Is it really the fact that “both sides are right” on the whole Sovereignty question?

by B.Rayshawn Graves

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“There is another and worse evil which springs from this basic failure to grasp the radical difference between the natures of the two worlds. It is the habit of languidly “accepting” salvation as if it were a small matter and one wholly in our hands. Men are exhorted to think things over and “decide” for Christ, and in some places one day each year is set aside as “Decision Day,” at which time people are expected to condescend to grant Christ the right to save them, a right which they have obviously refused Him up to that time. Christ is thus made to stand again before men’s judgment seat; He is made to wait upon the pleasure of the individual, and after long and humble waiting is either turned away or patronizingly admitted. By a complete misunderstanding of the noble and true doctrine of the freedom of the human will salvation is made to depend perilously upon the will of man instead of upon the will of God. ” – A.W. Tozer

I found this quote by A.W. Tozer in his book “The Divine Conquest” and I couldnt agree with Dr. Tozer more. The Sovereignty of God seems to be completely taken away and set to the side when it comes to the slavation of men. This country’s evangelism seems to place God’s sovereignty in the back seat when it comes to salvation and instead we place free will in the driver’s seat…sort of a Democratic “choosing” of God,while all He extends is some “promises to bless you, a home in heaven, and a better life on earth…now please take the offer”. Men are placed in charge of their own salvation while God sits back, sees the raised hands, and writes another name in His book. Salvation seems to be this kind of “show your ticket at the door” so you can come in and enjoy the real show – prosperity, health, blessings, a better life, and more. Because men’s eyes are fixed on acquiring the benefits of salvation rather than grasping the true nature of salvation (seeing the graciousness of God in Jesus Christ) , it (salvation) becomes this minimal thing. It becomes this one-time event where the focus is “it’s all up to you” and “its all about you”. This is a humanistic salvation where men choose God on their own time, on their own merits, for their own benefit – and a “Decision Day” without genuine faith and repentance will only lead men to their own damnation.

God’s Sovereignty is offensive to the man who believes that God can do everything but conform his will.  Its as though God can be the most powerful, omniscient, transcendent Being in the universe until He encounters formed clay that tells Him that He must wait in line until they call His number out.  In the Scriptures, no man ever decided he was going to have an encounter with God. Abraham did not sit in his 24 room house in Ur with his false idols , and then one day say ”Jehovah, Im going to follow you”. Isaiah nor any of the prophets could never conceive or bring themselves into  those miraculous visions where the presence of God is shaking the doorposts in the throne room of heaven.  None of the 12 disciples found Jesus first, and Paul did not throw himself off of his horse thereby deciding that he wanted to be saved.

God saves, God gives the right to become sons of God, God resurrects the dead, and God chooses to have mercy upon whom He will have mercy…

This is a video by John Piper of Desiring God Ministries in Minneapolis Minnesota.  This is powerful.  I’m still kind of really from it.  The are difficult times in which to live indeed.

Thanks go to Ryan Burns for the video.

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