2. Sovereignty of God
THE
Introduction. The Calvinist concept of the Sovereignty of God is the foundation of the entire system.
“With God all things are possible” (Matt. 19:26; Mark 10:27).
“Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns” (Rev. 19:6).
“All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth” (Matt. 28:18).
Does that mean nothing else influences what happens in life?

3. Sovereignty of God
THE
I. Scriptural Teaching on Freewill and Laws of Nature.
Choice in Scripture. (Josh. 24:14-15; Prov. 1:29-30; Gen. 3:22).
Laws of Nature. (Gen. 2:2; John 5:17; Col. 1:17; Heb. 1:3; Ecc. 9:11).
“Chance” Heb. pega’ (פֶּגַע) “occurrence, happening, chance” (BDB), from paga’ (פָּגַע) “to encounter, to meet, to light upon” (BDB).

4. Sovereignty of God II. God’s Influence on Human Will. THE
Hardening, Blinding, and Opening the Heart.
1. Lydia—“The Lord opened her heart to heed the things spoken by Paul” (Acts 16:14).
2. The Jews—“Hearing you will hear and shall not understand, and seeing you will see and not perceive” (Matt. 13:14).
3. Pharaoh—“I will harden his heart, so that he will not let the people go.” (Exod. 4:21).

5. Sovereignty of God II. God’s Influence on Human Will. THE
Hardening, Blinding, and Opening the Heart.
1. Lydia—“spoke to the women who met there” (Acts 16:13) and she was judged to be “faithful to the Lord” (16:15).
The Jews—“Their ears are hard of hearing, and their eyes they have closed” (Matt. 13:15).
“The god of this age” having “blinded” the unbeliever “lest the light of the gospel” touch them and “shine on them” (2 Cor. 4:4).

6. Sovereignty of God II. God’s Influence on Human Will. THE
Hardening, Blinding, and Opening the Heart.
Pharaoh—“I am sure that the king of Egypt will not let you go” (Exod. 3:19).
“He who feared the word of the LORD among the servants of Pharaoh made his servants and livestock flee to the houses. He who did not regard the word of the LORD left his servants and his livestock in the field” (Exod. 9:20-21).

7. Sovereignty of God III. Biblical References to God’s Will. THE
God’s Determined Will (Acts 2:23; 17:31).
God’s Revealed Will (Eph. 5:17).
God’s Desired Will (2 Pet. 3:9; Psa. 7:9).
God’s Permissive Will (Jas. 4:15).
God’s Providential Will (Matt. 10:29; Prov. 16:33; Matt. 10:30; Ezek. 18:2-3).