Dynamic Doctrines of the Faith

Dynamic Doctrines of the Faith

Mid-Course Review

The Sovereignty of God

God’s will in bringing to pass whatsoever He decrees is called His will. His revealed law or commandments that we have the power but not the right to break is called His will. That which describes God’s attitude or what pleases Him is His will of .

God "upholds, directs, disposes, and governs all creatures, actions, and things, from the greatest even to the least."

God is the "first Cause," and foreknows all things.
All things come to pass immutably and infallibly.
Yet, He ordains them according to the nature of second causes.

Nothing happens or has happened apart from God’s control, yet He does not participate in sin. "Control" does not mean "force" or "coercion."

God’s absolute sovereignty does not destroy man’s liberty,
nor does it deny the operation of secondary causes,
God is free to over-rule natural law and causes when He pleases,
God’s rule and control extends to the Fall, without Himself participating in sin,
and His rule extends to the inner workings of man’s hearts (saved and not) without participating in sin.

Free Will

"Augustine defined ‘free will’ as the ability to make voluntary decisions free from external constraint or coercion."

Everything, including our wills, is touched by our sin nature. We are Totally Depraved.
We are always free to do what we want. Unregenerate man is not able to do what he ought.
"God’s sovereignty" and "man’s free will" are not contradictory.

	Liberty to Sin	Liberty to Not Sin	Ability to Sin	Ability to Not Sin
Man Before the Fall
Unregenerate Man
Regenerate Man
Glorified Man

Q: Can disaster befall us and the Lord not be in it?

Q: Can God stop a meteor from falling from the sky on you? Can He stop another driver from running a red light and killing you and your family?

Predestination

Q: What does "predestination" mean?

Q: When did God choose us? For what purpose? For what reason? (EPH 1:3–14, 2TI 1:8–9.)

Q: Can anyone come to the Father without God acting? (JHN 6:44,65.)

Q: What is the necessary condition for coming to Christ? Who can come to Christ?

EPH 2:1–10. And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others. But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

Q: What was your condition before you were saved? What can a person in that state do?

Q: Is everyone predestined to salvation?

Elect	God actively intervenes in the lives of the elect to insure their salvation.
Non-elect	God leaves to themselves, and their own sinful nature.

Q: Does God look into the future, see who will accept him, and elect those who will?

Effectual Calling

Q: For whom did Jesus die?

Q: ______________________ precedes Faith.

Q: Why must God guarantee that His call will be effective?

Faith

EPH 2:4–9. But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.

Q: From where does faith come?

Q: Whose faith is it?

Q: Is belief that Jesus is God’s Son enough?

Q: Is God repaying our sincere faith?

Q: How should this affect how we share the gospel?