The Doctrine Simplified

            If you are not familiar with this doctrine (teaching) then here is an easy definition:  God is in complete control of everything. It’s like the song, “Qué será será; whatever will be, will be. The future’s not ours to tell. Qué será será!“

            There are two camps among Christians. Each camp has their own set of favorite Bible verses that prove their particular view. Did God chose who will be saved and who will be lost? One camp believes He did, and the other believes He didn’t. Then, does He make those get saved who are predestined for salvation?  Then the doctrine of eternal security enters the scene, that God keeps His chosen ones from ever losing their salvation.

            The doctrine of total depravity is part of this set also.  It says that a human is totally incapable of responding to the gospel on his own (Rom.3:10-18) and the Holy Spirit has to draw him in.

            There are two other brochures I have written that, together with this one, answer this doctrine, and show how both sets of Bible verses are true and right. God wrote the whole thing, so it must agree. It is wrong to pick which verses we will agree to, and disregard the ones we don’t like.  These three brochures will show you how to see them correctly.  This is “Rightly dividing the Word of Truth,” II Tim. 2:15.  The words rightly dividing are also translated, handling rightly.

            The other two brochures are, The Sovereignty of God, and The Security of the Believer. In the first one, you will see many Bible verses which say that we have responsibility over our own lives. We are not pawns but kings under King Jesus. He is King of kings, not pawns or puppets.

            The Security brochure exposes the truth that the believer is secure -- as long as he is a believer! It is examined then, what is a believer? Also, you will see that it is possible to lose one’s salvation.

What is God’s Will?

            This is a question that must be faced in the context of this issue. One group says that whatever happens was God’s will. The other group says that God’s Word is His will, and it’s up to us if we experience it or not.  My brochure called, If it’s God’s will, then why doesn’t it always happen, will help you with this question. Here is an example: Three verses say that God is not willing (That’s His will!) that anybody goes to hell. (II Pet. 3:9, Matt. 18:14, and I Tim. 2:4.)  I John 2:2 says that Jesus died for the sins of the entire world.  Then John 3:16- 18 agrees, and says that whoever believes will be saved (and John 6:40) Heb. 2:4 also says that our faith must connect with the Word to make it work.

Is faith a work or a gift?

            The verses that say it is a gift are Eph. 2:8-9, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works lest any man should boast.”

            We must always see what the rest of the Bible says on an issue and don’t take sides.  Allow me to show you some. John 6:29, “Jesus answered and said to them, ‘This is the work of God that you believe in Him whom He sent.’” And II Thess. 1:11 calls faith a work.  Here are some verses where believing is commanded: I John 3:23, Acts 19:4 and II Thess.2:10-12.

Does the Holy Spirit draw us?

            The verses that say He does are John 6:44 and 65. You may be surprised to see what else draws people to salvation! Rom. 1:16, I Tim. 3:15, I Pet. 1:23, II Tim. 1:10, & James 1:21 all say that the Gospel, the Word about Jesus is what draws people.

            So, to get people saved, they need to tell the story!  Here are more that say the cross draws:  I Pet. 3:18, Col. 1: 20-22, and Eph. 2:13 and 16.

            And then here is a list of verses that credit hearing the Word or the Gospel with the power to save.  Heb.4:2, Gal. 3:2 & 5, John 5:24, Rom.10:14 & 17, Acts 2:40-41, 4:4, 8:12, 26-39, 9:10-18, 10:3-5, & 44,  15:7, 18:8, 26:17-18, John 17:20, 6:63, 5:24, 20:30-31, I Cor. 1:21,  15:1-2.

Controversial Texts

            Rom. 8:29-20 gives this order: God foreknew us and then predestined us to be like Jesus. God has foreknowledge, which means He saw you choose Jesus before the foundation of the earth, Rom. 17:8. To see you do something is very different from making you do it! So yes, we were chosen, by what God saw, Eph. 1:4.

             Rom. 9:10-23 is a favorite section because it says that God will do what He wants, and who are we to argue with Him? Verse 18 says He has mercy on whom He wants, and then hardens those He wants to harden.  Rom. 11:2 & 7 agree. For some explanation, see Rom.11:20-22. This says it is because they refused the truth. Also, II Thess. 2:11-12, and Eph. 4:17-20 & 23.      Rom.9:13-15 is about Jacob and Esau and God’s choice.  This was for their calling in life, not their eternal salvation. Verse 17 mentions Pharaoh, and that God raised him up to show His power. God used an already proud and stubborn man, and didn’t decide his eternal salvation. God used a donkey in Num. 22. Does that mean God saved it?

            Here are verses about people’s minds kept from understanding: Luke 9:45, 19:42, 24:16, and Mark 4:12. Realize that if God did the hiding, then He’d be working against Jesus! Their own minds could have been unable to understand like in I Cor. 3:2, John 16:12, and Luke 24:25; and it also could have been Satan, because in II Cor.4:3-4 he can blind minds. On this same train of thought, Acts 16:14 tells about a believer whom God helped to understand Paul’s preaching.

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