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God’s Sovereignty and Man’s freewill Does God control every event? If so how does man have free will?

God’s Sovereignty and Man’s freewill Does God control every event? If so how does man have free will?. God’s Sovereignty and Man’s freewill Calvinism In this view God controls every detail but also man is responsible for his actions.

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God’s Sovereignty and Man’s freewill Does God control every event? If so how does man have free will?

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  1. God’s Sovereignty and Man’s freewill Does God control every event? If so how does man have free will?

  2. God’s Sovereignty and Man’s freewill Calvinism In this view God controls every detail but also man is responsible for his actions. Wayne Grudem in Systematic Theology defines God’s Providence (God’s ongoing relationship to his creation) as follows: God is continually involved with all created things in such a way that he (1) keeps them existing and maintaining the properties with which he created them: (2) co-operates with created things in every action, directing their distinctive properties to cause them to act as they do; and (3) directs them to fulfil his purposes.

  3. God’s Sovereignty and Man’s freewill • Calvinism • A) God controls all things • Eph 1:11 In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, • All our days Ps 139:16; Job 14:5; Gal 1:15; Jer 1:5 • All our actions Acts 17:28; Jer 10:23; Prov 20:24; Prov 16:9, 16:1 • Success and failure Ps 75:6-7; Luke 1:52; Ps 127:3 • Talents and gifts 1Cor 4:7; Ps 18:34 • God influences hearts Prov 21:1; Ps 33:14-15; Phil 2:!3

  4. Calvinism B) The importance of human actions We are still responsible for our actions Our actions have real results and do change the course of events God wants us to pray C) The two working together Joseph Gen 37:11; 45:5, 8; 50:20 Jesus Acts 4:27; 2:23 D) Problems 1 How can a Holy God ordain that we do evil and God not be blamed for evil 2 How can God cause us to choose something yet we responsible

  5. Arminian View In order to have true freewill God cannot cause or plan our voluntary choices. Therefore God’s control of history must not include every specific detail of every event that happens, but that God responds to human choices is such a way to ensure his ultimate purposes are accomplished.

  6. Arminian View 1) God’s plan rejected (Boulema) a) Luke 7: 29(All the people, even the tax collectors, when they heard Jesus' words, acknowledged that God's way was right, because they had been baptised by John. 30But the Pharisees and experts in the law rejected God's purpose for themselves, because they had not been baptised by John.)

  7. Arminian View b) Eph 1:9-12 Are all events determined by God’s will? Works or energy We need to plug into the right energy. Cf Col 1:29; 2 Thess 2:9; Eph 1:11, 19-20 etc; Eph 2:1-2 What are the all things? The all things are the same as verse 10. Does this include Satan and the lost? Cf Col 1:16-20

  8. Arminian View b) Ps 139:16 NIV All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. AV Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.

  9. Arminian View • c) Does God plan to lose people? • Christ died for the world • Ez 18:22 23 Do I take any pleasure in the death of the wicked? declares the Sovereign LORD . Rather, am I not pleased when they turn from their ways and live • 2 Peter 3:9-10 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance • 2 Tim 2:4 This is good, and pleases God our Saviour, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, 6who gave himself as a ransom for all men-- the testimony given in its proper time

  10. Arminian View • 2) God’s will defied (Thelo) • The Lord’s prayer “ your kingdom come your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” Matt 6. Jesus clearly assumes that God’s will is not always done. • Matt 23:37 "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing. Luke 13:34; Matt 12:50; Mark 3:35; Matt 7:21; John 7:17; 1 John 2:17 • Also believers 1 Thess 4:3; • Resisting the Spirit 1 Thess 5:17-19; John 16:8; Acts 7:51 "You stiff-necked people, with uncircumcised hearts and ears! You are just like your fathers: You always resist the Holy Spirit!

  11. 3) Fight or Fake If God controls all things then the battle between God and evil is a fake in which God directs both sides.

  12. 4) Chosen/Election a) Apostles Chosen to be Apostles John 6:70 Judas failed Acts 1:25 b) Nation of Israel Task to prepare the way for the Messiah National election was not a pledge of national salvation Rom 2 and 9 c) Election of Christ Isa 42 and Isa 49 d) Election of Church Not chosen to be put into Christ but chosen in him

  13. 5) Predestination • Marking out beforehand. A boy marked out for one trade may enter another • About Christ Acts 4:28, 1 Cor 2:7 • Placing as sons Eph 1:5, 11 • Conformed to the Son Rom 8:29-304)

  14. 6) Foreknowledge • Does it mean to know in the sense of special relationship or facts about someone • Facts 2 Peter 3:17 • Acts2:23 Jesus coming • 1 Peter 1:18-20 redemptive function of the Messiah • Acts 26:4-5 knew about Paul’s life • Rom 11:2 knew Israel before he knew the church? • I Peter 1:1-2 and Rom 8:28-30 • Secular and Biblical usage never select • Calvinism –select out of relationship before they were born • If God has always been linked why are we call enemies before we were saved? • How can you have a relationship with someone who is not born? • Arminian-God knows who will repent • God knows the suffering and difficulties we will face but we will still make it

  15. 7) God’s Knowledge One of the main objections to the Arminian view concerns the knowledge of God. How can God know the future and how can prophecy be fulfilled? a)Outside time view God is eternal therefore outside time. He can then see how people will freely choose and so can plan accordingly. b)Middle Knowledge Choices are not determined by God, but he knows them anyway, because he knows all future possibilities and he knows how each free creature will respond in any set of circumstances. Given a certain set of circumstances God could bring about what he wants. Example William Craig

  16. 7) God’s Knowledge c) The Future is partially open. (Open view theism) Example Gregory Boyd (www.gregboyd.org) God does not know all decisions Our characters solidify over time thus then knows how will respond God controls but not against our moral will Cyrus, Pharaoh, Samson Some key events are fixed God responds to us in love making fresh good plans for us. He is not controlling us with a big stick against our will but calls us, woos us, and leads us like a Middle East shepherd.

  17. 8) Some Bible passages that support an open future • The Lord frequently changes his mind in the light of changing circumstances, or as a result of prayer • (Exod. 32:14; Num. 14:12–20; Deut. 9:13–14, 18–20, 25; 1 Sam. 2:27–36; 2 Kings 20:1–7; 1 Chron. 21:15; Jer. 26:19; Ezek. 20:5–22; Amos 7:1–6; Jonah 1:2; 3:2, 4–10). At other times he explicitly states that he will change his mind if circumstances change (Jer. 18:7–11; 26:2–3; Ezek. 33:13–15). This willingness to change is portrayed as one of God’s attributes of greatness (Joel 2:13–14; Jonah 4:2). • B) Sometimes God expresses regret and disappointment over how things turned out—sometimes even including the results of his own will. (Gen. 6:5–6; 1 Sam. 15:10, 35; Ezek. 22:29–31).

  18. 8) Some Bible passages that support an open future c) At other times he tells us that he is surprised at how things turned out because he expected a different outcome (Isa. 5:3–7; Jer. 3:67; 19–20). d) In several passages the Lord explicitly states that he did not know that humans would behave the way they did (Jer. 7:31; 19:5; 32:35). e) The Lord frequently tests his people to find out whether they’ll remain faithful to him (Gen. 22:12; Exod. 16:4; Deut. 8:2; 13:1–3; Judges 2:20–3:5; 2 Chron. 32:31). f) The Lord sometimes asks non-rhetorical questions about the future (Num. 14:11; Hos. 8:5) and speaks to people in terms of what may or may not happen (Exod. 3:18–4:9; 13:17; Jer. 38:17–18, 20–21, 23; Ezek. 12:1–3).

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