The below passages are set forth with very little commentary and emphasis in caps and bold print. They are set forth under different headings to show that God is absolutely sovereign, that man is absolutely depraved, and that God has chosen of His Own will those who are saved.
ON DIVINE SOVEREIGNTY (WARNING: SOME OF THESE PASSAGES MAY SHOCK YOU!) :
GENESIS 50:20 - "(Joseph speaking) But as for you, you thought evil against me; but GOD meant it to good ..."
JUDGES 9:23 - "Then GOD SENT AN EVIL SPIRIT between Abimelech and the men of Shechem; and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech ..."
1 SAMUEL 16:14 - "But the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and AN EVIL SPIRIT FROM THE LORD troubled him."
1 KINGS 22:23 - "Now therefore, behold, THE LORD HAS PUT A LYING SPIRIT IN THE MOUTH OF ALL THESE YOUR PROPHETS, AND THE LORD HAS SPOKEN EVIL CONCERNING YOU."
PSALMS 17:13-14 - "Arise, O LORD, disappoint him, cast him down: deliver my soul from THE WICKED, WHICH IS THY SWORD; FROM MEN WHICH ARE THY HAND ..."
PSALMS 76:10 - "Surely THE WRATH OF MAN SHALL PRAISE THEE: the remainder of wrath SHALT THOU RESTRAIN."
PSALMS 115:3 - "But our God is in the heavens: HE HAS DONE WHATSOEVER HE HAS PLEASED."
PSALMS 119:89-91 - "Forever, O LORD, Thy Word is settled in heaven. Thy faithfulness is to all generations: Thou has established the earth, and it abides. They continue this day ACCORDING TO THINE ORDINANCES: FOR ALL ARE THY SERVANTS."
PSALMS 135:5-6 - "For I know that the LORD is great, and that our Lord is above all gods. WHATSOEVER THE LORD PLEASED, THAT HE DID in heaven, and in the earth, in the seas, and in all deep places."
PROVERBS 16:4 - "The LORD has made ALL THINGS FOR HIMSELF: yes, EVEN THE WICKED FOR THE DAY OF EVIL."
PROVERBS 16:9 - "A man's heart devises his way; BUT THE LORD DIRECTS HIS STEPS" (see Isa. 10:5-7,12).
PROVERBS 19:21 - "There are many devices in a man's heart; NEVERTHELESS THE COUNSEL OF THE LORD, THAT SHALL STAND."
PROVERBS 20:24 - "Man's goings are OF THE LORD; how then can a man understand his own way?"
PROVERBS 21:30 - "There is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against the LORD."
ECCLESIASTES 3:11 - "(GOD) HAS MADE EVERYTHING BEAUTIFUL IN HIS TIME: also He has set the world in their heart, so that NO MAN CAN FIND OUT THE WORK THAT GOD MAKES FROM THE BEGINNING TO THE END."
ECCLESIASTES 7:13 - "Consider the work of God: for WHO CAN MAKE THAT STRAIGHT WHICH HE HAS MADE CROOKED?"
ISAIAH 14:24 - "The LORD of Hosts has sworn, saying, 'Surely as I have thought, SO SHALL IT COME TO PASS; and as I have purposed, SO SHALL IT STAND ..."
ISAIAH 30:28 - "And (GOD'S) breath, as an overflowing stream, shall reach to the midst of the kneck, to sift the nations with the sieve of vanity: and there shall be a bridle in the jaws of the people, CAUSING THEM TO ERR."
ISAIAH 43:13 - "Yes, before the day was I am He; and THERE IS NONE THAT CAN DELIVER OUT OF MY HAND: I WILL WORK, AND WHO SHALL HINDER IT?"
ISAIAH 45:7 - "I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, AND CREATE EVIL: I the LORD do ALL THESE THINGS."
ISAIAH 46:9-11 - "Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like Me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, 'MY COUNSEL SHALL STAND, AND I WILL DO ALL MY PLEASURE: calling a ravenous bird from the east, the man that EXECUTES MY COUNSEL from a far country: yes, I have spoken it, I WILL ALSO BRING IT TO PASS; I HAVE PURPOSED IT, I WILL ALSO DO IT."
ISAIAH 54:16 - "Behold, I have created the smith that blows the coals in the fire, and that brings forth an instrument for his work; and I HAVE CREATED THE WASTER TO DESTROY."
ISAIAH 55:11 - "So shall My Word be that goes forth out of My mouth: it shall not return to Me void, BUT IT SHALL ACCOMPLISH THAT WHICH I PLEASE, and IT SHALL PROSPER IN THE THING WHERETO I SENT IT."
LAMENTATIONS 3:37-38 - "Who is he that says, 'and it comes to pass, when the LORD commands it not? Out of the mouth of the Most High proceeds not EVIL AND GOOD?'"
DANIEL 4:34-35 - "... and I blessed the Most High, and I praised and honoured Him that lives forever, Whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and His kingdom is from generation to generation: AND ALL THE INHABITANTS OF THE EARTH ARE REPUTED AS NOTHING: and He does ACCORDING TO HIS WILL in the army of heaven, AND AMONG THE INHABITANTS OF THE EARTH: and NONE CAN STAY HIS HAND, OR SAY TO HIM, 'WHAT DOEST THOU?'"
AMOS 3:6 - "... Shall there be evil in a city, AND THE LORD HAS NOT DONE IT?"
JOHN 3:27 - "John answered and said, 'A man can receive NOTHING, except it be given him FROM HEAVEN."
ACTS 4:26-27 - "'The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against His Christ ... to do WHATSOEVER THY HAND AND THY COUNSEL DETERMINED BEFORE TO BE DONE."
1 CORINTHIANS 2:7 - "But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which GOD ORDAINED BEFORE THE WORLD, to our glory."
JAMES 4:13-15 - "Go to now, you that say, 'Today or tomorrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain,' whereas you know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time, and then vanishes away. For that you ought to say, 'IF THE LORD WILL, we shall live, and do this or that.'"
REVELATION 4:11 - "Thou art worthy, O LORD, to receive glory, and honour, and power: for Thou has created all things, and FOR THY PLEASURE they are and were created."
MAN IS BY NATURE SINFUL AND UNABLE TO COME TO CHRIST IN AND OF HIMSELF:
MATTHEW 12:34 - "O generation of vipers, how CAN you, BEING EVIL, speak good things: and an EVIL MAN OUT OF THE EVIL TREASURE BRINGS FORTH EVIL THINGS."
JOHN 5:44 - "How CAN you believe, which receive honour one of another, and SEEK NOT THE HONOUR THAT COMES FROM GOD ONLY?"
JOHN 6:64-65 - "But there are some of you who believe not. For Jesus knew FROM THE BEGINNING who they were that believed not, and who should betray Him. And He said, 'Therefore I said to you, that NO MAN CAN COME TO ME, EXCEPT IT WERE GIVEN TO HIM OF MY FATHER."
JOHN 8:44 - "You are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father YOU WILL DO ..."
JOHN 14:17 - "Even the Spirit of truth; Whom the world CANNOT receive, because it sees Him not, neither knows Him ..."
ROMANS 3:10-12 - "... There is NONE righteous, no, NOT ONE; there is NONE that understands; THERE IS NONE THAT SEEKS AFTER GOD. They are ALL gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable: there is NONE that does good, no, NOT ONE."
ROMANS 6:20 - "For when you were the servants of sin, you were FREE FROM RIGHTEOUSNESS."
ROMANS 8:8 - "... they that are in the flesh CANNOT PLEASE GOD."
THAT GOD HAS CHOSEN AND PREDESTINED THOSE WHO ARE SAVED:
MATTHEW 13:11 - "(JESUS) answered and said to (His disciples), 'Because it is GIVEN TO YOU to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is NOT GIVEN."
JOHN 6:37 - "ALL that the Father GIVES Me SHALL come to Me ..."
JOHN 13:18 - "I speak NOT OF YOU ALL, I know whom I have CHOSEN; but that the Scripture might be fulfilled ..."
JOHN 15:16 - "You have not chosen Me, but I HAVE CHOSEN YOU, that you should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain ..."
JOHN 17:2 - "As Thou (FATHER) has given Him (JESUS) power OVER ALL FLESH, that He should give eternal life to AS MANY AS THOU HAS GIVEN HIM."
JOHN 17:6 - "I have manifested Thy Name TO THE MEN WHICH THOU GAVE ME out of the world; THINE THEY WERE, AND THOU GAVE THEM (TO) ME."
JOHN 17:9 - "I pray for them: I pray NOT FOR THE WORLD, but FOR THEM WHICH THOU HAS GIVEN ME; FOR THEY ARE THINE."
ACTS 13:48 - "And when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad glorified the Word of the Lord; AND AS MANY AS WERE ORDAINED TO ETERNAL LIFE BELIEVED."
ROMANS 9:9-24 - "For this is the word of promise, 'At this time will I come, and Sarah shall have a son.' And not only this: but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac; (For the children, being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, THAT THE PURPOSE OF GOD ACCORDING TO ELECTION MIGHT STAND, NOT OF WORKS, BUT OF HIM THAT CALLS:) It was said to her, 'The elder shall serve the younger.' As it is written, 'Jacob have I loved, but Esau HAVE I HATED.' WHAT SHALL WE SAY THEN? IS THERE UNRIGHTEOUSNESS WITH GOD? GOD FORBID. For He says to Moses, 'I will have mercy ON WHOM I WILL have mercy, and I will have compassion ON WHOM I WILL have compassion.' So then, IT IS NOT OF HIM THAT WILLS, NOR OF HIM THAT RUNS, BUT OF GOD WHO SHOWS MERCY. For the Scripture says to Pharoah, 'Even for this same purpose have I raised you up, that I might show My power in you, and that My Name might declared throughout all the earth.' Therefore He has mercy ON WHOM HE WILL have mercy, and WHOM HE WILL HE HARDENS. You will say to me then, 'Why does He still find fault? For who has resisted His will?' Nay but, O man, WHO ARE YOU THAT REPLIES AGAINST GOD? Shall the thing formed say to Him that formed it, 'Why have You made me thus?' Has not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel TO HONOUR, and another TO DISHONOUR? What if God, willing to show His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath FITTED TO DESTRUCTION: and that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessel of mercy WHICH HE HAD AFORE PREPARED TO GLORY, even us, who He has CALLED, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?"
ROMANS 11:2-7 - "God has not cast away His people WHICH HE FOREKNEW. Know you not what the Scripture says of Elijah? How he makes intercession to God against Israel, saying, 'Lord, they have killed Thy prophets, and digged down Thine altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life.' But what says the answer of God to him? 'I have RESERVED TO MYSELF seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal.' Even so then at this present time also there is A REMNANT ACCORDING TO THE ELECTION OF GRACE. And if by grace, then is it no more of works; otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it is of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work. What then? Israel has not obtained that which he seeks for; but THE ELECTION HAS OBTAINED IT, AND THE REST WERE BLINDED."
1 CORINTHIANS 1:24-31 - "But to THEM WHICH ARE CALLED, both Jews and Greeks, Christ, the power of God, and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men. For you see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: but God has CHOSEN the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God has CHOSEN the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty. And base things of the world, and things which are despised has God CHOSEN, yes, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: THAT NO FLESH SHOULD GLORY IN HIS PRESENCE."
PHILIPPIANS 1:29 - "For to you IT IS GIVEN IN THE BEHALF OF CHRIST, NOT ONLY TO BELIEVE ON HIM, but also to suffer for His sake ..."
1 THESSALONIANS 5:9 - "For God has not APPOINTED us to wrath, but TO OBTAIN SALVATION BY OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST ..."
2 THESSALONIANS 2:13-14 - "But we are bound to give thanks always to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because GOD HAS FROM THE BEGINNING CHOSEN YOU TO SALVATION, through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: whereunto He CALLED YOU BY OUR GOSPEL, TO THE OBTAINING OF THE GLORY OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST ..."
2 TIMOTHY 1:9 - "(GOD) has saved us, and CALLED us with a holy calling, NOT ACCORDING TO OUR WORKS, BUT ACCORDING TO HIS OWN PURPOSE AND GRACE, which was given us in Christ Jesus BEFORE THE WORLD BEGAN."
JAMES 1:18 - "OF HIS OWN WILL BEGAT HE US WITH THE WORD OF TRUTH ..."
1 PETER 1:2 - "ELECT ACCORDING TO THE FOREKNOWLEDGE OF GOD THE FATHER, through sanctification of the Spirit, to obedience AND SPRINKLING OF THE BLOOD OF JESUS CHRIST ..."
1 PETER 2:8-9 - "And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the Word, being disobedient: WHEREUNTO ALSO THEY WERE APPOINTED. But you are a CHOSEN generation ... that you should show forth the praises of Him Who has CALLED you out of darkness into His marvelous light ..."
REVELATION 17:8 - "... and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, WHOSE NAMES WERE NOT WRITTEN IN THE BOOK OF LIFE FROM THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD ..."
REVELATION 17:14 - "... the Lamb shall overcome them, for He is LORD OF LORDS, and KING OF KINGS; and they that are with Him are CALLED, and CHOSEN, and FAITHFUL."
I will rest my case with John 1:13, which describes believers as being "born, not of blood (i.e., descent), NOR OF THE WILL OF THE FLESH, NOR OF THE WILL OF MAN, but OF GOD."
last updated on 03-06-99