God's Sovereignty

[CalledOutOne]

Okay, so here's my concern for Christians today. They want to believe that they did something to get saved (eg. praying the sinners prayer, repenting, believing, doing the ABC's, etc.). This to me seems a little prideful. I didn't do anything to get saved, God saved me then I reacted.

Verses Declaring God's Sovereignty:
"I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the Lord do all these things." Isaiah 45:7

"Shall a trumpet be blown in the city, and the people not be afraid? shall there be evil in a city, and the Lord hath not done it?" Amos 3:6

"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." Psalm 139:16

"Salvation belongeth unto the LORD: thy blessing is upon thy people. Selah." Psalm 3:8


"Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." Ephesians 2:2-9



Thoughts?

 

[Barricade24]

Salvation is a free gift from God. All we have to do to aceept it is to believe in Jesus. Nothing else we can do can save us. Because nothing we we can do will ever be good enough. We will still be sinners and we will still do bad things no matter how good we try to be. And that is basically the whole point. Humans can never be good enough, it simply isn't possible. No human has ever been perfect except for Jesus himself. But yes, good deeds come from being saved, but it can take time to change your sinful ways and come to God.

 

[CalledOutOne]

Salvation is a free gift from God. All we have to do to aceept it is to believe in Jesus. Nothing else we can do can save us.

Would you say that God causes man to repent and believe the Gospel?

 

[Barricade24]

Would you say that God causes man to repent and believe the Gospel?

That's a thinker. But I would ultimately think that an individual must either to belief the Gospel or reject it. But I would also think God might influence one such individual. I mean if God could cause man to repent and believe, wouldn't everyone?

 

[CalledOutOne]

That's a thinker. But I would ultimately think that an individual must either to belief the Gospel or reject it. But I would also think God might influence one such individual. I mean if God could cause man to repent and believe, wouldn't everyone?

I believe that God causes men to repent and believe, but God doesn't cause everyone to.

"For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified."
Romans 8:29-30​

So here it seems that it is all accomplished. He predestines some men unto eternal salvation. But what about the others? Some people believe that others have a chance to be saved, however I reject that belief based on these Scriptures.

"For this is the word of promise, At this time will I come, and Sarah shall have a son. And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac; (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger. As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated. What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid. For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy. For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth. Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth. Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will? Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour? What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory, Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles? As he saith also in Osee, I will call them my people, which were not my people; and her beloved, which was not beloved. And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people; there shall they be called the children of the living God. Esaias also crieth concerning Israel, Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved: For he will finish the work, and cut it short in righteousness: because a short work will the Lord make upon the earth. And as Esaias said before, Except the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed, we had been as Sodoma, and been made like unto Gomorrha. What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith. But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness. Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone; As it is written, Behold, I lay in Sion a stumblingstone and rock of offence: and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed."
Romans 9:9-33​

That pretty much sums up that God has predestined some men unto salvation and others to damnation, but only by giving them what they want. This means God is letting them off the leash. He is handing them over to their sin.

"The LORD hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil."
Proverbs 16:4​

"And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them."
Romans 1:28-32​

God doesn't put sin in their hearts. The sin is there, and by God handing them over to their sin He is allowing them to harden their own heart.

God Hardened Pharaoh's Heart:
"And the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued after the children of Israel: and the children of Israel went out with an high hand."
Exodus 14:8

Pharaoh Hardened His Own Heart:
"And Pharaoh hardened his heart at this time also, neither would he let the people go."
Exodus 8:32



God hardens man's heart just by letting men harden their own hearts. God lets them off the leash a little, and they go their own way.