Understanding the Christian Doctrines of Divine Sovereignty, .
Predestination, And Free Will for Counseling.
"For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life." (John 3:16, NRSV).
"But to all who did receive him, who believe in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God." (John 1:12, 13, ESV).
"No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise that person up on the last day." (John 6:44, NRSV).
"And he said, For this reason I have told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father." (John 6:65, ESV).
"We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn within a large family. And those whom he predestined he also called; and those whom he called he also justified; and those whom he justified he also glorified." (Romans 8:28-30, NRSV).
"The Lord is not slow about his promise, as some think of slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance." (2 Peter 3:9, ESV).
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He has made us accepted in the Beloved." (Ephesians 1:3-6, NKJV).
INTRODUCTION.
Contradiction, paradox, or mystery? No Christian can study God=s Word for very long without coming face-to-face with the dilemma concerning predestination and free will.
