The Reformed Advisor

Tag: will

A Primer on God’s Justice and Mercy as It Relates to Predestination and Election

Posted on July 31, 2018 in Theology by

The president had no obligation to exercise mercy and pardon any of the prisoner’s. Their crime is clear, their guilt is sure, and their punishment is just. But the president chose, of his own free will, to pardon a few prisoner’s. Now, let’s answer two crucial question to help us understand how this relates to predestination and election.

A Primer on The Biblical Doctrine of Predestination and God’s Sovereignty

Posted on July 25, 2018 in Theology by

In the prescience view some people are saved because they hear the Gospel and they exercise their faith in Jesus and accept the Gospel message. In the Augustinian/Reformed view…

The Life of Job: A Lesson on the Absolute Sovereignty of God in Every Persons Life

Posted on January 24, 2018 in Theology by

God cannot be in control of some things. He can’t be in control and sovereign over nature, except when hurricanes happen. He can’t be in control and sovereign over wild life, except when they attack children. And God can’t be in control and sovereign over conception (Hosea 9:11-14) and the death (Job 14:5) of humans, but nothing in between. Are we really about to admit that it is God that determines when a person is born, and when that person dies, but He has no sovereignty over any action in the life of that person? This would be a disastrous and patently unbiblical conclusion.

How God’s Sovereignty Helps Explain the Events of This Life

Posted on December 19, 2017 in Theology by

As humans we have a hunger to know the facts, to know everything there is to know about a situation. It’s what drives our 24 hour a day news cycle. It’s what propels us to know the motives behind a mass shooting in Las Vegas. We want to know why things happen because, we reason, if we know the motive we can process the situation and make peace with it. So we are naturally propelled to know the “why” of every situation.

This makes reconciling God’s revealed will and His decreed will difficult. But we have to properly understand how these two wills work together in harmony or we will be tempted to think there is division in God.

Does Man Have Free Will to Choose Christ? Not So Fast!

Posted on June 13, 2017 in Theology by

The view concerning man’s will is one of debate among Arminians and Reformed theologians. Arminians believe that man has the ability, the free will, to choose Christ. Reformed theologians believe that due to the bondage of the will to sin, man does not have the ability to choose Christ without the regenerating work and effectual calling of the Holy Spirit. This distinction has been the source of much debate between these two theological groups.

Before moving forward, it is important to understand that it is a universally agreed upon fact that man has a will and can make choices based upon that will. However, what is not true is that man has the ability to freely choose Christ based solely upon his own free will. Let me explain the difference.

Having Trouble with The Doctrine of Election? Start Here (Part 2)

Posted on May 10, 2017 in Theology by

In these verses we come to understand that the will of man is bent on evil and rejection of God. There is no one that will, of his own free will, choose God (Rom. 3:10-19). In fact, the human will is so captive to sin that no man has any desire for God and prefers the darkness over the light (John 3:19). This means that the idea of free will is true. But it also means that if given a choice man will always choose sin, the darkness, and always choose to reject Christ.

When given the choice between sin and Christ, man will always choose sin.

Having Trouble with The Doctrine of Election? Start Here (Part 1)

Posted on May 9, 2017 in Theology by

Regarding salvation God’s sovereignty is a critical aspect that is misunderstood by many Christians. Some choose to reject the biblical doctrine of election because, in their words, “it’s not fair.” But, as we will see, the doctrine of election and God’s sovereignty cannot be divorced.

Concerning election and God’s sovereignty, we understand that God freely elects some to saving faith in Jesus while others are destined for eternal destruction. Paul writes in his letter to the Romans this way:

Judas Shows Us Why the Doctrine of Election is So Important to Understand

Posted on April 25, 2017 in Theology by

Some would say that if we only make our churches cool enough, make them “inclusive,” or “approachable,” that people will come and will find Jesus. But this understanding of the Gospel and the purpose of the church is wrong. The Bible makes it clear that “no one seeks God.” (Rom. 3:11) Even more blunt than that is the truth that Jesus spoke when He told us “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him.” (John 6:44) In these verses we have clear teaching that no one is seeking God, no one is looking for salvation in Jesus. In fact, no one has the ability to “find Jesus” unless the Father first draws that person. And Judas is a perfect example of this truth.

Judas was a devil.

Biblical Election Works Much Like a Political Election

Posted on April 4, 2017 in Theology by

The fact that God chose Abraham out of the many He could have chosen makes the concept of biblical election clear. This example also shows us that election is an act of God’s sovereign will, having nothing to do with the person being chosen (elected). Abraham didn’t petition God to be elected, God chose Abraham before Abraham chose God. But, and this is important, once God chose Abraham, Abraham then chose God. When God called Abraham to leave his country, Abraham obeyed. This is the perfect picture of election because God chose Abraham, then Abraham chose God, just as the American people choose their president and then the “president-elect” chooses the American people by accepting the position.

Predestination and Election: If God has Already Decided Why Should We Preach and Evangelize?

Posted on February 28, 2017 in Theology by

You see the doctrines of election and predestination don’t eliminate the preaching of the Gospel or evangelism because those are the only means by which any person can be saved. And since, as Keller points out, no one knows who is and who is not part of the elect, we have a responsibility to preach the Gospel to “all men.” It is not surprising that the Bible calls “all men” to repentance on many occasions. We see the Apostles in the New Testament often preaching to large groups of people and calling them to repent and be saved. And on many occasions Jesus preached to large crowds. More than once we read of many people being saved, but not all. But at every opportunity all were called to repentance and no one was singled out as part of the elect.

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