Calvinism Offers the Highest View of God: Unconditional Election Part 1Dan Long August 19, 2012

Every Christian has some view of the sovereignty of God. You cant read through the Bible without running into the fact that God chooses people for salvation. The question is how does He choose? Did God choose to save people based on what He already knew they would do? In other words, did He look down the corridors of time, see that certain people would embrace the gospel when it was presented to them, and then choose them based on that response? Or did God choose to save unconditionally, apart from  any response of the individual?

Is God free? Does He have the freedom to show mercy to some, and to withhold it from others, or, would it be unfair for Him not to distribute His mercy equally to everyone? And what about those who never heard the gospel? What about the countless millions throughout the world who have never had the gospel preached to them, are these people in hell? Our view of God will determine how we answer these questions.

So many in the church today have a small view of God. One reason is because very few Christians take enough time for personal Bible reading and Bible study. Another reason (and I believe the biggest reason) is because Pastors are afraid to preach the hard stuff. They would rather preach a fluffy, light messages to keep their people in the pews, rather then run them off by preaching such "irrelevant topics" like the sovereignty of God.  

And yet this is what the people need! We need to know that God is in control. We need to know that God rules and reigns over everything that happens in this world, including the minute details of our lives. We need to know that everything He created, including us, is for His own glory. We need to know that God is sovereign over the evil actions of men, and that even sin is part of His plan. We need to have a high, majestic view of God. 

I believe Calvinism offers this view, and I think I can show this from the Bible. Over the next several weeks I would like to post scripture passages that support Unconditional Election, Total Depravity, Limited Atonement, Irresistible Grace, and Perseverance of the Saints. 

I start with the absolute sovereignty of God and Unconditional Election. The Bible makes it clear that God is free. He is the Potter, and we are the clay. He is the One who has absolute authority in the Universe. Everything is under His control, even the choices (including sinful choices) of men. This post will start with God's sovereignty over all things including the actions of men, good and bad. After this I'll move to the second point of Calvinism, Unconditional Election. The reason that I'm starting with Unconditional Election first rather than Total Depravity is because I really believe we need to see that God is free to do as He wishes with His creation. We need to understand that it is God who does the choosing, we do not. Only when we see the freedom of God will we be able to grasp the Total Depravity of man. 

The next post will focus strictly on Total Depravity. These post's will be set up as outlines, with the Bible verse references under each point. Hover the mouse over the scripture reference and a box will pop up  with the reference inside. However, some of the references will be passages of scripture rather than a single verse. The verse will pop up, but in order to read the rest of the passage you will have to click the link. Please feel free to post questions or comments. 

I. God is Sovereign. Ex. 15:18; 1Ch. 29:11-12; 2Ch. 20:6; Ps. 22:28


   
    A. His sovereign right is exercised by ordaining all things that come to pass.
 1Sam. 2:6-8; Job 9:12; Job 12:6-10; Ps. 33:11; Ps. 115:3; Ps. 135:6; Isa. 14:24; Isa. 45:7; Acts 15:18; Ep. 1:11
       
        1. He is Sovereign over the events of creation. 
Gen. 8:22; Ps. 104:5-10; Ps. 104:13-14; Ps. 104:19-20;Mark 4:39
        
        2. He is sovereign over the actions of animals. 
Num. 22:28; 1Ki. 17:4; Ps. 29:9; Jer. 8:7; Eze 32:4; Dan. 6:22
        3. He is sovereign over the actions of good angels.
Ps. 103:20; Ps. 104:4
   
         3. He is sovereign over the actions of bad angels.
1Sam. 16:14-16; 1Ki. 22:19-23; 1Ch. 21:1/ 2Sam. 24:1; Job 1:6-12; Job 2:3-6
       
         4. He is sovereign over the good actions of men. 
Jn. 15:16; Ep. 2:10; Phil.  2:12-13
        
         5. He is sovereign over the evil actions of men. 
Gen. 50:20/ Ps. 105:16-17; Ex. 4:21; Judges. 14:1-4; Pro. 16:4; Isa. 44:28; Isa. 10:5-13; Amos 3:6; Acts 2:22-23; Acts 4:27-28;
        6. Sovereign over "chance happenings." 
Prov. 16:33; Prov. 19:21; Prov. 20:24

II. God has Elected Certain Individuals to Salvation. 
    
    A. God is free: He is free to show mercy, or, to withhold mercy. 
Ex. 33:19; Deut. 7:6-7; Deut. 29:4; Mat. 13:14; Mat. 20:15; Ro. 9:10-24; Ro. 11:4-6; Ep
   
    B. He elected people, not a plan. 
Deut. 10:14-15; Ps. 33:12; Ps. 65:4; Ps. 106:5; Hag. 2:23; Mat. 11:27; Mat. 22:14; Mat. 24:22-31; Luke 18:7; Ro. 8:28-30; Ro. 11:28; Col. 3:12; 1Th. 5:9; Titus 1:1; 1Pet. 1:1-2; 1Pet. 2:8-9; Rev. 17:14
   
    C. His choice to save is not based on what He foresees that people will do.
   Mat. 11:27; Mark 13:20; Jn. 6:44; Jn. 6:63; Jn. 6:65; Ep. 1:4; 2Th. 2:13; 2Tim. 1:9; Rev. 13:8; Rev. 17:8; Ro. 9:11-13; Ro. 9:16; Ro. 10:20; 1Cor. 1:27-29; Ep. 2:10; Jn. 15:16; Acts 13:48; Acts 18:27; Phil. 1:29; Phil. 2:12-13; 1Th. 1:4-5; 2Th. 2:13-14; James 2:5

These scripture references are not exhaustive. There are many more passages that proclaim the sovereignty of God in salvation. Feel free to ask  questions or post comments.