Sovereignty, Free Will, and Salvation - Moral Inability Part 2

Sovereignty

Free Will &

Salvation

God’s Sovereignty
and Salvation
Part 2

Review from Last Time

• What is God‘s sovereignty?
• It is His absolute right to do all things according to his own
good pleasure.

• Is predestination a Biblical concept?
• Without question, Scripture underscores God‘s work of
predestination in His creation.

• How does predestination work with salvation?
• God predestines both the plan and the man/woman.

Why does God choose some for
salvation?

Why Does God Choose Some?

―Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us
in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, just as he chose us
in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless before him
in love. He destined us for adoption as his children through Jesus Christ,
according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace that
he freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. (Ephesians 1:3–6)

―So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence
only, but now much more in my absence, work out your salvation with fear and
trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His
good pleasure. ‖ (Philippians 2:12–13)
www.confidentchristians.org

The Father Has Chosen a Bride For the Son
In ancient times, a father always chose a bride for his son. And a price was always
paid to the father for the bride. Scripture states that the Father has chosen a
Bride for His Son, with His Son paying the cost for his chosen Bride. And in
the end, the Son gives everything back to the Father.

John 6 John 17 1 Cor. 15

―All that the Father ―Jesus spoke these things; ―But each in his own
gives Me will come to and lifting up His eyes to order: Christ the first
Me, and the one who heaven, He said, ―Father, fruits, after that those
comes to Me I will the hour has come; glorify who are Christ‘s at His
certainly not cast out. . . . Your Son, that the Son coming, then comes the
This is the will of Him may glorify You, even as end, when He hands over
who sent Me, that of all You gave Him authority the kingdom to the God
that He has given Me I over all flesh, that to all and Father, when He has
lose nothing, but raise it whom You have given Him, abolished all rule and all
up on the last day. ‖ He may give eternal life. ‖ authority and power. ‖
(John 6:37, 39) (John 17:1–2) (1 Cor. 15:23–24)

What are the core positions of how God
predestines some for salvation?

1. Prescient position
2. Molinist position
3. Augustinian/Reformed position

The Prescient Position

Prescient
‗knowledge of things before they exist or happen‘; ‗foreknowledge‘;
‗foresight‘.
The prescient position says God does choose people for salvation, but
his choice is based on His foreknowledge of what people will do. God
looks down through history, and knows in advance who will respond to the
call of the gospel message and who will not. God chooses some based on
His knowledge of them responding to the call and them having faith.
God‘s choice is conditional on a person‘s faith.

The Prescient Position

―For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to
the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren;
and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He
also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified. ‖
(Romans 8:29–30)
―Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who reside as aliens, scattered
throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, who are chosen
according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of
the Spirit, to obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood‖
(1 Peter 1:1–2)

Peter Helps Us Understand Foreknowledge
―Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who reside as aliens, scattered
throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, who are chosen
according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of
the Spirit, to obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood‖
(1 Peter 1:1–2)

―Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man attested to you
by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God performed through Him
in your midst, just as you yourselves know— this Man, delivered over by the
predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the
hands of godless men and put Him to death. (Acts 2:22–23)

Same man, same word. Now, did God look time through time, see what Jesus
was going to do, and then choose that plan of salvation?

No, foreknowledge means God knew the plan because He made and chose the
plan.


Important Point…

Those who argue for the prescient position say that God looks
down through time to see who will choose Him and so He chooses
them. But this is a dangerous argument to make because…

It has God learning something.
God is omniscient and never learns anything.


The Molinist Position
Developed by the Jesuit Luis de Molina,
the Molinist position is much like the
prescient view, although the concept of
‗middle knowledge‘ is what distinguishes it
from all other positions.

According to Molinism, God arranges the
world as he chooses based on his middle
knowledge. God exercises sovereign control
in the sense that he creates the person he
wishes to create and brings about the
circumstances he wills, knowing just what
choices all those persons will make in the
circumstances he has brought about.

Molinism is not a compromise position
between the prescient and Augustinian
positions; rather, it is a variation on the
prescient view.

The Molinist Position
―Then He began to denounce the cities in
which most of His miracles were done,
because they did not repent. ―Woe to you,
Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the
miracles had occurred in Tyre and Sidon
which occurred in you, they would have
repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.
―Nevertheless I say to you, it will be more
tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of
judgment than for you. ―And you,
Capernaum, will not be exalted to heaven, will
you? You will descend to Hades; for if the
miracles had occurred in Sodom which
occurred in you, it would have remained to
this day. ―Nevertheless I say to you that it will
be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in
the day of judgment, than for you.‖ ‖
(Matthew 11:20–24)

The Augustinian/Reformed Position
The Reformed position (credited first to
Augustine) does not deny God has
foreknowledge nor that He has the
ability to know everything that could or
will be. However, it holds to a different
view of predestination.

According to Reformed theology, from
all eternity God knew His elect. For
reasons known only to God Himself, He
elected some to salvation with there
being no condition whatsoever imposed
on the individual. God chose some for
Himself and allows all others to continue
in their freely chosen sin and eventually
experience His justice.


―When the Gentiles heard this, they began
rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord; and
as many as had been appointed to eternal life
believed. ‖ (Acts 13:48)
Notice: it does not say ―and as many as believed,
God appointed to eternal life‖

―A woman named Lydia, from the city of
Thyatira, a seller of purple fabrics, a worshiper of
God, was listening; and the Lord opened her
heart to respond to the things spoken by Paul. ‖
(Acts 16:14)

―For He says to Moses, ―I will have mercy on
whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on
whom I have compassion.‖ So then it does not
depend on the man who wills or the man who runs,
but on God who has mercy. . . . So then He has
mercy on whom He desires, and He hardens whom
He desires. ‖ (Romans 9:15–16, 18)


―All things have been handed over to Me by My
Father; and no one knows the Son except the
Father; nor does anyone know the Father except
the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wills to
reveal Him. ‖ (Matthew 11:27)

―All that the Father gives Me will come to Me,
and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not
cast out. ‖ (John 6:37)

―Father, I desire that they also, whom You have
given Me, be with Me where I am, so that they may
see My glory which You have given Me, for You
loved Me before the foundation of the world. ‖
(John 17:24)

―For this reason I endure all things for the sake of
those who are chosen, so that they also may
obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus and
with it eternal glory. ‖ (2 Timothy 2:10)

What is the primary difference between the prescient and
Augustinian positions?
The first is primarily based on man‘s choice and the second
in God‘s choice. The first is based primarily on the willing of
the unbeliever and the latter on the willing of God.

A Closer Look at the “Golden Chain”
―For those whom He foreknew, He also
predestined to become conformed to the
image of His Son, so that He would be
the firstborn among many brethren; and
these whom He predestined, He also
called; and these whom He called, He
also justified; and these whom He
justified, He also glorified. ‖
(Romans 8:29–30)

This passage is referred to as the
―Golden Chain‖ or ―The Order of
Salvation‖ (Ordo Salutis) by
theologians. It is the primary versed used
by those who hold the Prescient view.
But does it really support that position?


A Closer Look at the “Golden Chain”
―For those whom He foreknew, He also
predestined to become conformed to the
image of His Son, so that He would be the
firstborn among many brethren; and these
whom He predestined, He also called; and
these whom He called, He also justified; and
these whom He justified, He also glorified. ‖
(Romans 8:29–30)

First, Paul doesn‘t say that foreknowledge is
the basis of God‘s predestination; that their
salvation is based on them choosing God
and responding to His call. This position is
imported into the text by Prescients. Paul
simply says God predestines those He
foreknew, which makes sense: God must
know people before He predestines them for
salvation.

“Some” or “All”?

―Some of those whom He foreknew,
He also predestined. Some of those
He predestined, He also called; and
some of those He called, He also
justified; and some of those He
justified, He also glorified.‖

―All of those whom He foreknew, He
also predestined. All of those He
predestined, He also called; and all
of those He called, He also justified;
and all of those He justified, He also
glorified.‖


“Some” Fails the Test
1. If ―some‖ is used as a qualifier, then
the Golden Chain becomes
nonsensical. If God‘s predestination
is based on Him knowing how people
will respond to the call of the
Gospel, then why predestine only
some and call only some? This would
have God predestining some who are
not called
2. If some of the predestined are
predestined without a call, then God
could not be basing His choice on
their response to His call. God can‘t
have foreknowledge of a person‘s
non-answer to a non-call.


“All” also Defeats the Prescient Position
―For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to
become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He
would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these
whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom
He called, He also justified; and these whom He
(Romans 8:29–30)

Is the call above an inward or outward call?
Does everyone get the call? If ―all‖ is used
then either a person must embrace
universalism OR admit that there is an inward
call, performed by God on a person, that not
everyone gets because those who are called
are justified.

This means the foreknowledge view of the
Prescients is dealt a death blow because it
says God predestines an inward call – He is
doing something in the hearts of only those
predestined so they will respond.

The Prescient view disrupts the Order of the Chain
―For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to
become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He
would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these
whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom
He called, He also justified; and these whom He
(Romans 8:29–30)

The Prescient view says God knows those
who will respond to His call and choose Him
and so therefore He chooses them. This
means predestination would come after
calling because God would need to put out a
call, know who will response, and then choose
them. But the Golden Chain specifically has
calling after predestination meaning that the
call that goes out is the effectual call of God
and not a generic all to salvation. Further we
are justified by faith. Yet the Prescients say
people exhibit faith first, which is also out of
order in the chain.

The Interpretation of the Golden Chain

―For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the
image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and
these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also
justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified. ‖
(Romans 8:29–30)
The Reformed view says the Father knew His chosen ones from all eternity and
fore-loved them. All these that He foreknew He also predestined to be a Bride
for His Son. He then effectually called them, justified them through the death of
Christ, and glorified them to spend eternity with Him.


But doesn‘t the Bible say that God wants
everyone to be saved?

The “Big Two” Verses

―This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who
desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.‖
(1 Timothy 2:3–4)

―The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is
patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to
repentance.‖
(2 Peter 3:9)

Does God will or desire things that don‘t
happen?

Two Possibilities

1. There is a power in the
universe greater than
God‘s that is frustrating
Him by overruling what He
wills.
2. God wills not to save all,
even though He is willing
to save all, because there is
something else that He
wills more, which would be
lost if He exerted His
sovereign power to save all.

Possible Ideas for Option 2

1. The Arminian answer is
that God values human
self-determination and the
possible love relationship
more than saving all people
via His efficacious grace
2. The Reformed position is
that God doesn‘t save all
so as to show His glory in
mercy and grace (cf. Rom.
9) and that God receives
all the credit for salvation

The “Big Two” Verses

―This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be
saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. ‖ (1 Timothy 2:3–4)

―The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward
you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. ‖ (2 Peter 3:9)

Note that NEITHER answer is found in the context of either 1
Tim. 2 or 2 Pet. 3, but BOTH affirm there are different wills in
God. We must look elsewhere to find the answer to the dilemma.
Let‘s start by examining the various wills in God.

Three Possible Wills in God
1. Decretive will - this form of God‘s
will describes something that
absolutely will happen and is
unstoppable / irresistible (e.g.
creating the universe; calling of
Paul)
2. Prescriptive will – this describes
something God morally prescribes
for all, but may be disobeyed (e.g.
the ten commandments)
3. Dispositional will – that which
pleases or delights God (e.g. not
delighting in the death of the
wicked)


Examples of the Wills of God in Action

The Hardening of Pharaoh‘s Heart
First we see: ―Then the Lord said to Moses, ―Go to Pharaoh and say to him,
‗Thus says the Lord, let My people go, that they may serve Me‘‖ (Exodus 8:1).
And then: ―The Lord said to Moses, ‗When you go back to Egypt see that you
perform before Pharaoh all the wonders which I have put in your power; but I will
harden his heart so that he will not let the people go‖ (Exodus 4:21) . Even the
debate of whether Pharaoh hardened his own heart in some of the cases cannot
avoid the clear example of the prescriptive and decretive wills of God.

God must will in one sense what He does not will in another sense.

Other Examples of God’s Hardening
―But Sihon king of Heshbon was not willing for us to pass through his land; for the Lord
your God hardened his spirit and made his heart obstinate, in order to deliver him into
your hand, as he is today. ‖ (Deuteronomy 2:30)

―There was not a city which made peace with the sons of Israel except the Hivites living in
Gibeon; they took them all in battle. For it was of the Lord to harden their hearts, to meet
Israel in battle in order that he might utterly destroy them, that they might receive no mercy,
but that he might destroy them, just as the Lord had commanded Moses. ‖
(Joshua 11:19–20)

―And He was saying to them, ―To you has been given the mystery of the kingdom of
God, but those who are outside get everything in parables, so that while seeing, they may
see and not perceive, and while hearing, they may hear and not understand, otherwise they
might return and be forgiven.‖ ‖ (Mark 4:11–12)

―Just as it is written, ―God gave them a spirit of stupor, Eyes to see not and ears to hear
not, Down to this very day‖ (Romans 11:8)

―For this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe
what is false, ‖ (2 Thessalonians 2:11)


The Death of Christ
It was not the prescriptive will of God that Judas, Pilate, Herod, the Jewish
leaders, and the Roman soldiers would betray, mock, lie about, and
brutalize/murder Jesus. But Isaiah 53:0 says: ―Yet it was the will of the LORD
to crush him‖ and Acts 2:23 states: ―this Man, delivered over by the
predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the
hands of godless men and put Him to death.‖




The War Against the Lamb
―And the ten horns which you saw, and the beast, these will hate the harlot and
will make her desolate and naked, and will eat her flesh and will burn her up with
fire. For God has put it in their hearts to execute His purpose by having a
common purpose, and by giving their kingdom to the beast, until the words of
God will be fulfilled‖ (Revelation 17:16–17) . God sovereignly directs the
Antichrist and unbelievers to war against Christ, which He prescriptively wills no
one do.


God’s Will in areas of Sin/death

―Do I have any pleasure in the death of the wicked,‖ declares the
Lord God, ―rather than that he should turn from his ways and live? ‖
(Ezekiel 18:23)
Vs.
―But they [the sons of Eli] would not listen to the voice of their
father, for the Lord desired to put them to death.‖
(1 Samuel 2:25)

God evidently willed the death of Eli‘s sons in one sense while not
desiring the death of the wicked in another sense. The
dispositional will is seen in the first verse and the decretive will in the
second.


Let’s Return to The “Big Two” Verses
―This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who
desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. ‖
(1 Timothy 2:3–4)

―The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is
patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to
repentance. ‖
(2 Peter 3:9)

Question: Which will of God is in vogue in the above verses? It cannot be
the decretive will of God or everyone would be saved. It could be the
prescriptive will of God, but seems odd in that, in a moral sense, God
‗forbids‘ people to perish. The best application is that this is God‘s
dispositional will. In the same sense that He does not delight in the death
of the wicked, God takes no pleasure in people rejecting Him.


The Analogy of the Courtroom

In the same way that a righteous judge carries out his duty to
sentence criminals to punishment but does not have any gleeful
delight in doing it, God also carries out justice against sinners, but
His dispositional will is that no one be lost. While a dispositional
desire is for everyone to be saved, there is a higher purpose why all
are not.

So What is God’s Higher Purpose?

Respect for human freedom or God‘s glory and purpose?


So What is God’s Higher Purpose?

We‘ll have to tackle this in the next lesson…


Conclusions

• Why does God predestine some for salvation?
• It is in accordance to his own good pleasure.

• What stance on predestination appears most tenable?
• Between the prescient, molinist, and Augustinian positions,
the Augustinian/Reformed stance appears more reasonable
from a Biblical standpoint.

• But doesn‘t God desire all to be saved?
• Answering requires that we understand the various ‗wills‘ in
God. The full answer to this question will be given next time.

Sovereignty, Free Will, and Salvation - Moral Inability Part 2

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Sovereignty, Free Will, and Salvation - Moral Inability Part 2