HOW TO VIEW GOD'S SOVEREIGNITY WITH EVANGELISM from charles e. whisnan t on Vimeo.
It is true that God has from all eternity chosen whom He will save. It is true that Christ came specifically to save those whom the Father had given Him. But it is also true that Christ offers Himself freely to all men as their Savior, and guarantees to bring to glory everyone who trust in Him as such. Note how He Himself deliberately put side by side these two thoughts: John 6:37-38.
Christ means who He says, no less when He undertakes to save all who will trust Him than when He undertakes to save all whom the Father has given Him.
(4) or does it affect the responsibility of the sinner for his reaction to the gospel.
The fact remains that a man who rejects Christ in that way becomes the cause of his own condemnation. The Bible never says that sinners miss heaven because they are not elect, but because they neglect the great salvation and because they will not repent and believe. Ezk 18:31, John 5:40.
II THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD IN GRACE GIVES US OUR ONLY HOPE OFSUCCESS IN EVANGELISM.
Let me say on the other hand, evangelism would be pointless apart from the Sovereignty of God. Why? Because of the spiritual inabililty of man in sin Paul put it this way: I Corinthians 2:14 and Romans 8:7
- 14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. 1 Cor 2:14
7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. Romans 8:7
Here is what Paul is saying: Man’s failure, as a matter of fact. It is a necessity of nature, something certain and inevitable and universal and unalterable, because it is in man to do otherwise than fail.
- And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins Eph 2:1
- Wholly incapacitated for any positive response to God’s word
- Deaf to God’s speech blind to God’s revelation
- Not influenced to God’s inducement
Why? Eph 2:2 Satan is active in this matter. 2 Corin 4:4 4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
SO WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR REACHING PEOPLE FOR CHRIST?
It means quite simply, that evangelism, described as we have described it, cannot possibly succeed.
- Can we by our talking break the power of Satan in man’s life?
