2009-03-29
The Responsibility of Man and the Sovereignty of God [An Antimony]
Steve Lane

A. Introduction/Review

Review: Outward focus -- don't put it off
Many things about God we cannot understand
A difficult subject: God's full and absolute sovereignty, and man's responsibility.

B. Calvinism versus Arminianism

(You don't have to remember or understand these to follow today's message.)
Five points of Arminianism
Free will
Conditional election
Universal Atonement
Obstructable grace
Falling from grace

Five points of Calvinism - "T.U.L.I.P"
Total depravity
Unconditional election
Limited atonement
Irresistible grace
Perseverance of the saints

There is a principle that will help us understand some of these apparent contradictions: Antimony
The sovereignty of God and the responsibility of man - tension between the two.

C. Sovereignty of God

God is God. He is the Most High. No one can stop Him. He ordained the beginning and the end.
Infinite in wisdom, and perfect in love.
"God in His love always will what is best for us. In His wisdom, He always knows what is best, and in His sovereignty He has the power to bring it about."
-Jerry Bridges.

Job 42: 2
Isaiah 46: 9 - 10
Colossians 1: 17
The logic of man, reason - If this is true, then this must be true. (Emphasis of one truth.)

D. Election and Free Will

1 Peter 2: 8 Within the same sentence -- election and free will -- not a misprint!
Romans 9: 11 Almost the whole chapter is on election - strongly on election.
Romans 10: 9 - 13 Free will - God is sovereign - man is fully responsible.
Romans 10: 14 - 15 God elects. We cannot save anyone. So, why witness?

How sovereign is God? So sovereign that He can have both.
But, we do not protect our system of theology at the expense of what the Bible says.

E. Human Effort and the Sovereignty of God

Psalm 127: 1
All of our efforts will not prosper unless God intervenes.
We must not confuse God's sovereignty and our responsibility to act.

Acts 27: 21 - 24
Acts 27: 30 - 32
"Prayer without faith is but beating the air, but trust without prayer is presumptuous bravado."

Nehemiah 4: 6-9,20
1 Chronicles 5: 18 - 20
They did not trust in their ability and training.
"That God predestines and that man's is responsible are two things that few can see. They are believed to be inconsistent and contradictory. But, they are not. It is just the fault of our weak judgment. Two truths cannot be contradictory to each other. These two truths, I do not believe can ever be welded into one upon any human anvil, but one they shall be in eternity. They are two lines that are so nearly parallel, that the mind that shall pursue them the farthest will never discover that they converge. But, they do converge, and they meet somewhere in eternity -- close to the Throne of God."

-Charles Spurgeon

Nehemiah trusted in the sovereignty of God, and used all available prudent means.

My weekly reminder: 1 Corinthians 15: 8