The Sovereignty of God In Salvation
I John 4:10; John 3:1-6,16-19; 6:44,65; 15:16; 14:6;17:3; Romans 8:3-8; Ephesians 1:3-14; Acts 26:14
“The testimony of the Spirit is superior to reason.” John Calvin
Herein Calvin explained the singular reason any man believes, loves, & hungers to know the Word of God — the regenerative, salvific work of the Holy Spirit within the heart of one who, by God’s loving grace, has been born anew in Christ Jesus our precious Lord & Savior – I Corinthians 2:14, 15-16; 3:16-17; I John 2:20,27
T = total depravity (in the sense of his being completely incapable of saving
himself, being in total rebellion against God, a hater of God – Romans 8:3-8;
3:10-18)
U = unconditional election
L = limited atonement
I = irresistible grace
P = perseverance of the saints
Ephesians 1:3-14; Romans 9:10-24
Christ alone, Grace alone, Faith alone, Scripture alone, to the glory of God alone = the 5 “Sola’s” of the reformation!
Because our precious Holy Lord is the always existent, uncreated Sovereign God of all created things, it inherently follows that every aspect of who He is & every characteristic of His Holy nature & character is in like manner, both uncreated & always existent — Truth is of the nature & person & mind & will of God, thus Truth, by the very fact of it’s existence as it rules over all things & beings created by God is uncreated & has always existed — before anything was, truth was & is & always will be throughout all eternity — Isaiah 44:6; 45:5-7; 46:8-10; 55:6-7,8,9-13; 65:16; 66:1-2; Proverbs 30:5-6; John 17:17; Revelation 21-22.
“Truth is the way things really are — truth is reality…….The Bible is the ONLY source of truth & it is an INEXHAUSTIBLE source of truth.”
Jn Mac (The Gospel According To Paul, CD 1, trak 1)
It is this glorious reality that Solomon speaks of when he declares “wisdom” to have been present when God established the earth & the seas — Proverbs 8:12-36
In light of the glorious reality of this eternal, always existent nature of TRUTH, it inherently & immutably follows that truth IS NOT debatable nor is it negotiable — Proverbs 30:5-6; John 17:17
It matters not to God what ANY man “thinks” His holy word means (II Peter 1:17-21; Proverbs 30:5-6). The man of God (every true believer) is accountable to study the whole of God’s word that he might know the whole counsel of God & then faithfully obey it as a faithful steward of all that God entrusts to him each day of the grace of God’s good gift of life (I Timothy 4:4) — II Timothy 3:16-17;2:15; II Peter 1:17-21
The chosen of God are indeed kept eternally in His immutable Sovereign power for His glory & their good — Romans 8:28+; Ps 27; 46; 91; 84:10-12; 118:24; I Peter 1:3-9
The following is from “Whatever Happened To the Holy Spirit — Part 2”; GTY.org
NT Salvation – the Sovereign wk of God:
God the Father instigates it – Election
God the Son validates it – Regeneration
God the Holy Spirit activates it – Salvation
John 6:44,65; 15:16; Ephesians 1:3-14; I Peter 1:3-6 a,6b-9