God's Decree

                                "God's decree is His purpose or determination with
                                  respect to all that shall come to pass.  The divine
                                 decree is singular.  There is no series of decrees in
                                 God, but simply one comprehensive plan, embracing
                                 all that comes to pass."
                                                                       James Montgomery Boice


                                                                **********


                    God decreed the creation of the world.  He deserves the praise of
     all of it.

                                  "He set them in place for ever and ever;
                                   He gave a decree that will never pass away."
                                                                       Psalm 148:6

                                                                    *****

                    God determined to make known the mystery of the gospel's being
     made known to not only the Jews, but also Gentiles, according to His eternal
     purpose.

                                   "His intent was that now, through the church,
                                    the manifold wisdom of God should be made
                                    known to the rulers and authorities in the
                                    heavenly realms, according to His eternal
                                    purpose which He accomplished in Christ
                                    Jesus our Lord."
                                                                      Ephesians 3:11

                                                                     *****

                     God determined to make known His will according to His good
     pleasure, through Christ, at the proper time, to put all things under Christ.

                                   "And He made known to us the mystery of His will
                                    according to His good pleasure which He purposed
                                    in Christ, to be put into effect when the times will
                                    have reached their fulfillment -- to bring all things
                                    in heaven and on earth together under one head,
                                    even Christ."
                                                                       Ephesians 1:9

                                                                      *****

                     God chose his people for salvation according to His plan, in
       conformity with the purpose of His will.

                                  "In Him (Jesus) we were also chosen,
                                   having been predestined according to
                                   the plan of Him who works out every-
                                   thing in conformity with  the purpose
                                   of His will."
                                                                        Ephesians 1:11

                                                                       *****

                     Those whom God foreknew He also predestined and called
     and justified and glorified.

                                   "For those God foreknew He also predestined
                                    to be conformed to the likeness of His Son,
                                    that He might be the firstborn among many
                                    brothers.  And those He predestined, He also
                                    called; those He called, He also justified;
                                    those He justified, He also glorified."
                                                                         Romans 8:29-30

                                                                       *****

                      From the beginning God called His people to a holy life because
     of His own purpose and and through His grace. 

                                   "[He] has saved us and called us to a holy life --
                                     not because of anything we have done but be-
                                     cause of His own purpose and grace.  This grace
                                     was given in Christ Jesus before the beginning
                                     of time, but it has now been revealed through the
                                     appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has
                                     destroyed death and has brought life and im-
                                     mortality to light through the gospel."
                                                                           2 Timothy 1:9-10

                                                                      *****

                       God chose Jesus from the beginning to redeem His people through
     His death on the cross.

                                     "He was chosen before the creation of the world,
                                      but was revealed in these last times for your sake.
                                      Through Him you believe in God, who raised Him
                                      from the dead and glorified Him, and so your faith
                                      and hope are in God."
                                                                          1 Peter 1:20-21

                                                                     *****

                      "Every detail of the crucifixion of Christ was under the sovereign
     control of God and in accord with His eternal purposes.  The fact that Judas'
     betrayal was part of God's plan does not free him from the guilt of a crime
     he entered into willfully.  God's sovereignty is never a legitimate excuse for
     human guilt."
                                                                        John MacArthur
                                                                        ESV Commentary

                                  (Jesus said),"For the Son of Man will go as it has
                                  been decreed, but woe to that man who betrays him."
                                                                       Luke 22:22

                                                                    *****

                      Jesus was handed over for crucifixion to wicked men through God's
     set purpose and foreknowledge.

                                 "... this Jesus, delivered up according to the
                                  definite plan and foreknowledge of God,
                                  you crucified and killed by the hands of
                                  lawlessness men."
                                                                       Acts 2:23

                                                                    *****

                    The LORD decreed whatever may come to pass.  Nothing takes God
     by surprise.

                                 "Who can speak and have it happen
                                   if the Lord has not decreed it?  Is
                                   it not from the mouth of the Most
                                   High that both calamities and good
                                   things come?"
                                                                     Lamentations 3:37