WSC #7 & 8 God's Decree

The Decrees of God
The decrees of God in general: Decree: an authoritative order having the force of law. To ordain, establish, or decide. Definitions from Louis Berkhof, Alexander Whyte, and Thomas Boston

His eternal purpose: Eph. 1:4-5, 9 (NAS renders the end of v.5 as “the kind intention of His will.”)

See also Isaiah Psalm 33:11 & Hebrews 6:17 – God's plan is eternal, unchangeable, & effectual.

Some aspects of God's eternal purpose are revealed to us, while others are not. See Eph. 1:9 and Rom. 11:33.

The Counsel of his will: Counsel refers to understanding and judgment. It is a careful contemplation of what someone means to do – how to do in the best way, the wisest way.

For His own glory: In Ephesians 1:12-14 Paul uses the phrase “to the praise of His glory” twice in the context of God's decree. This gives us the “why” of God's decrees.
Foreordained: The Westminster divines take that word from the Greek word prognosis (προγνωσις), which is usually, translated “foreknowledge”. See 1 Peter 1:2 and Acts 2:23. Foreknowledge is not just ‘knowing' something is going to happen, but it is foreordination, something that was predetermined to happen.

The execution of God's decree: God executes His decrees in the works of creation and providence.

Objections to the Doctrine of God's