A glass window stands before us. We can look at the window itself, studying and admiring it for what it is. Or, we can look through the glass to what lies behind it. After all, that is the point of the window—to see something on the other side.

That illustration from B. B. Warfield demonstrates the two ways of looking at the world. We can simply see the world right in front of us, or we can look through the world to see God behind it all.

In the previous question, the Westminster Larger Catechism biblically informed us that God’s decree determines “whatsoever comes to pass.” That can be difficult to come to terms with. We should never think that while we study God, we won’t encounter things that are difficult. The difficulty here is that when we say God has decreed all things that come to pass, we are forced out of the armchair and into the perplexing problems of life. The Catechism anticipates this and, in Question 13, begins looking through the window of salvation and condemnation. What’s behind that window?

The very first thing to notice is that God is the very first word to the Catechism’s answer. God stands behind election and reprobation as the one “who works all things according to the counsel of his will” (Eph. 1:11). Here we need to remember the flow of the Catechism. God is not an impersonal force. Rather, God is “most wise, most just, most merciful and gracious.” This is the God who stands behind salvation and condemnation; therefore, His decree is wise, just, merciful, and gracious.

The Catechism then provides a biblical summary of election and reprobation in the decree of God. Election is an explicitly biblical word and idea that cannot be avoided (e.g. Matt. 24:24, Luke 18:7, Rom. 8:33, etc.). According to the Bible, God has elected or chosen both angels and men (1 Tim. 5:21, Eph. 1:4). What do we biblically know about this election? First, it was out of love (Eph. 1:4–5). For emphasis, the Catechism adds the word “mere,” meaning it was only God’s love that moved Him to elect. Second, we know that God has done this “for the praise of his glorious grace” (Eph. 1:6, 14). Third, that distinct from the angels, God has chosen some men “in Christ” (Eph. 1:4). Simply, even election is one of the spiritual blessings given to us, not apart from Jesus but in and through Him. Finally, not only has God chosen the men but also “the means thereof.” God has chosen that they would hear the gospel, have faith in Jesus, repent of sin, and be preserved to inherit eternal life.

But the Bible and Catechism teach that not all angels are elect (Jude 6) and not all men are chosen to eternal life (Rom. 9:22 and 1 Pet. 2:8). This is a subject where we need a degree of silence because it brings us into the “unsearchable counsel” of God’s own will (see Deut. 29:29). Two things are worth our attention. First, whereas election was out of God’s love, His withholding favor is on account of His “sovereign power,” or His ultimate authority. After all, the potter has a right over the clay (Rom. 9:21). Second, reprobation within the decree of God is not without reference to sin—“to be for their sin inflicted.” Truly, it is the wages of sin that is death (Rom. 6:23).

When we look through the window of salvation and condemnation, we see God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. In seeing God more clearly, we should be led to our ultimate and chief end: enjoying God and glorifying Him. Maybe that’s the simplest application of these difficult truths. For election, we praise God for His glorious grace; and for reprobation, we praise Him for His glorious justice. In meditating on His immutable decree, we praise the one who is all in all.