Since the 16th Century and the radical changes that took place during the Reformation, the church has debated the apparent conflict between the perfect, sovereign will of God and the free will and responsibility of man. The argument continues unabated today. There seems to be no easy solution to the apparent conflict, although there have been several attempts through the centuries
What does the term "irresistible grace" mean? Whatever happened to free will? This first article in a short series will attempt to answer those questions.
In the first article in this series on eternal security, I set out to establish the theological basis for any clear understanding of the subject. That basis is that God is sovereign in all things, including salvation. Before moving on to the subject of sin and of man’s need for redemption, I want to add one additional thought to the concept of God.
Salvation is the means by which fallen humanity, separated from God by their sinful nature, are set free from the bondage of sin, reconciled to God the Father, and made qualified to serve in the ministry of the kingdom of God.
God created man to worship God, not simply for the things that God does – creating, sustaining, redeeming – but for who God is. God is much, much more than the sum of all of His actions. That is why He identified himself to Moses as “I AM” and not as “I DO.”
While it is true that God is the God of redemption, there is so much more for us to understand about who He is from what He has revealed of himself in the Bible.
The nation of Israel is in slavery in Egypt, yet God was the one who put them there. He must have had a purpose in doing so, but why?
Does God take risks? Is He a gambler who is willing to accept a loss in order to achieve particular gains? Can God actually suffer loss?
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