A decree is a mandate, order, command or edict decided by a king or someone in power. Three aspects of God’s decretive will are as follows:

1. God’s decretive will is foreordained by God and it glorifies Himself (Gen 25:24) : The Bible simply declares the decretive will of God. He does not need to explain it to us because He is God. We must simply accept and submit to God’s will. He is in control and He rules over all things, according to His purpose. In Genesis 25:24, Isaac and Rebekah were expecting twins. According to God’s sovereign will, His promise to Abraham would be fulfilled through Jacob (the younger twin). The decretive will of God was already determined even before the twins were born. Romans 9:10-13 (cf Mal 1:2) is the divine commentary of how even before the twins were born, God had already told Rebekah that her elder child would serve her younger child (Gen 25:23). The decretive will of God also applies to the salvation of man. It must humble us because before we were born, God has already determined our salvation. By us being born again, it shows that God loves us.

2. God’s decretive will is determined by God (Gen 25:25-28): God chooses according to His own standard and sovereign will. In salvation, we can only be saved through the Lord Jesus Christ. We have no right to decide whether a person deserves to be saved or not. If God did not choose/elect us, none of us can be saved at all. None of us would choose God by ourselves. In evangelism, the person, timing and place are all by God’s appointment. Thank God that His choices do not depend on our choices. God chose us because of his love for us (Eph 1:4-6). With the right attitude, we will be able to submit to God’s will.

3. God’s decretive will does not excuse man of his responsibility (Gen 25:29-34) : When one rejects God, he is responsible for that decision. The Bible’s verdict of Esau selling his birthright is that he despised his birthright (Gen 25:34). In Hebrews 12:16-17, the selling of one’s birthright was a serious sin and the seller was compared to a fornicator and a profane (wicked) person. We cannot balance or reconcile God’s sovereignty and man’s responsibility. When man rejects God, he is responsible for his decision. When God saves man, He deserves all the glory.