The first principle starts with God and His purposes. God has a definite plan and purpose for the world. (Job 23:13; Eph. 1:8-12).
We do not want to spend too much time on this first point since we intend to devote a whole booklet to this subject. Let me just outline this truth with several verses of Scripture.

"He is of one mind, and who can turn Him? And what His soul desireth, even that He doeth." Job 23:13

1. God HAS a plan. "He is of ONE MIND ... What His soul DESIRETH...."
   

2. God's plan is INCHANGEABLE. "Who can TURN HIM....?"
   

3. God's plan must and WILL SUCCED.... "even that (which He desires or
   plans) He DOETH."
   

4. God's plan INCLUDES ALL THINGS that come to pass.
   
   ". . . being predestinated according to the purpose (or plan) of Him who worketh ALL THINGS after the counsel of His own will." Eph. 1:11
   
   "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to His purpose(or plan). Rom. 8:28
   
   The Pelagian denies that God has a plan. The Arminian denies that the plan is specific and inclusive of all things. The Confessions of Faith say, "God from all eternity did, by the most wise and Holy counsel of His own free will, freely and unchangeably ordain whatsoever comes to pass." Here are a few other texts on the same subject:
   
   God does everything DELIBERATELY - Psalm 115:3
   
   God does as HE PLEASES - Psalm 135:6
   
   God does all things according to His own eternal knowledge, power, and desire. Isa. 46:10 and Acts 15:18.
   
   If you feel inclined to reject what is being said, I suggest you look up some "tough" verses (Deut. 2:30; I Sam. 16:14, and Romans 9) and try to fit them into your system of theology. A classic illustration of the sovereignty of God in accomplishing His purposes is found in II Sam. 17:1-14:
   
   vs. 1-3 Good counsel is given.
   vs. 4 Absalom is ready to act.
   vs. 5-13 Bad counsel is given deliberately.
   vs. 14 God purposed Absalom to believe a lie.
   
   As I mentioned earlier, the above is very sketchy and will be filled out later. The subject of God's decrees is really a subject all by itself and deserves a lot more space than we have at this time. We will move on to the next principle.