The Comfort in God’s Decrees (Mastricht)

Ephesians 1:11 is where Paul talks about predestination and "the one purpose of him who accomplishes all things according to the counsel of his will..." (NET). This is a deep and rich phrase to say the least. It has to do with God's eternal purpose and his will, two theology topics that lead to discussions …

The Hiddenness of God’s Sovereignty (Davis)

At one point during David's reign he and his administration actually had to flee Jerusalem (2 Sam. 15-18). Absalom, David's son, had built up an army and was bent on taking the throne for himself. So David thought it best to leave the city. But David did appoint a spy to gather information from Absalom's …

…His Undeserved Mercy Intervened (Augustine)

In his commentary on Romans 9:21-26 Martin Luther began explaining these verses with a great quote from Augustine. But before I share that quote, here are some of the verses Luther was commenting on: Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for special purposes …

The Need for an Effectual Call (Hoekema)

 I really like these reflections by Anthony Hoekema on the effectual call of God.  Hoekema first gives an objection, then a clear answer and an illustration.  This post is a bit longer than my usual ones, but it's not too tough to read/follow - and it's comforting! A final objection which could be raised is …

It Is The Lord Who Sends Afflictions (Chrysostom)

 I ran across this great quote from Chrysostom on God's sovereignty in affliction.  These are his comments on Job 2:10: "Shall we receive good at the hand of God, and not receive evil?" (Geneva Bible).  It's worth reading a few times! This text means that if we actually experienced only misfortunes, we would still need …