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evbc | gilbert
 

God's sovereignty over salvation

I am currently helping teach a theology overview class on Sunday nights, and last night we studied the doctrine of salvation. The Bible quite clearly teaches that God is in charge of salvation and is ultimately responsible for any individual surrendering to Jesus (Acts 13:48; Rom. 8:28-30; Eph. 1:3-6). Nonetheless, many debate it.

I made the following statement last night, which may surprise you: "All Christians instinctively believe in God’s sovereignty over salvation."

I take this point from J.I. Packer who, in Evangelism & the Sovereignty of God, says that there are two evidences that prove this point. 1) All Christians thank God for their salvation and 2) All Christians pray for the conversion of others. Neither would make sense unless we instinctively knew that God was responsible for saving people. Packer writes, "On our feet we may have arguments about it, but on our knees we are all agreed."

Oh, that we would treasure the gift of God in saving us and that we would seek for him to open the hearts of those who do not yet see him as sweet and satisfying.

There