I. Section 1
Read: Eph. 1:11; Romans 11:33; Hebrews 6:17; Romans 9:15,18

Question 1: What does God's eternal decree mean?

     God has had from eternity an unchangeable plan with reference to his creatures. It is his purpose with respect to future things, his determined counsel, from all eternity, he for-ordained whatever he would do or permit to be done in time.

Question 2: Knowing what we do about God from the last study, how can we say that God has one divine and
                    unchanging purpose? What is it about his nature and character that would support this?

     God is an eternal and unchangeable Being, therefore his plan must have existed in all its elements, perfect and unchangeable, from eternity. Since he is an infinite, eternal, unchangeable, and absolutely wise, powerful, and sovereign Person, his purposes must partake of the essential attributes of his own being.
     And since God's intelligence is absolutely perfect and his plan is eternal, since his ultimate end is revealed to be the single one of his own glory, and the whole work of creation and providence is observed to form one system, it follows that his plan is also single—one all–comprehensive intention, providing for all the means and conditions as well as the ends selected.

Question 3: How does the eternal decree and God predetermining that all things will happen fit  into the issue of sin?
                    Does God then make people sin?

     The purpose of God with respect to sinful acts is not to cause the evil, nor to approve it, but only to permit the wicked person to perform it, and then to overrule it for his own most wise and holy ends.
    His perfect and consistent decree ordains the moral law which
          forbids and punishes all sin,
          permits its occurrence,
          limiting and determining how it shall be confined,
          the precise end to which it shall be directed,
          overruling its consequences for good:  (Gen. 50:20).

Question 4: Why or how then do people sin?

    It is a dictate of their human nature. They are free to follow their natural tendencies, which are sinful.

Read: Prov. 21:1; Eph. 2:10; Phil. 2:13; Acts 4:27-28

Question 5: Is humanity, living under the eternal decree of God, free to make choices or are all  their choices
                    predetermined by God?

     God does not force his creatures to act against their wills. Yet, God does control the acts of men. Yet there is a difference between an individual having the ability to do evil and the liberty to do it. God allows humanity the freedom to do evil but not always the ability to do it. This he controls. So his freedom is intact but the end result is determined by God.

Question 6: What does it mean that the liberty or contingency of second causes are not taken    away but established?

Read: Prov. 16:33

     God at times works though secondary causes All events in the system of  things depend upon their causes. That is, if a man does not sow seed, he will not reap; if he does sow, and all the favorable climatic influences are present, he will reap. If a man believes, he shall be saved; if he does not believe, he will not be saved. The all–comprehensive purpose of God embraces and determines the cause and the conditions, as well as the event. The decree, instead of altering, determines the nature of events, and their mutual relations.

     It makes free actions free in relation to their agents, and contingent events contingent in relation to their conditions; while at the same time, it makes the entire system of events, and every element embraced in it, certainly future. God so ordains things that in freedom we will choose that which he determined us to choose. And still not violate our free will.

II. Section 2
Read: Acts 15:18; 1 Sam. 23:11,12; Matt. 11:21,23; Rom. 9:11-12,16,18

Question 1: Does God know for certain what will happen?

     Yes

Question 2: What makes it certain that it will happen?

     God makes it certain....not man

Question 3: How are God's foreknowledge and decrees related? Which comes first?

     The foreknowledge of God will necessarily infer a decree. God could not fore know that things would be, unless he had determined they should. God knows the future because He determined what the future would be.

Question 4: Lets relate this to salvation. How is foreknowledge and predestination related?

     God elected, chose, predestined you to be saved on a certain date in history. The reason he knew when you would ask him into your life is because that was how he planned it.

III. Section 3,4,5
 Sections 1-2 have affirmed that the eternal, sovereign, immutable, unconditional decree of God determines all events that come to pass.

Question 1: What is your gut reaction to this section?

Question 2: What is the Arminian and Calvinist positions on salvation?

Arminian: God, foreseeing from all eternity who will repent and believe, elects those individuals to eternal life on that condition of faith and repentance thus certainly foreknown.

Calvinist: God has elected certain individuals to eternal life, on the ground of his sovereign good pleasure. He chooses them to faith and repentance, and not because of their faith and repentance. That God does choose individuals to eternal life is certain.

Question 3: Which do you hold to?

Question 4: What does Scripture say concerning election to salvation?
                    Does He determine all  things except the salvation of the lost?

Read: Acts 13:48; 2 Thess. 2:13; Eph. 1:4; Phil. 4:3; Heb. 12:23; Rom. 11:4–7; 2 Tim. 1:9;
           John 6:37,39; 10:26

  Faith and repentance are expressly said to be the fruits of election, and consequently cannot be its conditions. They are also declared to be the gifts of God, and cannot therefore be the conditions upon which he suspends his purpose.

Read: Eph. 2:10; 1:4;  1 Pet. 1:2; Eph. 2:8; Acts 5:31; 1 Cor. 4:7; Rom. 9:21; Rom. 9:16

Question 5: What about foreordaining others to everlasting death? How does that sit with you?
                     Is God just in doing this? Why would he do this?

 God has done this for his own glory. He will display the perfection of his holiness by wrath against sin in the destruction of the wicked and he will display the perfection of his mercy and love in saving the elect.

Question 6: Does God have the right to do this?
Read: Rom 9:20f

Question 7: Who are the elect and non elect angels?
Read: 1 Timothy 5:21; 2 Peter 2:4; Jude 6

IV. Section 6
Question 1: What is the big idea here in relation to salvation and the eternal decree of God?

     Who God has elected to salvation, he will do all that is necessary to assure, secure that salvation.

Question 2: What was the means of the salvation of the elect? What secured their salvation?

     The life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God. the elect are saves solely on the merits of Christ.

Read: 1 Thess.5:9

Question 3: Did Christ die for the sins of the whole world?

Read: John 10:15; Acts 20:28; Eph. 5:25; Rom. 8:32-35; Heb. 2:9,14

     No, he died to secure or make certain the salvation of the elect.

V. Section 7
Question 1: What is this section saying about those who are not the elect of God unto salvation?

     That God has chosen to withhold his mercy from them. He has passed them by for salvation and has delivered them over to divine wrath for their sin. For the purpose of displaying his perfect justice.

Question 2: What is the 25cent theological word for when God passes over the sinful?

     Reprobation. It means that when God viewed humanity dead in their sin, guilt and misery, He rejected some, while He chose others. The choice of some must mean the rejection of others.

Question 3: What is it really that is sending the sinful to hell?

     Their choice and nature to sin. Going to hell is their just punishment. God does not make people sin, they choose that themselves. God is just punishing them for their sinful choices.

VI. Section 8
Question 1: What is this section saying?

     Basically that man will be upset over the predestination of some to hell because they have as a base the desire to be as God (Garden). Since they are not, they are not going to like His decisions.
     It also says that this is a delicate doctrine of the church and should be handled with great care. It is a very positive and praise worthy doctrine when viewed from the position of the elect. It is also reason to foster humility as we are not responsible for our salvation. We must always give glory to God for His indescribable work in our lives.