“Perhaps the relationship between divine sovereignty and human freedom can best be summed up in these words: God so presents the outside inducements that man acts in accordance with his own nature, yet does exactly what God has planned for him to do.”
Loraine Boettner
“In the total expanse of human life there is not a single square inch of which the Christ, who alone is sovereign, does not declare, ‘That is mine!'”
Abraham Kuyper
“Since God is the highest good, he would not allow any evil to exist in his works unless his omnipotence and goodness were such as to bring good even out of evil.”
Augustine
As a child growing up in church it was common to hear sermons expounding on the conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus as recorded in the gospel of John. The theme of those sermons was the answer to the question “What must a person do to be born again?” And the popular answer to that question was “To be born again you must believe upon Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins.” The preacher emphasized that being born again is a choice that a person makes to follow Christ. In other words, upon being convicted of their sins by the Holy Spirit, a person decides whether or not they want to be born again. That is, a person has free will to accept or reject the new birth being offered to them; they have decisive control over their eternal destination. Some may understand this as the doctrine of self-determination. Continue reading
Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations. Jeremiah 1:5 (ESV) Continue reading
Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.
(2 Corinthians 3:17 ESV) Continue reading
By Matthew Pruitt
I form light and create darkness, I make well- being and create calamity, I am the Lord, who does all these things. (Isaiah 45:7 ESV)
Notice that Isaiah 45:7 is not in the past tense? It doesn’t say, “I formed light and created darkness, I made well-being and created calamity…” He still does those things today. God is active and working in his creation today. He did not just set creation in motion thousands of years ago and then let it run it’s course. Continue reading
The forecast called for a dusting of snow with no travel problems expected. Oddly enough the heavy snow was supposed to be to the south of this central Alabama town. But, the forecasters with all of their modern technology and years of meteorological experience missed it by 100-125 miles. Continue reading
