Countering a False View of God's Sovereignty
Contrary to the hyper-Calvinist view...
From man's limited perspective, saving faith is a free choice that is often conceived through a natural metamorphosis; from God's perfect perspective, saving faith is His irresistible decree that is generated by His supernatural power. God works seamlessly with the human will so as not to force people to receive Him.
God's sovereignty understood properly does not imply that:
man is not responsible,
nor that man does not have a choice to make,
nor that man is passive in the new birth,
nor that faith will be clearly the supernatural work of God,
nor that God has to give faith in a radical and dramatic way.
No, as far as you and I are able to discern, faith is your choice. It is your responsibility. We mustn't view salvation fatalistically; salvation doesn't often happen like a lightning strike. If you want the Lord as your God, He is freely yours. Beware of shifting the responsibility to God! If one never humbly takes responsibility, they will never be saved.
"There are as many salvation experiences as there are Christians..." -John Piper (paraphrased)
From man's limited perspective, saving faith is a free choice that is often conceived through a natural metamorphosis; from God's perfect perspective, saving faith is His irresistible decree that is generated by His supernatural power. God works seamlessly with the human will so as not to force people to receive Him.
God's sovereignty understood properly does not imply that:
man is not responsible,
nor that man does not have a choice to make,
nor that man is passive in the new birth,
nor that faith will be clearly the supernatural work of God,
nor that God has to give faith in a radical and dramatic way.
No, as far as you and I are able to discern, faith is your choice. It is your responsibility. We mustn't view salvation fatalistically; salvation doesn't often happen like a lightning strike. If you want the Lord as your God, He is freely yours. Beware of shifting the responsibility to God! If one never humbly takes responsibility, they will never be saved.
"There are as many salvation experiences as there are Christians..." -John Piper (paraphrased)