sanctification of the Spirit and by faith in the truth.
1 Peter 1:22according to the foreknowledge of God the Father and sanctified by the Spirit for obedience to Jesus Christ and sprinkling by His blood: Grace and peace be yours in abundance.
Romans 8:3030And those He predestined, He also called; those He called, He also justified; those He justified, He also glorified.
Ephesians 1:55He predestined us for adoption as His sons through Jesus Christ, according to the good pleasure of His will,
1 Thessalonians 5:9-109For God has not appointed us to suffer wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.
10He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with Him.
Titus 2:1414He gave Himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds.
John 6:64-6564However, there are some of you who do not believe.” (For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray Him.)
65Then Jesus said, “This is why I told you that no one can come to Me unless the Father has granted it to him.”
John 8:4747Whoever belongs to God hears the words of God. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.”
John 10:2626But because you are not My sheep, you refuse to believe.
John 17:99I ask on their behalf. I do not ask on behalf of the world, but on behalf of those You have given Me; for they are Yours.
Romans 8:28-3928And we know that God works all things together for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose.
29For those God foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers.
30And those He predestined, He also called; those He called, He also justified; those He justified, He also glorified.
31What then shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
32He who did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us all, how will He not also, along with Him, freely give us all things?
33Who will bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies.
34Who is there to condemn us? For Christ Jesus, who died, and more than that was raised to life, is at the right hand of God—and He is interceding for us.
35Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?
36As it is written: “For Your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”
37No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.
38For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor principalities, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers,
39neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
1 John 2:1919They went out from us, but they did not belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us. But their departure made it clear that none of them belonged to us.
1 Peter 1:55who through faith are shielded by God’s power for the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.
The rest of mankind God was pleased, according to the unsearchable counsel of his own will, whereby he extendeth or withholdeth mercy as he pleaseth, for the glory of his sovereign power over his creatures, to pass by, and to ordain them to dishonor and wrath for their sin, to the praise of his glorious justice.
Scripture references for paragraph 7
Berean Standard Bible. Public domain text and source credits.
Matthew 11:25-2625At that time Jesus declared, “I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because You have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children.
26Yes, Father, for this was well-pleasing in Your sight.
Romans 9:17-1817For the Scripture says to Pharaoh: “I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display My power in you, and that My name might be proclaimed in all the earth.”
18Therefore God has mercy on whom He wants to have mercy, and He hardens whom He wants to harden.
Romans 9:21-2221Does not the potter have the right to make from the same lump of clay one vessel for special occasions and another for common use?
22What if God, intending to show His wrath and make His power known, bore with great patience the vessels of His wrath, prepared for destruction?
2 Timothy 2:19-2019Nevertheless, God’s firm foundation stands, bearing this seal: “The Lord knows those who are His,” and, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord must turn away from iniquity.”
20A large house contains not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay. Some indeed are for honorable use, but others are for common use.
1 Peter 2:88and, “A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense.” They stumble because they disobey the word—and to this they were appointed.
Jude 1:44For certain men have crept in among you unnoticed—ungodly ones who were designated long ago for condemnation. They turn the grace of our God into a license for immorality, and they deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.
The doctrine of this high mystery of predestination is to be handled with special prudence and care, that men attending the will of God revealed in his Word, and yielding obedience thereunto, may, from the certainty of their effectual vocation, be assured of their eternal election. So shall this doctrine afford matter of praise, reverence, and admiration of God; and of humility, diligence, and abundant consolation to all that sincerely obey the gospel.
Scripture references for paragraph 8
Berean Standard Bible. Public domain text and source credits.
Deuteronomy 29:2929The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, so that we may follow all the words of this law.
Romans 9:2020But who are you, O man, to talk back to God? Shall what is formed say to Him who formed it, “Why did You make me like this?”
Romans 11:3333O, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments, and untraceable His ways!
Ephesians 1:66to the praise of His glorious grace, which He has freely given us in the Beloved One.
2 Peter 1:1010Therefore, brothers, strive to make your calling and election sure. For if you practice these things you will never stumble,
Luke 10:2020Nevertheless, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”
Romans 8:3333Who will bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies.
Romans 11:5-65In the same way, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace.
6And if it is by grace, then it is no longer by works. Otherwise, grace would no longer be grace.
Romans 11:2020That is correct: They were broken off because of unbelief, but you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but be afraid.
Source and edition
Westminster Confession. NonlinearFruit/Creeds.json, Unlicense. Creeds.json, English transcription
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