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\u201cGo therefore and make disciples of all the nations\u2026teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age\u201d (Matthew 28:19-20, NASB).
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Contents:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
1) The Sovereignty of God (Gene Frost)
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Gene Frost<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sovereignty is the state of being sovereign, which is to be \u201cabove or superior to all others; chief; greatest; supreme.\u201d We illustrate:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In all the realm, the king was sovereign. There was no one holding greater rank, with greater authority, or greater power. He willed that on a certain day, from the rising of the sun until the setting of the same, all who came before him and pledged their allegiance personally would receive a special blessing from the king himself. The time was sufficient to allow every subject to appear, and none would be turned away. The day came and many made their appearance and pledged their allegiance. However, the disgruntled and rebellious refused to humble themselves before the king. True to his promise, the king graciously bestowed great favor upon the humble, a reward far exceeding what any had imagined.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Question:<\/strong> Did the king surrender his sovereignty by stipulating conditions in order to receive his blessings? Did he cease being supreme in the kingdom when his subjects sought his favor and obeyed his orders? Did he lose control of his power by fulfilling his promise? Was the bestowal of blessings still within his power or had he thereby lost control? Did he still have power over who were blessed when the number was determined by the choice his subjects made? Did the action of his subjects, in making a choice to submit or refuse, in any wise diminish his authority and power? Who could rightly deny that the sovereign king was still sovereign king after he blessed his subjects?<\/p>\n\n\n\n I wouldn\u2019t suppose anyone would have a problem with this scenario. Why is it then, when it comes to the sovereignty of God, Calvinists tell us that He cannot offer blessings to the obedient without losing that sovereignty? When God sets forth conditions for man\u2019s salvation, allowing man the freedom to either humbly obey or obstinately refuse, He is in complete control of whom He will bless and whom He will refuse. His role and authority remain supreme. Whatever man does is without effect upon God\u2019s will; God is the ultimate determiner, who acts according as He has promised. There is a body of the saved, those who meet His requirements, and a body of the lost, who live and die in sin alienated from Him. The body of the saved consists of those who receive salvation which He offers \u201cin Christ.\u201d Those in Christ, who remain faithful in Christ, constitute His elect (Ezekiel 18:26; Hebrews 6:4-6; I Corinthians 15:1-2). They are predestined to everlasting life. Predestined, not as individuals without regard to character, but as those \u201cin Christ,\u201d who love His appearing (II Timothy 4:8). Whether one is among the saved or not depends upon his response to the grace of God, which is extended to all men (Titus 2:11-12; I John 2:2). Therefore man has the free will to choose (Joshua 24:15). In either case, God is sovereign, fully in control.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Calvinists put a spin on the word \u201csovereign\u201d that assumes that He had to pre-program and predetermine everything \u2014 every thought, every action, every event, to the minutest detail. Of course, their theological assumption is not inherent in the word. They use their contrived definition to formulate doctrines, doctrines not set forth in Scripture and will not stand the test of investigation standing alone. By using \u201csovereignty\u201d (their definition), they beg the question. This is a fact they recognize. For example, they cannot reconcile their \u201csovereignty\u201d with \u201chuman responsibility.\u201d How reasonable and just is it for God to hold man responsible for what he thinks and does when God Himself supposedly pre-programmed him to be as he is? Here is what Calvinists admit:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe one thing that man cannot do is reconcile the responsibility of man and the sovereignty of God.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cBoth of these are equally true \u2013 they are both in the Bible \u2013 and we have no trouble in our minds when we consider them separately, but, we cannot (in our minds) put them together.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Of errors to be avoided, we are told: \u201cprobably the most common error is to try to reconcile God\u2019s Sovereignty and Man\u2019s Responsibility.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThey are both in the Bible \u2013 both true \u2013 but humanly we cannot reconcile them with each other.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Can you imagine that God gave us a revelation of His will which defies our reason, that logically is contradictory! Au contraire! There is no conflict between God\u2019s sovereignty, when properly defined and as His supremacy is used in Scripture, and man\u2019s responsibility before God. It is Calvinist theology that is contradictory, that defies reason.<\/p>\n\n\n\n One mistake Calvinists make about the sovereignty of God is to assume that every decree of God is absolute and unchangeable, that there are no contingencies with God. Man has no choice that affects God\u2019s actions. In contrast, observe the following: God may plan to destroy a wicked nation, but if it turns to God He will relent. Either course is within His power and authority. His spoken will and intention is not absolute and unchangeable. It is contingent upon man\u2019s behavior. Thus God \u201crelents or changes his dealings with men according to his sovereign purposes\u201d [Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament, vol. II, p. 571]. See also Ezekiel 3:17-21 and I Samuel 23:11-13.<\/p>\n\n\n\n God told Hezekiah to set his house in order because he would not live; he would die. Hezekiah prayed to God. In response God said, \u201cI have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will heal thee: on the third day thou shalt go up unto the house of the LORD. And I will add unto thy days fifteen years\u201d <\/em>(II Kings 20:1-6).<\/p>\n\n\n\n God\u2019s decree was not fixed, and as the situation changed, God\u2019s will changed. You see, it is as God says, \u201cThe effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much\u201d<\/em> (James 5:16). See also Jonah 3:4,10.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAnd the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely\u201d <\/em>(Revelation 22:17).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Whoever wills (determines, chooses) to respond to God\u2019s invitation may, or he may choose not. God will respond accordingly. The Calvinist says, \u201cNo, man\u2019s will is not involved. When the Spirit and bride say, \u2018come,\u2019 only those whom God has elected will come, not of their own will but as predetermined; they are pre-programmed to come.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cTherefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man\u201d <\/em>(Matthew 7:24).<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Calvinist responds, \u201cNo, he that does as the Lord orders is not \u2018wise\u2019\u2026 he is pre-programmed. He does what he must. In fact, one may be dull, but if God has elected him he will do as programmed to do. On the other hand, a non-elected wise man may turn away in spite of his wisdom simply because it is God\u2019s pleasure that he be eternally lost.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n In writing this article, the only difficulty in refuting the Calvinist\u2019s theological bluster was in selecting passages from a wealth of Scripture which expose its fallacy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe LORD has established His throne in the heavens; And His sovereignty rules over all<\/em>\u201d (Psalms 103:19).<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHe who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords; who alone possesses immortality and dwells in unapproachable light; whom no man has seen or can see. To Him be honor and eternal dominion! Amen\u201d <\/em>(I Timothy 6:15-16).<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2014 via Articles for the La Vista church of Christ 1) Hear <\/strong>the gospel, for that is how faith comes (Rom. 10:17; John 20:30-31). Tebeau Street \u201cGo therefore and make disciples of all the nations\u2026teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age\u201d (Matthew 28:19-20, NASB).\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2013 Contents: 1) The Sovereignty of God (Gene Frost)\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2014\u2013 -1- The Sovereignty of God Gene Frost Sovereignty is the state of being […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-460","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","post-preview"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thomastedwards.com\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/460","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thomastedwards.com\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thomastedwards.com\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thomastedwards.com\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thomastedwards.com\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=460"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/thomastedwards.com\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/460\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":461,"href":"https:\/\/thomastedwards.com\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/460\/revisions\/461"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thomastedwards.com\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=460"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thomastedwards.com\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=460"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thomastedwards.com\/wordpress\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=460"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Calvinists\u2019 Spin<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Fixed, Unchangeable Intents<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAt one moment I might speak concerning a nation or concerning a kingdom to uproot, to pull down, or to destroy it; if that nation against which I have spoken turns from its evil, I will relent concerning the calamity I planned to bring on it. Or at another moment I might speak concerning a nation or concerning a kingdom to build up or to plant it;\u00a0 if it does evil in My sight by not obeying My voice, then I will think better of the good with which I had promised to bless it\u201d<\/em> (Jeremiah 18:7-10).<\/p>\n\n\n\nConsider the following passages where God decreed, but changed it.<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Contingency is seen in many passages:<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Our God is Sovereign<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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2) Believe<\/strong> in the deity of Christ (John 8:24; John 3:18).
3) Repent<\/strong> of sins (Luke 13:5; Acts 17:30).
4) Confess faith<\/strong> in Christ (Rom. 10:9-10; Acts 8:36-38).
5) Be baptized<\/strong> in water for the remission of sins (Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; 22:16; Rom. 6:3-4; Gal. 3:26-27; 1 Pet. 3:21).
6) Continue in the faith<\/strong>, living for the Lord; for, if not, salvation can be lost (Heb. 10:36-39; Rev. 2:10; 2 Pet. 2:20-22).
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CHURCH OF CHRIST
1402 Tebeau Street, Waycross, GA\u00a0 31501
Sunday<\/strong> services:\u00a09:00 a.m. (Bible class); 10 a.m. & 5 p.m. (worship)
Wednesday:\u00a0<\/strong>7 p.m. (Bible class)
evangelist\/editor:<\/strong>\u00a0Tom Edwards (912) 218-9917
Tom@ThomasTEdwards.com<\/a>
http:\/\/thomastedwards.com\/go<\/a> (Older version of Gospel Observer website without pictures, but back to March 1990)
http:\/\/tebeaustreetchurchofchrist.org\/<\/a>
http:\/\/ThomasTEdwards.com\/audioser.html<\/a> (audio sermons)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"