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Biblical Decision-Making Process and Principles Overview

Biblical decision-making involves discerning God's will and applying scriptural principles to choices in life. This process is often understood as moving beyond elementary doctrines to a deeper engagement with Christian teaching [5].

A foundational principle in biblical decision-making is the recognition of God's ultimate judgment. The Bible consistently predicts a future judgment, referred to as "the Day of wrath" or "the judgment of the great day" [1]. This judgment will be administered by Jesus Christ, who acts as mediator [2]. Passages such as John 5:22, 27 and Acts 17:31 indicate that all judgment has been committed to him [1, 2]. This final judgment encompasses all of humanity, without exception [2]. The awareness of this impending judgment encourages believers to live in a manner pleasing to God, as their actions will be evaluated [2]. The "word of God" is described as having judicial power, capable of discerning the heart and judging disobedience [9].

Another key aspect is the concept of foreknowledge and foreordination. God's foreknowledge is understood not merely as perception but as an active foreordaining love, from which election originates [3]. This divine foreordination does not negate human liberty but rather comprehends it [3]. For instance, Christ was "foreknown" or "foreordained" as the sacrificial Lamb, not against his will, but with it [3]. This theological understanding suggests that God has a plan, and discerning this plan is part of biblical decision-making.

The Bible also presents examples of individuals making significant choices based on their faith. Moses, for example, deliberately chose to suffer affliction with God's people rather than enjoy the temporary pleasures of sin [6]. This choice highlights a balancing of worldly benefits against religious commitment, with Moses consciously opting for the latter, understanding that worldly pleasure is fleeting while religious affliction is also temporary, and its rewards are eternal [6]. Such decisions are not impulsive but involve deliberate resolution, often at a mature stage of life [6].

The process of growth in understanding Christian doctrine is also relevant. Believers are encouraged to move beyond "the principles of the doctrine" or "the word of the beginning" to a more mature understanding [5]. This includes grasping concepts like "the word of righteousness," which encompasses justification and sanctification, as well as the nature of Christ's person and offices [10]. Just as one does not perpetually lay a foundation when building a house, believers are to progress in their spiritual understanding [5].

Biblical decision-making also involves recognizing the true nature of religious observance. Outward symbols, such as the name "Jew" or the rite of "circumcision," are meant to signify an inward separation unto God [8]. When the inward reality of devotion is absent, these outward signs lose their meaning [8]. This principle extends to other practices, such as baptism, which, along with the laying on of hands, transitioned from Jewish purifications to Christian analogues [7]. The emphasis is on the spiritual reality behind the external act.

The divine procedure in judgment often includes everything connected with the sinful objects of God's wrath, as seen in the flood narrative where all flesh died alongside humanity [4]. This demonstrates a comprehensive approach to divine judgment and the interconnectedness of creation under God's sovereignty [4]. This principle suggests that decisions made in accordance with God's will can have far-reaching implications.

Sources

  1. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Judgment, The — Predicted in the Old Testament -- 1Ch 16:33; Ps 9:7; 96:13; Ec 3:17. A first principle of the gospel -- Heb 6:2. A day appointed for -- Ac 17:31; Ro 2:16. Time of, unknown to us -- Mr 13:32. Called the Day of wrath. -- Ro 2:5; Re 6:17. Revelation of the righteous judgment of God. -- Ro 2:5. Day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. -- 2Pe 3:7. Day of destruction. -- Job 21:30. Judgment of the great day. -- Jude 1:6. Shall be administered by Christ -- Joh 5:22,27; Ac 10:42; Ro 14:10; 2Co 5:10. Saints shall sit with Christ in -- 1Co 6:2; Re 20:4. Sh”
  2. Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Judgment, The final — The sentence that will be passed on our actions at the last day (Matt. 25; Rom. 14:10, 11; 2 Cor. 5:10; 2 Thess. 1:7-10). The judge is Jesus Christ, as mediator. All judgment is committed to him (Acts 17:31; John 5:22, 27; Rev. 1:7). "It pertains to him as mediator to complete and publicly manifest the salvation of his people and the overthrow of his enemies, together with the glorious righteousness of his work in both respects." The persons to be judged are, (1) the whole race of Adam without a single exception (Matt. 25:31-46; 1 Cor. 15:51, 52”
  3. 1 Peter (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 1 Peter 1:2: foreknowledge--foreordaining love (Pe1 1:20), inseparable from God's foreknowledge, the origin from which, and pattern according to which, election takes place. Act 2:23, and Rom 11:2, prove "foreknowledge" to be foreordination. God's foreknowledge is not the perception of any ground of action out of Himself; still in it liberty is comprehended, and all absolute constraint debarred [ANSELM in STEIGER]. For so the Son of God was "foreknown" (so the Greek for "foreordained," Pe1 1:20) to be the sacrificial Lamb, not against, or without His will, but His ”
  4. Genesis (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Genesis 7:21: all flesh died . . . fowl . . . cattle, and . . . creeping thing--It has been a uniform principle in the divine procedure, when judgments were abroad on the earth, to include every thing connected with the sinful objects of His wrath (Gen 19:25; Exo 9:6). Besides, now that the human race was reduced to one single family, it was necessary that the beasts should be proportionally diminished, otherwise by their numbers they would have acquired the ascendancy and overmastered the few that were to repeople the world. Thus goodness was mingled with severity”
  5. Hebrews (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Hebrews 6 (introduction): WARNING AGAINST RETROGRADING, WHICH SOON LEADS TO APOSTASY; ENCOURAGEMENT TO STEADFASTNESS FROM GOD'S FAITHFULNESS TO HIS WORD AND OATH. (Heb 6:1-14) Therefore--Wherefore: seeing that ye ought not now to be still "babes" (Heb 5:11-14). leaving--getting further forward than the elementary "principles." "As in building a house one must never leave the foundation: yet to be always laboring in 'laying the foundation' would be ridiculous" [CALVIN]. the principles of the doctrine--Greek, "the word of the beginning," that is, the discussion ”
  6. Hebrews (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Hebrews 11:25: He balanced the best of the world with the worst of religion, and decidedly chose the latter. "Choosing" implies a deliberate resolution, not a hasty impulse. He was forty years old, a time when the judgment is matured. for a season--If the world has "pleasure" (Greek, "enjoyment") to offer, it is but "for a season." If religion bring with it "affliction," it too is but for a season; whereas its "pleasures are for evermore."”
  7. Hebrews (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Hebrews 6:2: the doctrine of baptisms--paired with "laying on of hands," as the latter followed on Christian baptism, and answers to the rite of confirmation in Episcopal churches. Jewish believers passed, by an easy transition, from Jewish baptismal purifications (Heb 9:10, "washings"), baptism of proselytes, and John's baptism, and legal imposition of hands, to their Christian analogues, baptism, and the subsequent laying on of hands, accompanied by the gift of the Holy Ghost (compare Heb 6:4). Greek, "baptismoi," plural, including Jewish and Christian baptisms, ”
  8. Romans (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Romans 2:28: he is not a Jew which is one outwardly, &c.--In other words, the name of "Jew" and the rite of "circumcision" were designed but as outward symbols of a separation from the irreligious and ungodly world unto holy devotedness in heart and life to the God of salvation. Where this is realized, the signs are full of significance; but where it is not, they are worse than useless. Note, (1) It is a sad mark of depravity when all that is designed and fitted to melt only hardens the heart (Rom 2:4, and compare Pe2 3:9; Ecc 8:11). (2) Amidst all the inequalitie”
  9. Hebrews (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Hebrews 4:12: For--Such diligent striving (Heb 4:11) is incumbent on us FOR we have to do with a God whose "word" whereby we shall be judged, is heart-searching, and whose eyes are all-seeing (Heb 4:13). The qualities here attributed to the word of God, and the whole context, show that it is regarded in its JUDICIAL power, whereby it doomed the disobedient Israelites to exclusion from Canaan, and shall exclude unbelieving so-called Christians from the heavenly rest. The written Word of God is not the prominent thought here, though the passage is often quoted as if ”
  10. Hebrews (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Hebrews 5:13: useth--Greek, "partaketh," that is, taketh as his portion. Even strong men partake of milk, but do not make milk their chief, much less their sole, diet. the word of righteousness--the Gospel wherein "the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith" (Rom 1:17), and which is called "the ministration of righteousness" (Co2 3:9). This includes the doctrine of justification and sanctification: the first principles, as well as the perfection, of the doctrine of Christ: the nature of the offices and person of Christ as the true Melchisedec, that ”
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