1. What Gives God the Right to Tell Me How to Live? A Discussion of The Sovereignty of God and Free Will

2. Sovereignty—Daniel 4:31 God’s Decretive (Sovereign, Efficacious) Will. Things that God decrees to happen. God’s Preceptive Will. Things that God desires man to do. God’s Permissive Will. Things that God does not decree or desire but He permits them to happen.

3. Sovereignty of God and Calvinism Total Depravity Unconditional Election Limited Atonement Irresistible Grace Perseverance of the Saints

4. Predestination Before the foundation of time, God chose certain (future) men and women to be saved. Matt. 22:14, Matt. 24:22-24, 31; John 6:37- 39, 44; John 15:16; Rom. 8:28-30; Eph. 1:14; 1 Pet. 1:1-2; etc.

5. Calvinism vs. Arminianism C: Many receive the gospel call, only the elect respond positively. This call cannot be rejected by the elect. A: God makes an offer through the gospel, but the receiver must accept of his own will. The offer can be rejected.

6. Calvinism vs. Arminianism C: If God knocks you WILL open the door. A: You must CHOOSE to open the door. C: You are dead in sins, without a pulse, and can do nothing. A: Sinner is separated from God, but maintains the power to choose to return to God.

7. Calvinism vs. Arminianism C: Without election, no one would be saved because no one would make the choice to follow Chirst. C: Election does not mean you have received salvation, only that it is inevitable that you will at some point (almost always through evangelism)? (So what happens if you are elect and die before you receive salvation?—Sovereign God wouldn’t let that happen!)

8. Calvinism vs. Arminianism C: Still witness because Christ commands them to and because someone needs to get the word to the elect. A: Witness because Christ commands them to and to give as many as possible a chance to accept the gospel. Typically, Arminians are more motivated to missions.

9. Calvinism vs. Arminianism C: God has guaranteed the salvation of some and the rest don’t have a chance (God is absolutely sovereign). A: Some hear the gospel and have a chance to respond, but millions dies without hearing or obeying it and are damned (man has free will—even the choice to spread the gospel or not)

10. Calvinism vs. Arminianism C: Salvation is a matter of God’s decree. God decrees some saved and others lost. God decides the matter of your personal salvation. A: Salvation is a matter of God desire. He wants all to repent and come to salvation. Your obedience decides the matter of your personal salvation.

11. Discussion Is there room for man’s free will if God is absolutely sovereign? If I choose to disobey God of my own free will, is God no longer sovereign?

12. Discussion Does God have the right to tell me how to live?  Created me. Owns me by virtue of creation.  Bought me. Owns me by redemption. Have we no rights? 1 Cor. 6:19-20