Rodrigo Silva

Husband | Father | Sinner saved by grace

[Mike Riccardi @MikeRiccardi_]

Scripture teaches several truths about God’s decree.

I. God’s decree is eternal.

• Ps 139:16: “And in Your book were all written the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there was not one of them.” 

• Eph 3:11: “…in accordance with the eternal purpose which He carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord…” 

• 1 Cor 2:7: “We speak God’s wisdom in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God predestined before the ages to our glory.” 

• Eph 1:4 – “He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him.” 

• Matt 25:34 – “Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” 

This means that all of God’s acts of providence in time conform to a fixed purpose which precedes time.

II. An implication of the eternality of God’s decree is that it is unconditional.

Nothing external to God could have moved Him to decree this or that, because there was nothing external to Him. Every decision that “makes up” God’s decree is thus an entirely free decision according to His own will. This is why Scripture so often refers to God’s decree as His “good pleasure,” or that which pleases Him (Ps 115:3; 135:6; Isa 46:10; 48:14; Phil 2:13).

So far from teaching that any part of God’s decree was based on an external (even foreseen) influence, Scripture proclaims: “All the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, but He does according to His will in the host of heaven” (Dan 4:35).

III. God’s decree is not only eternal and thus unconditional, but also unchangeable and thus efficacious.

• Job 42:2: “I know that You can do all things, and that no purpose of Yours can be thwarted.”

• Ps 33:10-11: “The Lord nullifies the counsel of the nations; He frustrates the plans of the peoples. The counsel of Yahweh stands forever, the plans of His heart from generation to generation.”

• Dan 4:35: “…no one can ward off His hand or say to Him, ‘What have You done?’”

• Isa 14:27: “For Yahweh of hosts has planned, and who can frustrate it?”

• Isa 46:10: “My counsel shall stand.”

IV. God’s decree is also exhaustive.

• Eph 1:11: “…predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will.” 

• Ps 115:3: “Our God is in the heavens; He does whatever He pleases.” 

• Ps 135:6: “Whatever the Lord pleases, He does, in heaven and in earth, in the seas and in all deeps.” 

• Isa 46:10: “I will accomplish all My good pleasure.” 

V. This is not just a general control, but God’s sovereignty over creation is specific and meticulous.

• Job 37:12: Snow, rain, ice, winds, and lightning “changes direction, turning around by His guidance, that it may do whatever He commands it on the face of the inhabited earth.” 

• Matt 5:45: “He causes His sun to rise…and sends rain.” 

• Ps 104:14: “He causes the grass to grow for the cattle, and vegetation for the labor of man.”  

• Matt 10:29: “Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father.” 

• Acts 17:26: “…every nation of mankind…, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation…” 

• Dan 2:21: “It is He who changes the times and the epochs; He removes kings and establishes kings; He gives wisdom to wise men and knowledge to men of understanding.” 

• Proverbs 21:1: “The king’s heart is like channels of water in the hand of Yahweh; He turns it wherever He wishes.” 

• Proverbs 16:33: “The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord.” 

• Romans 11:36: “For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things.”

The Westminster Confession accurately summarizes the Bible’s teaching when it describes God’s decree this way: “God from all eternity, did, by the most wise and holy counsel of His own will, freely, and unchangeably ordain whatsoever comes to pass.”

[Mike Riccardi @MikeRiccardi_]

Some theologies speak very optimistically of the unregenerate man’s “free will” or “moral ability” or “natural liberty.” But Scripture’s assessment of the unregenerate is not nearly as optimistic. The Bible overwhelmingly testifies to what the unregenerate man is morally and spiritually unable to do.

· In Job 14:1, Job says, “Man, who is born of woman, Is short-lived and full of turmoil.” Then in verse 4 he asks, “Who can make the clean out of the unclean? No one!” That is, no one is capable of making clean those who are unclean.

· In Jeremiah 13:23, Jeremiah says to the people of Israel, “Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard his spots? Then you also can do good who are accustomed to doing evil.” In other words, sinners can no more reform themselves than a man can change his skin color, or than a leopard can change the pattern of his skin.

· In Matthew 12:34–37, Jesus says to the Pharisees, “You brood of vipers, how can you, being evil, speak what is good?” The unsaved man is no less evil than the Pharisees, and Jesus takes it for granted that those who are evil cannot speak what God counts as good.

· In John 3:3, Jesus tells Nicodemus that unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. In verse 6, He explains that “That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” In other words, unless man is first born again—regenerated—by the work of the Holy Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God by faith. Until man’s nature is changed in regeneration, he is nothing but flesh. And flesh can only produce flesh. The only way any spiritual life is possible is if man’s nature is changed and his will is freed in regeneration.

· In John 6:44, Jesus states this same truth even more plainly: “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him.” Later in verse 65, Jesus says, “No one can come to Me unless it has been granted him from the Father.” Man is unable to come to Jesus unless he drawn by the Father through the work of the Spirit in regeneration.

· In John 8:43, Jesus tells the Pharisees that the reason they don’t understand His teaching is because they cannot hear His Word. And the reason they cannot hear His Word is because their nature remains unchanged, verse 44: they are still of their father the devil, and so they “want to do the desires of [their] father.” Why can’t they hear? Because they don’t want rightly. They are morally unable. Their heart is enslaved to want what their father, Satan, wants.

· In John 14:17, Jesus says that the world—that is, human beings apart from a saving union to Himself—cannot receive the Holy Spirit of truth.

· Paul says the same in 1 Corinthians 2:14: the natural man cannot understand the things of the Spirit. It’s impossible. The natural man cannot spontaneously decide to believe the Gospel; he must be a supernatural, spiritual man—enlightened by the grace of regeneration, 2 Corinthians 4:6—before he can receive the Gospel in faith.

· In Ephesians 2:1, Paul says that man in his natural state is dead in trespasses and sins. This is not spiritual sickness. We are not morally wounded. Spiritual death speaks of a total inability to make oneself alive. A corpse cannot will himself to life. He must be raised from the dead by a power external to himself. He must be born again.

· In Romans 8:7–8 Paul says, “The mind set on the flesh”—which is to say, the human mind in its natural state—“is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.” Apart from regeneration, our minds, hearts, and wills are so corrupted by sin that we are not even able to submit to God’s law. We cannot please Him.

· In fact, our best efforts are doomed to failure. Isaiah 64:6 says that even “all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment.” The Hebrew phrase béged ‘iddim refers to a woman’s used menstrual cloth. This is what God thinks of the natural man’s most righteous deeds: they are offensive to the God of supreme holiness.

· In Hebrews 11:6, it says that “Without faith it is impossible to please” God. That clearly implies that faith—believing the Gospel—does please God. God is pleased when a sinner repents and believes (Ezek 33:11). Now, if faith does please God, but the natural man cannot please God (Rom 8:8), then the natural man cannot have faith apart from having his nature renewed in regeneration.

So, because of his fall into sin, man is totally unable to will any spiritual good—especially unable to exercise the repentant, saving faith that is required in order to receive salvation.

———

Certain streams of theology aim to sidestep Scripture’s terribly pessimistic view of unregenerate humanity by positing what they call the doctrine of “prevenient grace.” This is the idea that by His death Jesus has granted to all people without exception what could be called a blend of common grace and special grace, which neutralizes the effects of man’s total depravity, bringing him to a state in which his mind is not entirely darkened, his heart not entirely corrupted, his will not entirely enslaved, so that he is able to respond to the Gospel using his free will.

But such a doctrine of prevenient grace is nowhere supported by the text of Scripture. It is a mere inference made upon the anti-biblical assumption that ought implies can—that God’s commands imply man’s ability to obey, a notion I refuted in Monday’s post. “God commands us to repent and believe, so we must be able to repent and believe, so God must have overcome the effects of depravity in all people to give them that ability.” That is an unsound inference, because it is grounded upon a false premise: that responsibility implies moral ability. Scripture actually testifies to the opposite. (Link to Monday’s post below.)

In fact, no passage of Scripture speaks of the cross providing a non-saving revocation of the effects of the fall in the hearts of all men. Nor does Scripture ever represent unregenerate man as if he has been restored to some place of moral neutrality by a work of general grace. Instead, as shown above, the consistent testimony of Scripture concerning the nature of sinful man apart from regenerating grace is overwhelmingly pessimistic. He is blind, dead, ignorant, hard-hearted, hostile to God, unable to submit to Him, a slave to sin, and wholly inclined to evil—a state which cannot be overcome without the effectual, regenerating grace of the Holy Spirit.

[Andy DuFresne voice: And if you’ve come this far, maybe you’re willing to come a little further.]

———

And yet, God in His unbounded goodness rescues man from this sorry state! He employs no half-measures—partially rehabilitating sinners and volleying the determinative act of salvation over to them. Through the very preaching of His Gospel (James 1:18; 1 Peter 1:23-25), He reaches into the dark caverns of the depraved soul and calls spiritual light and life into being which did not exist (2 Cor 4:6; cf. Rom 4:17). The Spirit of God blows where He wishes (John 3:8), and infallibly brings all of God’s saving purposes to pass.

The Almighty Savior accomplishes all His good pleasure (Isaiah 46:10). No purpose of His can be thwarted (Job 42:2)—least of all His saving purpose, in which all whom He has predestined receive their inheritance (Eph 1:11). Certainly no purpose of His can be thwarted by man, who is “accounted as nothing; but He does according to His will...; and no one can strike against His hand or say to Him, ‘What have You done?’”

The sovereign God of heaven is no frustrated Savior. He is an almighty Savior. He doesn't try to save anyone. He saves. And every last one upon whom He has set His unconditional love, He will have.

“Now this is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day.” — John 6:39

[Mike Riccardi @MikeRiccardi_]

All throughout Paul’s letters, he is at pains to contrast works and faith.

· Romans 3:27–28: “Where then is boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? Of works? No, but by a law of faith. For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the Law.”

· Romans 9:30–32: “What shall we say, then? That Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, attained righteousness, even the righteousness which is by faith; but Israel pursuing a law of righteousness, did not arrive at that law. Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as though it were by works.”

· Galatians 2:16: We know “that a man is not justified by works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, … so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the Law.”

· Galatians 3:2: “Did you receive the Spirit by works of the Law or by hearing with faith?”

· Galatians 3:5: “Does He who provides you with the Spirit and works miracles among you, do it by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith?”

“Not by works, but by faith.” “Not works, but faith.”

So when the reader gets to Romans 9:11 and finds that God’s election of sinners to salvation is “not because of works, but...”, what could he expect to follow but the phrase, “but because of faith”?

That would fit perfectly with the notion that election is conditioned upon foreseen faith. If the Holy Spirit wanted to convey that the conditioning basis of God’s election unto salvation was faith, there was no better opportunity to reveal it than in Romans 9:11.

But what do we find instead? Paul breaks from his consistent pattern of contrasting works and faith, and says “not because of works but because of Him who calls.”

Why such a deviation from his norm? Because: while justification is conditioned upon faith, election is not. The basis of God’s electing choice is grounded in God alone: in “Him who calls.” There is no ground or basis of election other than the God who elects. Nothing other than “the good pleasure of His will” (Eph 1:5).

Why did God justify you? Because He is “the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus” (Rom 3:26). But why did God elect you? “Because of Him who calls”; “so that God’s according-to-election purpose [ἡ κατʼ ἐκλογὴν πρόθεσις] would stand.”

Election is unconditional. God chose you, Christian, for absolutely nothing in or about you. In fact, He chose you in spite of everything about you! He was entirely free and unconstrained in setting His love upon undeserving sinners, determining to do you good through the mighty atoning work of His Son. You are saved by the good pleasure of God, rooted in nothing at all about yourselves.

Which is such glorious news! Had He chosen us for something in us, we might fear that something in us might eventually cause Him to cast us away. But because He has chosen us for nothing in us but only for His good pleasure, which is as immutable as He Himself is, we can be certain that He will never leave us or forsake us.

[Mike Vlach @mikevlach]

Olive Tree (Rom. 11):

Olive tree: sphere of Abrahamic covenant blessings

Root: Abrahamic promises to patriarchs

Natural branches: Israel (believing remnant remains; unbelieving broken off)

Wild branches: believing Gentiles grafted in

Future: Israel grafted in again

[Rodrigo Silva @RodAntonioSilva]

@LostMyHats @MikeWingerii Anybody else getting tired of seeing JD continually attempt to attack dispensationilism while never actually disproving it with any substance? Or an any meaningful level?

[Rodrigo Silva @RodAntonioSilva]

@PerfInjust Not directly about masculinity, but Albert Martin's book on the man of God and his pastoral calling (vol. 1) mentions this subject in a couple of the chapters titled "His relationship to God physically and emotionally."

[Rodrigo Silva @RodAntonioSilva]

@JoelWebbon You distinguished 3 different categories as to how interracial marriages go against God's intended design (humanity, nations, culture). Can you expand in what ways interracial marriages go against God's normative design as it pertains to humanity?

[Nayib Bukele @nayibbukele]

You can LITERALLY incarcerate your way out of violence. That’s precisely why incarceration exists in the first place.

[Rodrigo Silva @RodAntonioSilva]

@LostMyHats @DefiantBaptist https://t.co/ED7Igfd3vY

[Rodrigo Silva @RodAntonioSilva]

@ABDanielleSmith @SheilaGunnReid It was nice seeing you tonight at Charlie's vigil. Here's James' sermon from earlier today. It was an encouraging message that highlighted how a minister of the gospel can speak to the issue of the day and demonstrate how it impacts the Lord's people.
https://t.co/SddVghYp3T

[Rodrigo Silva @RodAntonioSilva]

@libsoftiktok @WabKinew maybe the Premier of Manitoba has something to say about this?

[Rodrigo Silva @RodAntonioSilva]

Hey @WabKinew,

Is this kind of hate permitted in your cabinet? This minister should be fired immediately.

[🌷 LIZZIE🌷 @farmingandJesus]

If you see a comment that fills you with anger respond with this video…. This is the only response that truly matters. Save the video and use it, let’s expand his legacy and the gospel he preached 🩷🩷

Let’s share this far and wide because the gospel saves. If we want change we need to make disciples. #CharlieKirk

[Jeff Wright @merelyjwright]

They didn't kill him because he was hateful.

They didn't kill him even because he was a Christian, though that was a factor.

They killed him because he was effective in a way they will not tolerate.

This is the Brian Thompson / Luigi Mangioni move applied to podcasters.

[Nayib Bukele @nayibbukele]

You don’t hate the media enough.

[Danielle Smith @ABDanielleSmith]

I am saddened and horrified by the shooting of Charlie Kirk. Our hearts are with Charlie and his family.

Political violence has no place in a free and democratic society and must be condemned without reservation.

[Phil Johnson @Phil_Johnson_]

Charlie Kirk perfected the art of cordial, compassionate dialogue with his ideological adversaries.

Shame on those benighted—and yes, evil—souls celebrating on social media. Their condemnation is just. But I pray instead (as Charlie would) for their repentance & redemption.

[Rodrigo Silva @RodAntonioSilva]

@Phil_Johnson_ @virgilwalker Would have loved to be there. May the Lord bless you as you bring the word.

[Rodrigo Silva @RodAntonioSilva]

@Phil_Johnson_ @virgilwalker Noted! Next time the Lord's providence surprises me in a similar fashion, and I'm not distracted by Google maps to figure out where I'm going, l'll let my wife know you're ok with me yelling at you.

Are you attending a Sunday service in Daytona?