WCF 3.1-4

Chapter 3 - Of God's Eternal Decree

I. God from all eternity, did, by the most wise and holy counsel of His own will, freely, and unchangeably ordain whatsoever comes to pass:(1) yet so, as thereby neither is God the author of sin,(2) nor is violence offered to the will of the creatures; nor is liberty or contingency of second causes taken away, but rather established.(3)

I. Before creation, God unchangeably ordained, in accordance with the counsel of his most wise and holy will, everything that happens.(1) This was done in such a manner as to ensure that God is not the author of sin,(2) nor is the will of the creature impugned. Furthermore, the contingency of second causes is not taken away in this act, rather it is established.(3)

Pretty straightforward. I changed "from all eternity" to "before creation" because that is the important point; there's no reason to involve the concept of eternity at this point. I also removed "liberty" from the last sentence on second causes because I think it is superfluous within the context of today's culture. On a more personal note, I'm not sure it's ontologically necessary (or even possible) to maintain the notion of God ordaining all things that happen while at the same time maintaining the notion that He is not the author of sin. The relationship between "ordain" and "author" is not clearly defined and I don't think discussions about the definitions and parameters of "cause-and-effect" are going to bring any solid answers. Also, I'm not entirely sold on the importance of preserving the "will of the creature" in this ordaining act of God either. At the very least we find in Scripture that man is either a slave to sin or a slave to righteousness; so what does it mean to refrain from impugning the will of the creature given this setting?

II. Although God knows whatsoever may or can come to pass upon all supposed conditions,(4) yet hath He not decreed any thing because He foresaw it as future, or as that which would come to pass upon such conditions.(5)

II. Even though God is omniscient,(4) He has not decreed anything because He foresaw it as future or because particular conditions were going to be met.(5)

All I have done here is shortened and modernized. I'm really sort of at a loss as to the function if this section. It seems quite illogical that God could foresee something that was not, beforehand, decreed. Thus, how could any decree be based on something foreseen? I'm not sure why this needs to be explicitly stated. An unnecessary confusion between foreknowledge and foresight can be avoided by rewording and simplifying this section even more: "The ordaining of all things that happen is not based on God's foreseeing what will happen, rather it is grounded in His perfect righteousness and in accordance with His will." On the other hand, I do not think this chapter, or the confession as a whole, would suffer any great or lesser loss if this section were removed completely.

III. By the decree of God, for the manifestation of His glory, some men and angels(6) are predestined unto everlasting life; and others foreordained to everlasting death.(7)

III. For the manifestation of His glory, God has decreed that some men and angels(6) be predestined unto everlasting life; and others be predestined to everlasting death.(7)

A bit of rearranging, this section is quite straightforward. I haven't quite nailed down what substantial difference there is between "predestined" and "foreordained." Maybe there isn't a difference at all but then why not use "predestined" in place of "foreordained" in this section? At any rate, I changed "foreordained" to "predestined" for consistency.

IV. These angels and men, thus predestinated, and foreordained, are particularly and unchangeably designed, and their number so certain and definite, that it cannot be either increased or diminished.(8)

IV. These angels and men, being so predestined, are certainly and specifically designated to their particular end, be it eternal life or eternal death. The number of those respectively designated is so definite that it cannot be increased or diminished.(8)

More cosmetics. I, again, have dropped "foreordained" in favor of using only "predestined" for consistency's sake.

Theological Insight in Strange Places

I was reading through an article in a recent issue of Wine Spectator and came across this quote from Thomas Kuhn: "You do not perceive something until you have the right metaphor to receive it." Of course the author doesn't cite a work and I am not familiar enough with his works to place it (though if I had to guess I would say it's from The Structure of Scientific Revolutions); but I thought the quote one of the most insightful sentences I've read in quite some time. My mind raced immediately to the truth of the gospel and how one cannot accept it apart from the gift of faith. I went from there to thinking that the operating metaphor which enables faith is grounded the reality of the incarnation: the word of God manifested in the person of Jesus. Unlike the majority of our conceptual metaphors, this is a metaphor that cannot be acquired via the carnal experience of the created order; nor can flesh and blood reveal it to us. Only through the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit is one able to receive the truth of the gospel.

WCF 2.1-3

This chapter needs a serious overhaul. First, I think the title should be changed to "Of God" or to "Of the Holy Trinity" or even to "Of God, the Holy Trinity". I also think the last section should be the first so that the doctrine of the Trinity is established as the context in which the rest of our understanding about God is couched. If it wasn't for the last section this chapter might as well advocate unitarianism. I think a restructuring of this section is necessary if only from a pedagogical standpoint for those new Christians who come to the Confession looking to solidify their understanding of God. The main problem with this chapter is that it attempts to describe and define God seemingly apart from the ontological truth/reality of the Trinity. Much theology has been written on this in recent centuries (some of it very good, from what I understand) since the formulation of the Confession and such work should probably be taken into account now. This chapter grates on my theological nerves and it isn't the content so much as it is the format in which that content is being displayed. This could be done much, much better.



Chapter 2 - Of God, and of the Holy Trinity


I. There is but one only,(1) living, and true God,(2) who is infinite in being and perfection,(3) a most pure spirit,(4) invisible,(5) without body, parts(6) or passions;(7) immutable,(8) immense,(9) eternal,(10) incomprehensible,(11) almighty,(12) most wise,(13) most holy,(14) most free,(15) most absolute;(16) working all things according to the counsel of His own immutable and most righteous will,(17) for His own glory;(18) most loving,(19) gracious, merciful, long-suffering, abundant in goodness and truth, forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin;(20) the rewarder of them that dilligently seek Him;(21) and withal, most just, and terrible in His judgments,(22) hating all sin,(23) and who will by no means clear the guilty.(24)

I. There is only one (1) living and true God.(2) He is infinite in being and perfection.(3) He is a spirit.(4) He is immutable,(8) immense (9) and without beginning or end;(10) He cannot be fully or completely comprehended.(11) God is almighty,(12) most wise,(13) most holy,(14) most free (15) and most absolute.(16) He works all things according to the council of His will (17) and for His own glory.(18) He is most loving,(19) gracious and merciful; He is abundant in goodness, truth and forgiveness.(20) He rewards those who dilligently seek Him (21) and He is most just in His judgments.(22) He hates all sin (23) and will not let the guilty go unpunished.(24)

I've left some things completely out and reworded a few others in this section. First thing that I've left out is "invisible, without body, parts or passions". I've removed "invisible" because it's almost redundant following "spirit" and because Paul says that God is clearly "seen" by all men, even if only in and through the created order. I've removed "without body, parts or passions" partly because it is also redundant following "spirit" but also because the section goes on to note several "passions" God does, in fact, have (e.g. love, graciousness, mercy, etc.). I changed "eternal" into "without beginning or end" to accommodate both those who believe God is outside of time and those who believe He is not. I've changed "incomprensible" to "cannot be fully or completely comprehended" because the former seems to create a picture of total ignorance on our part, as if we can have no knowledge of God at all. Everything else is, more or less, intact.

II. God hath all life,(25) glory,(26) goodness,(27) blessedness,(28) in and of Himself; and is alone in and unto Himself all-sufficient, not standing in need of any creatures which He hath made,(29) nor deriving any glory from them,(30) but only manifesting His own glory in, by, unto, and upon them. He is the alone fountain of all being, of whom, through whom, and to whom are all things (31) and hath most sovereign dominion over them, to do by them, for them, or upon them whatsoever Himself pleaseth.(32) In His sight all things are open and manifested,(33) His knowledge is infinite, infallible, and independent upon the creature,(34) so as nothing is to Him contingent, or uncertain.(35) He is most holy in all His counsels, in all His works, and in all His commands.(36) To Him is due from angels and men, and every other creature, whatsoever worship, service, or obedience He is pleased to require of them.(37)

II. God has all life,(25) glory(26) and goodness(27) in and of Himself. He alone is all-sufficient and is in need of nothing but Himself.(29) Neither does He derive glory from His creation,(30) rather He manifests His own glory in and through it. He is the source of all being and nothing exists apart from His sustaining power.(31) God has complete sovereign dominion over all things so that He does to them that which is according to His will alone.(32) In His sight all things are open and made clear,(33) His knowledge is infinite, infallible and is not dependent upon anything.(34) There is nothing that is contingent or uncertain to God.(35) He is most holy in all His counsels, in all His works, and in all His commands.(36) God alone is to be worshiped and obeyed by men, angels and all of creation in accordance with His stipulations as He sees fit to require.(37)

Here I've done little other than rearrange. I left out "blessedness" because I feel like it clutters more than it helps but everything else is basically the same. I don't like that the Confession, here, says that God does not derive glory from His creation because it seems like the Scriptures speak clearly to the contrary. God does not need to derive glory from us or from His creation, but that is different from saying that He doesn't derive glory from us or it at all. I will readily concede that the glory He receives from us and from creation is His own and not new or additional glory as if He can have more or as if we (or creation) could generate our own apart from Him (here the Confession is right). Even though it is His own glory that He receives from us and creation, it is from us and creation that He receives it and, thus, He does derive glory from us and His creation. In other words (and more simply), I think this is a contradiction that needs to be rectified.

III. In the unity of the Godhead there be three persons, of one substance, power, and eternity: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost:(38) the Father is of none, neither begotten, nor proceeding; the Son is eternally begotten of the Father;(39) the Holy Ghost is eternally proceeding from the Father and the Son. (40)

III. The unity of the Godhead consists of three persons in one substance, power and eternity: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.(38) The Father is of none, neither is He an only son, nor does He proceed from anything or anyone. The Son is eternally the only son of the Father.(39) The Holy Spirit is eternally proceeding from the Father and the Son.(40)

I changed "Ghost" to "Spirit" simply because the word "ghost" seems archaic and, somehow, less accurate than "spirit" when describing the third person of the Trinity. Also, the word "begotten" is sort of tricky so I took the meaning of the Greek word monogenes which denotes "only child" in this context.

WCF 1.8-10

Continuing...

VIII. The Old Testament in Hebrew (which was the native language of the people of God of old), and the New Testament in Greek (which, at the time of the writing of it, was most generally known to the nations), being immediately inspired by God, and, by His singular care and providence, kept pure in all ages, are therefore authentical;(17) so as, in all controversies of religion, the Church is finally to appeal unto them.(18) But, because these original tongues are not known to all the people of God, who have right unto, and interest in the Scriptures, and are commanded, in the fear of God, to read and search them,(19) therefore they are to be translated into the vulgar language of every nation unto which they come,(20) that, the Word of God dwelling plentifully in all, they may worship Him in an acceptable manner;(21) and, through patience and comfort of the Scriptures, may have hope.(22)

VIII. The original languages of Scripture, being primarily Hebrew (Old Testament) and Greek (New Testament), were immediately inspired by God. Through His singular care and providence they have been kept pure and authentic in all ages;(17) thus, in all controversies of religion, the Church is to appeal to Scripture as the final authority.(18) Because the original languages are not known to all of God's people, they are, therefore, to be translated into the native language of every nation.(19) God's people have a right, and an interest, to access the Scriptures in their own language so that, in the fear of God, they may read and search them as they have been commanded.(20) This is to be done so that the Word of God dwells plentifully in all, and that all may worship Him in an acceptable manner.(21) Also, through the patience and comfort wrought by the Scriptures, all may have hope.(22)

This section is a structural wreck in the original; I've tried to untangle it without losing any of the content. I don't see the need for the last couple sentences given that there's a chapter specifically dedicated to worship (chapter 21), but I also don't see any real harm in keeping it the way it is.

IX. The infallible rule of interpretation of Scripture is the Scripture itself: and therefore, when there is a question about the true and full sense of any Scripture (which is not manifold, but one), it must be searched and known by other places that speak more clearly. (23)

IX. The Scriptures do not speak with many voices, but with one voice. Therefore, the infallible rule of interpretation of Scripture is the Scripture itself. When there is a question about the true and full sense of any passage, it must be searched and clarified by other places that speak more clearly. (23)

I pulled the parenthetical statement out and used it as the opening sentence for this section because I think it sets the important context for its content. While I am somewhat uncomfortable with the notion of an infallible rule of interpretation, I realize and recognize the essential truths of this section. If I was doing a complete overhaul of the Confession I might try and reword this section a bit. I am not questioning the inerrancy of Scripture, just our ability to rightly use an infallible rule of interpretation. After all, Christians are quite a theologically diverse people; even those of us who hold to the Confession.

X. The supreme judge by which all controversies of religion are to be determined, and all decrees of councils, opinions of ancient writers, doctrines of men, and private spirits, are to be examined, and in whose sentence we are to rest, can be no other but the Holy Spirit speaking in the Scripture.(24)

X. The supreme judge by which all controversies of religion are to be determined, and in whose sentence we are to rest, can be none other than the Holy Spirit speaking in the Scripture. All the decrees of councils, opinions of ancient (and contemporary) writers, doctrines of men and private spirits are to be examined by this judge.(24)

Again, little more than structural work.