The Sovereignty of God and Freewill of Man
CONTENTS
Introduction………………………………………………………………………………..1
The Anchors of Stability..………..………..…………………………………………...2 Foreknowledge As Hinge……………………………………………………………...3 What Shall We Say To These Things?………………………………………………...7 Do Sovereignty And Foreknowledge Diminish Freedom To Counter Choices?……...8 Conclusion………………………………...………………………………………….10
Bibliography…..…………………………………………………………………………14
Introduction
While the pendulum of opinion among evangelicals concerning the degree to which created man is free under the sovereign God revealed in the bible continues to swing between views that virtually eliminate either man’s freewill or God’s sovereignty, the Scripture teaches that both exist in such a way that neither is diminished. In man’s grappling with this seeming paradox in an attempt to understand, some untether their definitions of God and His attributes from traditional understandings and biblical teaching. Others, remaining tethered to the bible, create explanations that emphasize one aspect (man’s free will or God’s sovereignty) in a way that is extra-biblical. That God is sovereign is biblical. That man is held accountable and commanded to exercise his will is also biblical. The meaning of these concepts is important. While their meaning has been bantered about through the years, consistent understandings of certain attributes of God’s have served as a stability stake of position. Among these attributes are knowledge, simplicity, wisdom, immutability, infinity and timelessness, though this is not an exhaustive list. Whatever conclusion is reached must adhere to a conservative view of these attributes’ definitions. Otherwise, the base source, the Bible, becomes inadequate, untrustworthy and anyone’s opinion is equally valid. Instead, the Bible’s authority is unquestioned, and the conclusion will have to hold to both God’s sovereignty and man’s freewill. The conclusion will not
Introduction………………………………………………………………………………..1
The Anchors of Stability..………..………..…………………………………………...2 Foreknowledge As Hinge……………………………………………………………...3 What Shall We Say To These Things?………………………………………………...7 Do Sovereignty And Foreknowledge Diminish Freedom To Counter Choices?……...8 Conclusion………………………………...………………………………………….10
Bibliography…..…………………………………………………………………………14
Introduction
While the pendulum of opinion among evangelicals concerning the degree to which created man is free under the sovereign God revealed in the bible continues to swing between views that virtually eliminate either man’s freewill or God’s sovereignty, the Scripture teaches that both exist in such a way that neither is diminished. In man’s grappling with this seeming paradox in an attempt to understand, some untether their definitions of God and His attributes from traditional understandings and biblical teaching. Others, remaining tethered to the bible, create explanations that emphasize one aspect (man’s free will or God’s sovereignty) in a way that is extra-biblical. That God is sovereign is biblical. That man is held accountable and commanded to exercise his will is also biblical. The meaning of these concepts is important. While their meaning has been bantered about through the years, consistent understandings of certain attributes of God’s have served as a stability stake of position. Among these attributes are knowledge, simplicity, wisdom, immutability, infinity and timelessness, though this is not an exhaustive list. Whatever conclusion is reached must adhere to a conservative view of these attributes’ definitions. Otherwise, the base source, the Bible, becomes inadequate, untrustworthy and anyone’s opinion is equally valid. Instead, the Bible’s authority is unquestioned, and the conclusion will have to hold to both God’s sovereignty and man’s freewill. The conclusion will not
Bibliography: Feinberg, John. Geisler, Norman. Reichenbach, Bruce. Pinnock, Clark. Predestination And Free Will: Four Views Of Divine Sovereignty And Human Freedom. Edited by Basinger, David. Basinger, Randall. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1986 Cottrell, Jack W Lutzer, Erwin W. Where Was God?: Answers To Tough Questions About God And Natural Disasters. Carol Stream: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 2006 DeYoung, Kevin Basinger, David. The Case For Freewill Theism: A Philosophical Assessment. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1996 Schaeffer, Francis A Walls, Jerry L. Dongell, Joseph R. Why I Am Not A Calvinist. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2004 Olson, Roger E Sproul, R. C. Chosen By God: Know God’s Perfect Plan For His Glory And His Children. Carol Stream: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 1986 Geisler, Norman Packer, J. I. Knowing God. 20th Anniversary Ed., Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1973 Boyd, Gregory A Erickson, Millard J. What Does God Know And When Does He Know It?: The Current Controversy Over Divine Foreknowledge. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2003 Reymond, Robert L Ryrie, Charles. So Great Salvation: What It Means To Believe In Jesus Christ. Chicago: Moody Press, 1989 Owen, John Ryrie, Charles. Basic Theology: A Popular Systematic Guide To Understanding Biblical Truth. Wheaton: SP Publications, Inc., 1986 Wright, R Erickson, Millard. Christian Theology. 2nd ed., Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2009 Geisler, Dr [2] Erickson, Millard. Christian Theology, 2nd ed., Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2009, 290 [3] Geisler, Dr [12] Wright, R. K. McGregor. No Place For Sovereignty: What’s Wrong With Freewill Theism. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1996, 139 [13] Erickson, Millard J [18] Sproul, R.C. Chosen By God: Know God’s Perfect Plan For His Glory And His Children. Carol Stream: Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., 1986, 137 [19] Ibid, 129 [20] Walls, Jerry L. Dongell, Joseph R. Why I Am Not A Calvinist. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2004, 60-61 [21] Olson, Roger E [22] Packer, J. I. Knowing God. 20th Anniversary Edition. Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1973, 260 [23] Ibid, 260