3.8 The doctrine of this high mystery of predestination is to be handled with special prudence and care,1 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.2 So shall this doctrine afford matter of praise, reverence, and admiration of God;3 and of humility, diligence, and abundant consolation to all that sincerely obey the Gospel.4
1 Rom 9:20; 11:33; Dt 29:29; 2 2 Pet 1:10; 3 Eph 1:6; Rom 11:32; 4 Rom 11:5–6, 20; 2 Pet 1:10; Rom 8:33; Lk 10:20.
The doctrine of predestination is one of the most difficult subjects to handle and to explain accurately, especially in few words. Part of the difficulty has to do with the fact that the doctrine is intricately connected to numerous other areas of theology so that an error in understanding here would result in errors multiplying in other areas. Another reason for the difficulty is that this is a “high mystery” which in many ways transcends finite human understanding. It is for this reason that our Confession ends this chapter with a pastoral admonition on how we should deal with the subject.
Consider, first of all, how our Confession helps us to handle the subject by alluding to the difference between the Revealed Will and Secret Will of God. Predestination represents the Secret Will of God and is not designed to govern our lives but to “afford matter of praise, reverence, and admiration of God, and of humility, diligence, and abundant consolation, to all who sincerely obey the Gospel.” The principles to govern our lives is “the Gospel” and “the will of God revealed in His Word.” Thus, in the preaching of the Gospel, the unsaved is to be addressed not as elect or reprobate but as sinners ready to perish. All without distinction must be commanded to repent and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. It is an obligation that rests equally on all, and all without exception are to be encouraged with the same words of our Lord: “All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out” (Jn 6:37).
Nevertheless, secondly, since the doctrine of predestination is taught in the Scripture, it behooves us to study it, to discuss it and to preach it. But since it is a “high mystery” which cannot be fully comprehended by our finite minds, we must do so with “special prudence and care.” We must not indulge in vain curiosity nor speculate answers to questions for which the Scripture gives no hint.
Moreover, thirdly, we are given to confess “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.” In other words, it is the duty and privilege of the believer to ratify his eternal calling and election (2 Pet 1:10) by working out his salvation with fear and trembling through “yielding obedience” to God’s revealed will (Phil 2:12).
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Westminster Confession of Faith — With Brief Pastoral Comments
© 2017 by Pilgrim Covenant Church
