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How the Protestant Reformers are Still Changing the World

Tag: G. I. Williamson

Typical Objections to God’s Sovereignty

February 12, 2024 /
Here are three Protestant Reformers who were champions in defending the sovereignty of God

Written by Dr. Marcus J. Serven

“The LORD has established his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom rules over all.” Psalm 103:19 

Over the past four decades of pastoral ministry it has surprised me to hear the same objections to the sovereignty of God brought up over and over. As a result, I have had plenty of opportunities to think through the Scriptural answers to these common objections. After all the Bible is not silent on this important subject! It gives a multiplicity of texts that clearly demonstrate God’s sovereign nature. Below you will find the answers that I have developed over the years. Moreover, here are pictures of the front covers of several books that have been beneficial to me in formulating my answers.

The four most common objections to God’s Sovereignty…

#1 — Belief in the sovereignty of God ignores the concept of divine foreknowledge (so-called by some as foreseen faith) — Answer: This objection suggests that God looks down through the corridors of time and selects those who would independently choose Him. First of all, the problem with this objection to God’s sovereignty is that there are no passages in the Bible that teach any such thing! Secondly, man is not able to choose God independently apart from the operation of the Holy Spirit (Jer. 17:9-10; Jn. 6:44, 63), since man is totally and utterly enslaved to sin (Rom. 3:23; Eph. 2:1-3). God’s saving work is monergistic and not merely synergistic. God alone gets the glory in the matter of salvation (Eph. 2:8-9). Finally, divine election must be unconditional or else it becomes a “work” of man and thereby becomes conditional (Eph. 2:8-10).

#2 — Belief in the sovereignty of God, as some individuals claim, makes God the author of evil — Answer: We know from the Bible that God is completely righteous and good (James 1:13, 17; 1 Jn. 1:5). He is not arbitrary when it comes to the decrees of predestination and election. He chooses His elect “in love” (Jer. 31:3; Eph. 1:4-5). Therefore, God is consistent with His holy nature to condemn the reprobate in eternal judgement and to raise the elect unto eternal glory (Matt. 25:48; Rom. 9:14-18). The Lord accomplishes good in the midst of evil (Gen. 50:20; Acts 2:22-24; Rom. 8:28), and is not responsible for the destructive ends of those individuals who live out their fallen nature (e.g. King Saul, Judas, Pilate, Demas, etc.). 

#3 — Belief in the sovereignty of God discourages evangelism and missions since it is reasoned that God has already determined who will come to faith — Answer: Christians everywhere are commanded to be witnesses to the person and work of Jesus Christ (Isa. 42:6, 49:6; Matt. 28:18-20; 1 Tim. 4:1-5). In fact, if it were not for the under-girding work of God’s sovereign election, no one would be saved (Eph. 1:11-14). God makes evangelism possible, because through his Law he convicts the elect of sin and points them to their need for the Savior (Rom. 3:20, 27-31). He uses the preaching of the Bible as a means of bringing about the salvation of sinners (Rom. 10:14-17). In addition, God draws the elect to Himself through the Holy Spirit (Jn. 6:44; Jn. 14:26). In this sense, the sovereignty of God is the greatest asset to evangelism and missionary endeavors that the Christian has. Only God changes the sinner’s heart and makes it new (Ezek. 37:1-14; 2 Cor.  5:16-17; Tit. 3:4-7).

#4 — Belief in the sovereignty of God denies the “world” and “all men” passages, as some individuals have interpreted them, to suggest that Jesus Christ actually died for everyone, and that each person is saved when he or she exercises individual faith to believe in the gospel. Answer: Every text of Scripture must be interpreted in relation to its immediate context, and how it fits into the overall teaching of the Bible. For example, in John 3:16 we must acknowledge that the phrase “For God so loved the world”does not mean that God has determined to save every individual in the world. The “love” that John speaks of is not a saving love, but a general benevolence (or Common Grace) that God shows to all of His creatures. God does not love “all” without exception (i.e. all people everywhere), but He loves “all” without distinction (i.e. all types of men; see Gal. 3:28-29). The plain fact is that God did not show a saving love to Pharaoh (Rom. 9:17), to the Amalekites (Ex. 17:14), to the Canaanites (Deut. 20:16), to the “evildoers” (Ps. 5:5), to the “vessels of wrath prepared for destruction” (Rom. 9:22), to Esau (Rom 9:13), nor to those who ultimately refuse to repent (Matt. 3:8; Mk. 4:1-9; Heb. 6:4-8). Therefore the phrase“whoever believes in him” must be understood as those whom God has enabled to respond to the gospel. Only a person who has been drawn by the Holy Spirit could possibly “believe in him” (John 6:44; Tit. 3:4-7). And so regeneration comes about by God and not solely by the decision of man but by the work of God alone (John 1:12-13, 3:5). For the “world” passages see: Jn. 1:29, 3:16, 6:33, 6:55; Rom.  11:12, 15; 2 Cor. 5:19; and 1 Jn. 2:2, 4:14. For the “all” passages see: Jn. 12:32; Acts 17:30; Rom. 5:18; 1 Cor. 5:22; 2 Cor. 5:14; 1 Tim. 2:4, 6, 4:10; Tit. 2:11; Heb. 2:9; and 2 Pet. 3:9.

Resources for Further Study:

Here is a short list of theological books that have been helpful to me in crafting answers to the most common objections to God’s sovereignty. These books are all worth having in your own personal library!

Berkhof, Louis. Systematic Theology. Fourth Edition. Grand Rapids, MI: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1939. 

Boettner, Loraine. The Reformed Doctrine of Predestination. Phillipsburg, NJ: Presbyterian and Reformed Publishing Company, 1932.

Packer, James I. Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1961. 

Pink, Arthur W. The Sovereignty of God. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1930. 

Sproul, R. C. Chosen by God. Wheaton, IL: Tyndale Publishers, 1986.  

Williamson, G. I. The Westminster Confession of Faith: for Study Classes. Second Edition, Phillipsburg, NJ: P&R Publishing, 2004.

Rev. Dr. Marcus J. Serven, ThM and DMin

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G. I. Williamson on Adoption

September 26, 2022 /

The books of certain authors have a prominent place in my own personal library. My shelves are full of volumes written by Herman Bavinck, Louis Berkhof, John Calvin, Sinclair Ferguson, Martin Luther, John Murray, J. I. Packer, R. C. Sproul, B. B. Warfield, and David Wells. I’m going to guess that you get the drift of my theological interests! Here is another name that deserves mention–Rev. G. I. Williamson. He has written several books on Christian doctrine, but perhaps the best known of his writings is the well-regarded: The Westminster Confession of Faith: For Study Classes, P&R, (1st edition) 1964, (second edition) 2004.

Rev. G. I. Williamson (1925–present)

Over the years I have used both editions in countless Bible studies, Youth Meetings, Sunday School classes, and in my own study and reflection on the Westminster Confession of Faith. As a Presbyterian minister I have made it my goal to write out and carefully study each head of doctrine in the Confession of Faith. G. I. Williamson’s book has helped me immensely in fulfilling that personal resolution. He gives a comprehensive explanation of each chapter in the Confession of Faith and refers to many of the Scripture proofs that give the rationale for every point of doctrine. For me, this approach is invaluable! Below are two quotes from his summary on the often-neglected doctrine of Adoption. Each explanation is clear, pastoral, and timely for Christians everywhere to reflect upon and treasure. Enjoy!

“Adoption, like the other aspects of the application of redemption, is inseparably connected with (1) the eternal decree of God, and (2) the mediatorial work of Christ. We are “predestined…to adoption as sons” (Eph. 1:5). Because “He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him” (vs. 4), he ordered not only the end from the beginning, but also every step necessary to the attainment of that end. One step that is necessary to the attainment of this end is adoption. God chose his elect not only to be regenerated, justified, sanctified, and glorified, but also to be adopted.” (Williamson, The Westminster Confession of Faith: for Study Classes, 145-146)

“But what is adoption? “Adoption, as the term clearly implies, is an act of transfer from an alien family into the family of God himself” (John Murray, Redemption Accomplished and Applied, [Grand Rapids: Eerdmans. 1955]). It means that those who were by nature children of wrath, children of darkness, even children of Satan (Eph. 2:3; Col. 3:6; John 8:44), are constituted children of light and of God…Finally, we note that God treats such persons as children. They receive his pity and protection (Ps. 103:13; Prov. 14:26). They are under this watchful providence (Matt. 6:30-32; 1 Peter 5:7). He also subjects them to appropriate discipline because they are his sons (Heb. 12:6-11). But above all, he keeps them in safety even to the end (Rom. 8:23, 28, 38-39).” (Williamson, The Westminster Confession of Faith: for Study Classes, 146, 148)

— Dr. Marcus J. Serven

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