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The Staunch Calvinist

"Absolute sovereignty is what I love to ascribe to God." - Jonathan Edwards

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1689 Baptist Confession Chapter 31: Of the State of Man after Death and Of the Resurrection of the Dead - Commentary
Simon Wartanian | 38,692 views | 63,926 words | 5:35:37 hours | 06 March 2015 23:27
The 1689 Second Baptist Confession Of Faith Confession Commentary Reformed Baptist Chapter 31 Resurrection Intermediate State The Last Day Second Coming Parousia General Judgment Final Judgment Amillennialism Premillennialism Dispensationalism Postmillennialism Revelation Recapitulation Revelation 20 The First Resurrection The Binding Of Satan
... for a greater judgment in both body and soul on that great day in Hell, which is the second death.

Finally, aside from Heaven and Hell, Scripture knows of no other place. Therefore, Purgatory does not exist and is unbiblical. 

The body returns to the dust from whence it came, but the souls are immortal from the time they begin to exist; they cannot just disappear and go out of existence. They will exist without a body in heaven or Hades until Christ comes to end the world and bring in the New Heavens and New Earth. The elect then will receive a glorious body like that of Jesus and enjoy endless Fellowship with the God Triune, while the reprobates will receive physical bodies just to be tormented in the lake of fire.

The Intermediate State describes the time between death and the resurrection of the body, this includes a discussion of the immortality of the soul, heaven, and Hades.

The Immortality Of The Soul

While people are buried and their bodies return to the dust from whence they came, their souls do not cease to exist, they are immortal. While the body decomposes and returns to dust, the soul of man lives evermore. It is important to define the usage of the word “immortal” and “immortality” here. This immortality which the souls of men and angels possess is obviously not like the essential immortality of God. In 1 Timothy 6:16 we read that God “alone has immortality”. This speaks about God essentially and by nature having immortality. He ever was and ever will be immortal, i.e., undying. Albert Barnes noted on that passage that God has immortality “by his very nature, and it is in his case underived, and he cannot be deprived of it. It is one of the essential attributes of his being, that he will always exist, and that death cannot reach him”.[2] But this word is often used in reference to men and angels, so what does it mean? It means that the souls of men and angels are undying from the moment that they come to exist. It means that the soul of man does not simply decompose or disappear after death, like the physical body does. Rather, the soul is unable to die, because God designed it to be so. There is no “must-ness” that the souls of man or of angels be immortal except that God had willed them to be so. It is not essential, as it is in the case of God, that our souls be immortal. Rather, this immortality is derived from God and is dependent upon His power. Louis Berkhof writes, ‘the word “immortality” designates, especially in eschatological language, that state of man in which he is impervious to death and cannot possibly become its prey.’[3] The word “immortal”, though it may be controversial to some, is used simply to indicate that the souls of men “neither die nor sleep”, while their bodies sure do until the resurrection.

While the Bible does not have a statement saying “the soul of man is immortal,” it very much, I believe, assumes and does not question it. For example, had the Fall not taken place, man would have lived forever in body and soul, but the Fall brought physical death to the body, yet it did not destroy the soul of man. The soul of man remained, but now in enmity with God, no longer walking in Fellowship and peace with Him. Death is said to have come because of sin (Rom. 5:12; 6:23). Therefore, if sin had not come there would be no death. Notice that we’re speaking here not only of the immortality of the soul, but of the body. If the Fall had not taken place and the time of probation was passed,...

1689 Baptist Confession Chapter 2: Of God and of the Holy Trinity - Commentary
Simon Wartanian | 31,246 views | 28,880 words | 2:33:55 hours | 04 March 2015 20:55
The Second Baptist Confession Of Faith Confession Commentary Chapter 2 God Trinity Attributes Of God Immutability Repentance Of God Love Of God Justice Of God Spirituality Of God Monotheism
...td1 Thess. 1:10 John 2:19, 10:17 Rom. 8:11 Indwells 2 Cor. 6:16 Col. 1:27 John 14:17 Everywhere 1 Kings 8:27 Matt. 28:20 Psalm 139:7-10 All knowing 1 John 3:20 John 16:30; 21:17 1 Cor. 2:10-11 Sanctifies 1 Thess. 5:23 Heb. 2:11 1 Pet. 1:2 Life giver Gen. 2:7: John 5:21 John 1:3; 5:21 2 Cor. 3:6,8 Fellowship 1 John 1:3 1 Cor. 1:9 2 Cor. 13:14; Phil. 2:1 Eternal Psalm 90:2 Micah 5:1-2 Rom. 8:11; Heb. 9:14 A Will Luke 22:42 Luke 22:42 1 Cor. 12:11 Speaks Matt. 3:17; Luke 9:25 Luke 5:20; 7:48 Acts 8:29; 11:12; 13:2 Love John 3:16 Eph. 5:25 Rom. 15:30 Searches the heart Jer. 17:10 Rev. 2:23 1 Cor. 2:10 We belong to John 17:9 John 17:6 ... Savior 1 Tim. 1:1; 2:3; 4:10 2 Tim. 1:10; Titus 1:4; 3:6 ... We serve Matt. 4:10 Col. 3:24 ... Believe in John 14:1 John 14:1 ... Gives joy ... John 15:11 John 14:7

Monotheism and Equality

Indeed, we cannot stop by only showing the deity of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We must now show that this Tri-unity is consistent with the Bible’s testimony about monotheism. We must show the “oneness” in the “threeness.” From the first chapter and verse of Holy Scripture, we see the One Being of God.

Gen. 1:1 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. 

He is the God Who was there even before time began. He is the First and the Last. There was not a war among the gods which resulted in the creation, or creation of preexistent matter, no. The God of the Bible is the only God that exists, all others are delusions and are false. He is the Sovereign and all-sufficient God Who created by Himself with no help from any other creature. He creates and sustains every one of them, yet He is not sustained by them (Acts 17:24-27). He is the only God that ever was, is and will be. Before Him, there was no god and after Him, there will be no god (Isa. 43:10). In all the Creation narrative we do not get the slightest hint that there is more than one God, but there is clearly only one true and living God, the Creator of the heavens and the earth. But it is likewise very interesting to see that even in the first chapter we receive glimpses of the doctrine of Trinity. Not exactly a trinity, but a plurality of persons within the one Being of God. We read in the 26th verse:

Gen. 1:26 Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” 

We must ask ourselves, why is God referring to Himself in the plural number? If there is but a singular person of God, i.e., a Unitarian god, and not a Trinitarian God, why is He speaking of Himself in the plural? Some try to evade the force of the plural here by saying that God was speaking to His counsel and to the angels. While such an idea may be possible in some cases, yet it is impossible here. We must ask ourselves, do we read anywhere about anything that the angels had to do with the creation of man? To my knowledge—nothing. But, what is more forceful is the fact that it speaks of not merely of “us making” man, but “in our image, after our likeness.” This is conclusive to me that God is speaking within the Divine Being, and not within His angelic council. The very next verse is very clear and unambiguous so as to whose image man...

1689 Baptist Confession Chapter 3: Of God's Decree - Commentary
Simon Wartanian | 42,907 views | 38,059 words | 3:19:02 hours | 04 March 2015 20:58
The 1689 Second Baptist Confession Of Faith Confession Commentary Reformed Baptist Chapter 3 God's Decree Predetermination Predestination Sovereignty Compatibilism Reprobation Unconditional Election Calvinism
... ordain the ends as well as the means?

§1 God hath decreed in himself, from all eternity...whatsoever comes to pass

  1. God hath decreed in himself, from all eternity, by the most wise and holy counsel of his own will, freely and unchangeably, 1 all things, whatsoever comes to pass; 2 yet so as thereby is God neither the author of sin nor hath Fellowship with any therein; 3 nor is violence offered to the will of the creature, nor yet is the liberty or contingency of second causes taken away, but rather established; 4 in which appears his wisdom in disposing all things, and power and faithfulness in accomplishing his decree. 5
    1. Prov. 19:21; Isa 14:24-27; 46:10-11; Ps. 115:3; 135:6; Rom. 9:19; Heb. 6:17[1]
    2. Dan. 4:34-35; Rom. 8:28; 11:36; Eph. 1:11
    3. Gen. 18:25; James 1:13; 1 John 1:5
    4. Gen. 50:20; 2 Sam. 24:1; Isa. 10:5-7; Matt. 17:12; John 19:11; Acts 2:23; 4:27-28
    5. Num. 23:19; Eph. 1:3-5

God hath decreed in Himself means that He decreed by Himself alone without considering others. As the modern translation puts it: “From all eternity God decreed everything that occurs, without reference to anything outside himself.” He was not influenced when He decreed everything. But what does it mean that God “decreed”? A decree, in this context, means putting everything in order and planning everything that is to occur in history. This decree of God was from all eternity and therefore is unchangeable. To further stress the “decreed in himself” part, the Confession adds that this decree was made freely. God was not limited by anything outside Himself. Furthermore, this decree was according to the most wise and holy counsel of His own will. It was not arbitrary or random. Rather, it was ordained by the Wisdom Himself Who does nothing without a goal, reason or a purpose (cf. Eph. 1:11). What did God decree? All things, whatsoever comes to pass. There is nothing that occurs that was not already decreed by God from all eternity. But this does not mean that God is the author of sin nor hath Fellowship with any therein. God does not create sin or author it, nor does He have delight in it. Rather, He orders it and ordains it to be for His own holy purposes, according to the most wise and holy counsel of His will. Even evil and sin are ordained according to His holy purposes. Our redemption came about by the greatest sin committed by man, the crucifixion of the Son of God, which was ordained by God (Acts 4:27-28).

When God ordains sin, He does no violence to the will of the creature, nor is their liberty hindered or taken away. Everyone committing sin and evil does so because they will and desire so. In the example about the crucifixion of the Lord, everyone in the act was a willing participant: Judas, the Jewish leaders, the Romans. All really wanted to do these things and they were not forced to will so. Nonetheless, the Scriptures are clear that they came to “do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place.” According to Reformed theology, God’s decree establishes the liberty of creatures, because their liberty is found within God’s decree. This high and mysterious doctrine shows the wisdom of God in disposing all things, and power and faithfulness in accomplishing his decree. How has determined everything that takes place in time and yet He is not the author of sin or we are not forced to do those things which God ordained, but freely carry out God’s decree. All these things remain truths revealed by the Scriptures, but...

1689 Baptist Confession Chapter 10: Of Effectual Calling - Commentary
Simon Wartanian | 25,313 views | 14,049 words | 1:13:47 hours | 04 March 2015 21:42
The 1689 Second Baptist Confession Of Faith Confession Commentary Reformed Baptist Chapter 10 Chapter Ten Effectual Calling Irresistible Grace Regeneration Reformed Theology Calvinism Infant Salvation
... work of the Spirit of God as the Lord says, “unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God” referring back to the promise of the New Covenant in Ezekiel 36:25-27. Entering and seeing the kingdom is the same thing. We need to be born again by the Holy Spirit to be able to do that.

Here is a list of the things to which we have been called:

Thanks, glory, honor, and praise be to the mighty Spirit of God Who has caused us to be born from above.

State of Death and Sin

It is not good people whom the Lord calls by His Word and Spirit. Neither it is those who are neutral and would love to be with God, rather it is those who are in the state of sin. It is those who are totally depraved. It is those who are dead and soaked in sin. All they know is sin (Rom. 14:23). It is those people who by their sinful nature and thanks to the fall of Adam, are dead in sins and trespasses. This is who we were before the Spirit called us to that which we do not deserve which God had beforehand ordained that we would attain.

See for more chapter 6 on the Total Depravity of man (see also this) and chapter 9 on the will of man in the State of Sin.

Enlightening our Minds

God changes our nature and cleanses us (Ezek. 36:25-27) and thereby He also cleanses and enlightens our minds and enables us to understand the things of God. The commission which Paul received was:

Acts 26:18 to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’ 

We lived in sin and darkness (Eph. 2:1-3; Matt. 4:16), but the light of the Lord has enlightened us. He has turned us from the darkness and sin that we previously loved to the light of the glorious gospel. We were blinded by sin and Satan, but God has shone His light in us–

2 Cor. 4:4-6 In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 5 For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. 6 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give t...

1689 Baptist Confession Chapter 15: Of Repentance Unto Life and Salvation - Commentary
Simon Wartanian | 19,386 views | 8,593 words | 0:44:49 hours | 05 March 2015 18:55
The 1689 Second Baptist Confession Of Faith Confession Commentary Reformed Baptist Chapter 15 Chapters Fifteen Restoration Repentance Salvation Faith
...he moment we sin again after being in Christ and leave us in our sin, yet as our Father and the faithful covenant God, He will not leave or forsake us even in the midst of our sin.

The great gospel promise is that not only are all our sins punished in Christ—past, present, and future, but also that we should seek forgiveness from God and man every day and may experience forgiveness every day. 1 John 1:9 is crucial in this discussion.

1 John 1:7-9 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have Fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 

This is a passage and a promise that I cherish, knowing myself to be a great sinner and Christ the Lord my great Savior. In this passage, we are commanded to walk in the light and have our life patterned after Jesus’ own perfect life. But then John, knowing the nature of man, reminds us that it is an impossible task to seek to walk like Jesus and not sin in our present state. Therefore, he refutes those who would seek to say that it is possible for Christians to be sinless by saying that the truth is not in them, i.e., they are not Christians. In other words, those who claim that they are sinless are not Christians!

Rather than hiding our sin and saying that we have no sin, we should all the more confess our sins to God. When we confess our sins we should also seek to flee from it. We seek to turn our backs upon our sin. We repent of it. It is not enough to merely say that “I’m sorry for my sin”, but committing the same sin the next moment or the next day without feeling guilt and sorrow about offending God and breaking His holy law. In the confession of our sins should also be the commitment to repent of our sins—to turn away from our sins. We do not merely say the words, but also seek to walk in a way as not to fall into sin. We seek to hate our sin and stand fast in the spiritual war to resist and overcome sin. If we fail, then we go to the Lord and confess our sin and seek again, by His grace, to overcome our sin and have the victory over our remaining corruptions as much as possible in this life.

The phrase “faithful and just” is amazing. God is faithful because He is our Father and He seeks to bring us to salvation and to a harmonious relationship with Him. He is the covenant God who has committed Himself to His subjects. But He is also just, but how can this be? Proverbs 17:5 says “He who justifies the wicked and he who condemns the righteous are both alike an abomination to the LORD”, how can God justify me and cleanse me of my sin and not be an abomination to Himself?! The answer is: the Lord Jesus Christ. God does not forgive us by overlooking our sins, He forgives us because our sins have been forgiven in Christ who took them upon Himself on the cross (2 Cor. 5:21). Our sins have been dealt with 2000 years ago, but we experience that forgiveness which was obtained for us on the cross through daily confession of sin. God is just because He punished Jesus Christ who was the Substitute who bore our sins upon Himself. He punished Someone who “became sin” and God is therefore perfectly just. The glory of the gospel is the fact that God brought salvation to His people through His judgment upon His Son. Jesus Christ was crushed so that we w...

1689 Baptist Confession Chapter 19: Of the Law of God - Commentary
Simon Wartanian | 56,112 views | 77,737 words | 6:42:45 hours | 05 March 2015 19:46
The 1689 Second Baptist Confession Of Faith Confession Commentary Reformed Baptist Chapter 19 Law Of God Law Of Moses Law Of Christ Moral Law Decalogue Ten Commandments Thomas Watson John Calvin Robert Dabney Westminster Standards Catechism Civil Law Judicial Law Ceremonial Law Threefold Division Of The Law
... example, he would circumcise Timothy “because of the Jews who were in those places” (Acts 16:3) and because Timothy’s mother was a Jew and thus he had to be circumcised. He knew and taught that circumcision doesn’t matter (e.g., 1 Cor. 7:19), yet here, so as not to give the Jews a cause of stumbling or an excuse, he takes Timothy and circumcises him. Likewise in Acts 21:20-26, he observes a vow and a purification ceremony, even offering a sacrifice. He did this so that he would not cause a reason for the Jews to see an unnecessary problem in Paul. He would not have done this if the matter was concerning justification by faith or Gentile and Jewish Christian Fellowship, for example (e.g., Acts 15; Gal. 2:11ff). He knows that he has the freedom to eat anything he wants, yet, if a Jewish person or brother is weak and is offended by him eating non-kosher food, then he would refrain from that (e.g., Rom. 14:1-4).

How should the phrase under the law be understood? I believe that it should be understood in the same way as a Jew would understand it, namely, under the whole Mosaic law—moral, ceremonial and judicial. That this is the case is shown both from the common knowledge of the moral law by all people and they following it generally. Both Jews and Gentiles, for example, did not think murder or stealing was good. This moral law is common to both Jews and Gentiles, saved and lost (see paragraph 1). But that the whole threefold Mosaic Law is being spoken of here is also confirmed by the contrast which he makes in the following verse concerning the Law of God/Christ. Paul purposefully does not identify the “law” in v. 20 with the law of God, rather, the sense seems to be more, “under the law of the Jews” or “under the Jewish law.” As long as the shadows were not fulfilled and Christ was not crucified and raised, the whole threefold Mosaic law was binding. But when Christ suffered and rose, the whole Mosaic Covenant, including the ceremonial law, was done away with. Therefore, it would be natural to see that Paul here does not equate the Jewish law with the law of God in the next verse, as that law which the Jews were still observing has had its fulfillment in Christ. Moreover, he places himself outside the Jewish law (“though not being myself under the law”). He is not bound by it, rather, he is bound by another law. Yet, as long as this Jewish law does not go against any gospel truth, he is willing to adjust himself. That the ceremonial law is in view here is also seen in Paul’s identification of the “the law of commandments expressed in ordinances” as being the “dividing wall of hostility” between Jew and Gentile (Eph. 2:14-15, see above). This is what separated Jews and Gentiles and from this ceremonial law are Christians set free. Paul did not observe the ceremonial laws among the Gentiles, and thus, some were accusing him of totally abandoning the law of God (Acts 20:20-21). This is the law that set the Jews apart from all other nations as Ephesians 2:14-15 says.

But to those outside the law, that is, outside the Mosaic Law of the Jews which he had just talked about, he would act as one free from the Mosaic Law. He would not require circumcision; he would eat what the ceremonial law considers “unclean;” he would eat with Gentiles, which Jewish teaching forbad and so on. Since these are laws are no longer binding and have found their fulfillment in Christ, Paul has all the freedom not to observe them and not to bring any of the ty...

Welcome To The Staunch Calvinist
Simon Wartanian | 17,522 views | 547 words | 0:02:57 hours | 08 March 2014 16:57
Calvinism Absolute Sovereignty Of God Reformed Theology Reformed Baptist 1689 Baptist Confession Calvinist Baptist
...f Premillennialism)
  • Of The Last Judgment (Endless punishment in Hell contra Annihilationism)
    • ...
    Preservation of the Saints - Scripture List
    Simon Wartanian | 21,194 views | 3,263 words | 0:16:33 hours | 23 March 2014 22:28
    Calvinism Election Predestination Mercy Sovereignty Verse List God Is In Control Preservation Of The Saints
    ...ll carry and will save.

    1Cor 1:4-9 I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus, 5 that in every way you were enriched in him in all speech and all knowledge— 6 even as the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you— 7 so that you are not lacking in any gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ, 8 who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 God is faithful, by whom you were called into the Fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

    Col 3:3-4 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

    Phil 1:6 And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

    2Tim 4:18 The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom. To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

    1Pet 1:3-5 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 5 who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

    None of Christ’s sheep will be lost—ever!

    Jn 6:39-40 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. 40 For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”

    Jn 10:27-29 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.

    Rom 8:35-39 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 36 As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

    Eph 1:13-14 In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.

    Eph 4:30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

    Heb 7:25 Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.

    Heb 10:14 For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.

    God causes His sheep to persevere in the faith

    Jn 15:16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever y...

    1689 Baptist Confession Chapter 4: Of Creation - Commentary
    Simon Wartanian | 20,670 views | 6,589 words | 0:34:34 hours | 04 March 2015 21:12
    The 1689 Second Baptist Confession Of Faith Confession Commentary Reformed Baptist Chapter 4 Creation Young Earth Creationism Image Of God Imago Dei
    ...ture, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.” The glory and power of God is displayed in the created world in such a way that no one would make an excuse before His Majesty. The power and divine nature of God displayed in the created world is undeniable and sufficient to render us without an excuse before Him. When God created, there was no higher goal than creating for Himself and to display His glory. He could not have depended for His glory on His creatures, which were yet uncreated, for He is completely independent of His creation for His perfections. The Trinity enjoyed Fellowship and glory even before the creation of the world (John 17:5). God was not lacking anything. The host of heaven, in Revelation 4:11, declares:

    “Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.”

    God is worthy to receive, i.e., be credited of having glory, honor, and power. Why? “for you created all things”. The fact that God is the Creator of all things makes it obligatory on us to bring Him glory, honor, and praise. It is by His will that everything exists or has existed. It was He who determined if this thing existed or not, or that thing happened or not. He creates these things by His will so that they would bring glory and honor to Him. In Proverbs 16:4, we read, “The LORD has made everything for its purpose, even the wicked for the day of trouble.” Everything that God created, He created with its assigned purpose. It is He Who gives everything its purpose. It is not to be thought that the created things gave themselves a purpose. That is absurd. He has even created the wicked for a purpose, namely, a purpose of destruction and punishment (see more in chapter 3 on Reprobation). All things exist and were created to display His glory in one way or another. The people of God are said to be that sons and daughters of God who were created for His glory, and they are called by His holy Name (Isa. 43:6-7). In Colossians 1:16, we read:

    For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.

    The Son of God was not only the Agent of Creation, but He was the goal of Creation. Not only were all things that were created, created by Him and through Him, but also for Him. Do not miss this bit. The reason that the Creation exists is for the Son—for His pleasure and for His glory. Everything is set up and is created for the praise of Jesus’ glory. Such is the Father’s good pleasure that the Son may be glorified in all things, just like the Father (John 5:22-23).

    Even salvation has the glory of God as its end and goal. Three times in Ephesians 1 we are told that we have been predestined and saved “to the praise of his glorious grace” (Eph. 1:6) and “to the praise of his glory” (Eph. 1:12, 14). See also Isaiah 43:7; 60:21; 61:3; Psalm 143:11; Ezekiel 36:21-22; 39:7; Ephesians 3:9-10.

    In Romans 9:22-23, it is said:

    What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, 23 in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory— 

    God will display both the glory of His justice an...

    1689 Baptist Confession Chapter 9: Of Free Will - Commentary
    Simon Wartanian | 22,997 views | 16,462 words | 1:25:57 hours | 04 March 2015 21:41
    The 1689 Second Baptist Confession Of Faith Confession Commentary Reformed Baptist Chapter 9 Chapter Nine Free Will Libertarian Free Will Determinism Fatalism Compatibilism Incompatibilism Moral Agency Jonathan Edwards The Freedom Of The Will
    ...ass="hr-1689-wording-commentary" /

    God Ordains Human Actions

    It is clear from chapter 3 that God is sovereign and ordains even human actions. Therefore, the freedom spoken of here is not autonomous freedom. Chapter 3:1 says:

    God hath decreed in himself, from all eternity, by the most wise and holy counsel of his own will, freely and unchangeably, all things, whatsoever comes to pass; yet so as thereby is God neither the author of sin nor hath Fellowship with any therein; nor is violence offered to the will of the creature, nor yet is the liberty or contingency of second causes taken away, but rather established; in which appears his wisdom in disposing all things, and power and faithfulness in accomplishing his decree. (See commentary)

    His sovereignty, orchestration and ordaining extends to all things whatsoever comes to pass, the good and the bad. Chapter 5 which speaks of God’s providence is even clearer on this:

    The almighty power, unsearchable wisdom, and infinite goodness of God, so far manifest themselves in his providence, that his determinate counsel extendeth itself even to the first fall, and all other sinful actions both of angels and men; and that not by a bare permission, which also he most wisely and powerfully boundeth, and otherwise ordereth and governeth, in a manifold dispensation to his most holy ends; yet so, as the sinfulness of their acts proceedeth only from the creatures, and not from God, who, being most holy and righteous, neither is nor can be the author or approver of sin.

    If even the evil actions of men are under His control, how much more the good actions? For the case that God ordains and is sovereign even over the evil actions of men and yet holds them accountable, see chapter 3 section 1 where I try to argue just that from the biblical texts. Consistent with what the Confession said in chapters 3 and 5, the freedom spoken by the 1689 is not a freedom of will from God’s sovereignty, but freedom of will within God’s sovereign decree.

    Edwards on the Will

    R.C. Sproul, in Willing to Believe, presents Augustine as having taught the following four conditions of the will:

    1. Posse non peccare is the possibility not to sin. This is what Adam and Eve had when they were originally created by God.
    2. Posse peccare is the possibility to sin. This Adam and Eve also had prior to the Fall.
    3. Non posse non peccare is the impossibility not to sin. These all the descendants of Adam until freed by Christ have.
    4. Non posse peccare is the impossibility to sin. This is what those in Christ will have in the eternal state.

    Points 1 and 2 concern the State of Innocence (paragraph 2). Point 3 is for those under the State of Sin (paragraph 3). Point 4 is for the State of Glory (paragraph 5). Those who are redeemed in Christ are yet not fixed in any one point, but find themselves in points 1-3.

    The Nature and Determination of the Will (Part I, section I-II)

    But what is freedom in the Calvinistic sense, then? What do we mean when we speak of freedom of choice? Many agree that none better than Edwards has defended the Freedom of Will as understood by Calvinists:

    And therefore I observe, that the Will (without any metaphysical refining) is, That by which the mind chooses any thing. The faculty of the will, is that power, or principle of mind, by which it is capable of choosing: an act of the will is the same as an act of choosing or choice.

    If any think it is a more perfect definition of the will, to say, t...