The Sovereignty of
God
My Will be done
or
Thy Will be done?
Does God Control All Things?
God :
 knows everything about everyone
 is never taken by surprise
 is in control of all that happens (?)
 plans / planned all that happens
 Did not send Jesus as “Plan B” after Adam sinned
 is the Author of our salvation. (Not us!)
Can we do anything to save ourselves?
 at times acts in ways we cannot understand
 knows who will be saved
Did Jesus die for all, whether believe on Him or not?
A bit of History
 Early church – very simple doctrinal views
 Errors  doctrinal statements
 Pelagius, (5th C. Briton) : obligation implies
ability – God doesn’t command impossible
 Augustine recognised heresy
 Pelagius condemned by Council of
Carthage : A.D. 412, confirmed A.D. 418
 A.D. 431 Eastern Church also censured
Pelagians in General Synod at Ephesus
The Problem
 Does God cause events or just foreknow
them?
 What’s the difference?
 What do we mean by predestination?
 Are some people destined to be saved / lost?
 How much free will does man really have?
Calvin & Arminius
 John Calvin (1509-1564) – French theologian,
worked in Geneva to reform Church
 Influenced by Augustinian doctrine – famous
for teaching on predestination
 Jacobus Arminius (Jakob Hermanzoon),
1560-1609; professor at University of Leyden
 Arminius: "the grace sufficient for salvation is
conferred on the Elect, and on the Non-elect;
that, if they will, they may believe or not
believe, may be saved or not be saved."
Calvinism & Arminianism
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Arminianism
Sinner, can do good
& respond to God
God elects on basis
of foreseen faith
Christ died for all
Man can resist God
Believer may lose
salvation
•
•
•
•
•
Calvinism
Man unable of self to
respond to God
God elects according
to His good pleasure
Christ died for Elect
Irresistible election
Elect can never lose
salvation
TULIP – 5 points
1. Total Depravity - Original sin means all
human beings are incapable of being good.
2. Unconditional Election - God chooses people
on His own grounds. (Predestination)
3. Limited Atonement - Jesus died to redeem
only those God chose to save
4. Irresistible Grace - God causes those whom
He chooses to accept His grace
5. Perseverance - Once someone has been saved
by God, he cannot lose his salvation.
Roses & Lilacs
R=Radical Depravity
L=Limited Depravity
O=Overcoming Grace
I=I Choose Christ
S=Sovereign Election
L=Limitless Atonement
E=Eternal Life
A=Arrestible Grace
S=Singular Redemption C=Carnal Security
The Good, Bad & Ugly
 Good: Salvation not up to us – God’s doing
 Bad: Confused with fatalism & excuse for
laziness
 Ugly: Often leads to name-calling & fights
 God doesn’t play with scales!
 God sees no-one as righteous apart from
Jesus – all fallen short; all deserve hell!
Objections
 What about free will & “making a decision”?
 God can accomplish whatever He desires
 Foreknowledge better than predestination?
 If God knows, it’s as certain to happen anyway
 Human Responsibility versus Election
 Cf. both ideas in same chapter – John 6.
 “It’s not fair!”
 Paul’s response in Rom 9:19 -21 – see also Isa.
45:9; Jer. 18:1-12
Additional Thoughts
 2 truths of this mystery often side by side
 Believe because elected / elected because
believe
 John 6 shows divine sovereignty in verses
37, 44, and 65
 Human responsibility is emphasised in
verses 29, 35, 40, & 47