1. Predestination

2. Predestination
Eph 1:4-5 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will—
Eph 1:11 In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will,
Rom 8: For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.

3. God can and does choose
Free will is over-emphasised in a humanistic society
My right to choose is touted all the time and infiltrates our thinking
Scripture shows God is SOVEREIGN yet at the same time shows
we are free in our choices and responsible before God
Adam and Eve were the only ones truly free
we are not coerced by God, yet bound as slaves to our sinful natures
So while we choose freely we choose according to our desires
Sin has corrupted our desires
And we do not choose for God

4. Old Testament
Num 16:5 …. The man he chooses he will cause to come near him.
Deu 10:15 Yet the LORD set his affection on your forefathers and loved them, and he chose you, their descendants, above all the nations, as it is today.
Isa 14:24 The LORD Almighty has sworn, "Surely, as I have planned, so it will be, and as I have purposed, so it will stand.
Isa 14:27 For the LORD Almighty has purposed, and who can thwart him? His hand is stretched out, and who can turn it back?

5. New Testament
Mat 24:22 If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened.
Rom 8:33 Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies.
Col 3:12 Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.
1Co 1:27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.
2Th 2:13 But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers loved by the Lord, because from the beginning God chose you to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth.
 Act 13:48 When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and honoured the word of the Lord; and all who were appointed for eternal life believed.

6. Brief history Origen c . 185-254, Greek theologian from Alexandria
Augustine of Hippo c , also known as Saint Augustin, was an early Christian theologian and philosopher whose writings were very influential in the development of Western Christianity and Western philosophy
John Chrysostom c. 347 – 407, Greek, Archbishop of Constantinople
Pelagius c. 354 – 420, philosopher - was a probably British-born Roman ascetic who opposed the idea of predestination and asserted a strong version of the doctrine of free will
Gottschalk ( ), Benedictine monk
Martin Luther ( )
John Calvin ( )
Theodore Beza ( )
Jacobus Arminius ( ), Remonstrants
Synod of Dordt ( )
5 points vs. 5 points
John Wesley ( ), Methodist Movement
Charles Finney ( ), former Presbyterian, later Congregationalist. Mightily used by God in evangelism. Author of the altar call / anxious room

7. Arminian theory
Calvinist theory
Man in co-operation with God
God alone does it
Depravity + Prevenient grace
Total depravity
Chosen by foreknowledge
Unconditional election
Universal atonement
Limited atonement
Resistible grace
Irresistible grace
Perseverance views vary
Perseverance of all saints

8. Scriptures used to support Arminian position
Eze 33:11 Say to them, 'As surely as I live, declares the Sovereign LORD, I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live. Turn! Turn from your evil ways! Why will you die, O house of Israel?'
1Ti 2:3-4 This is good, and pleases God our Saviour, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.
2Pe 3:9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
Joh 3: "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”

9. Isa 55:1 "Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. “
Mat 11:28 "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”
Act 16:31 They replied, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household."
Act 17:30 In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent.
Rev 22:17 The Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" And let him who hears say, "Come!" Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life.

10. Prevenient Grace
John Wesley (ad ), the founder of Methodism, popularized the teachings of James Arminius. He echoed much of Arminius' teaching, especially the concept of prevenient grace, or first grace. According to Wesley, prevenient grace is a grace that God gives to open up the will of a sinner so that everyone has the opportunity to freely choose or not choose to trust in Jesus Christ for salvation. This concept was an attempt to defend human freedom of the will without denying the pervasive effects of sin on the human condition.
Theologian Henry Thiessen defined prevenient grace thus: "Since mankind is hopelessly dead in trespasses and sins and can do nothing to obtain salvation, God graciously restores to all men sufficient ability to make a choice in the matter of submission to Him. This is the salvation bringing grace of God that has appeared to all men."
Theologian Sam Storms qualifies the concept of prevenient grace: "This grace, however, is not irresistible. Whereas all are recipients of prevenient grace, many resist it, to their eternal demise. Those who utilize this grace to respond in faith to the gospel are saved."
Theologian Bruce Demarest summarizes: "Arminians maintain that 'prevenient grace,' a benefit that flows from Christ's death on the cross, neutralizes human depravity and restores to pre-Christians everywhere the ability to heed God's general call to salvation."'
The doctrine of prevenient grace has been very controversial because it has little, and arguably no, biblical basis. Furthermore, it assumes that a person can simply exercise faith, when the Bible says not only is salvation a gift from God, but also even the faith to believe in Jesus is a gift of God's grace. Likewise, repentance is spoken of as a gift of God's grace and not the means by which we access it. For these and other reasons, theologian Millard Erickson has rightly said regarding prevenient grace, "The theory, appealing though it is in many ways, simply is not taught explicitly in the Bible."

11. Total Depravity
Total depravity does not mean totally sinful, just that our whole person is affected by sin (mind, will, emotions, body) such that we no longer seek God, nor live to glorify him.
Mind – Eph 4:18 They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts.
Will – Rom 6: Don't you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey—whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were entrusted.
Emotions – Tit 3:3 At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another.
Physical body –Rom 8:10 But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness.
As a result the sinner does not and will not live for the glory of God

12. The Bible is emphatically clear that our sin is so pervasive that left to ourselves not one person could or would pursue or choose Jesus Christ:
The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually..
The intention of man's heart is evil from his youth..
For there is no one who does not sin..
Who can say, "I have made my heart pure; I am clean from my sin"?.
Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins..
The hearts of the children of man are full of evil, and madness is in their hearts while they live, and after that they go to the dead..
The wicked are estranged from the womb; they go astray from birth, speaking lies..
All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way..
Jesus answered them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin.".

13. Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you most no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity..
For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ.. And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh ..
To the pure, all things are pure, but to the defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure; but both their minds and their consciences are defiled..
We know that we are from God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one..
For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another..

14. Freedom to choose?
Yes, but no.
(And here the great divide)

15. How free are we? (Some comments from Thomas R. Schreiner)
Is there biblical warrant for saying that the desires of the unregenerate are dominated by sin? Ephesians 2:3 suggests such a conclusion in saying that people are dead in trespasses and sins and that they are "by nature objects of wrath." The trespasses and sins flow from a nature that is sinful and warrants God's wrath. Titus 3:3 confirms such a conclusion. "At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another." Note here that Paul says that we were "enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures" (italics added).
It is fair to conclude that people who are enslaved by their own desires are under the domination and tyranny of sin. This kind of tyranny is not externally coerced. People do what they want to do, in that they pursue their own pleasures and desires. Nonetheless, to describe this pursuit of their own desires as slavery because they have no desire, inclination, or aspiration to do good is appropriate.

16. The bondage of the will, then, is a slavery to our own desires
The bondage of the will, then, is a slavery to our own desires. Unregenerate human beings are captivated by what they want to do! Jesus himself diagnosed sinning as an indication of slavery. "Everyone who sins is a slave to sin" (John 8:34; cf. 2 Pet. 2:19). Paul confirms that unregenerate people are slaves of sin. He reminds the Romans that "you are slaves to sin" (Rom. 6:17) and speaks of the time "when you were slaves to sin" (Rom. 6:20).
They had presented "the parts of [their] bod[ies] in slavery to impurity and ever-increasing wickedness" (Rom. 6:19). Believers have been crucified with Christ "so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin" (Rom. 6:6). If Christ died so that we should no longer be slaves to sin, the clear implication is that we were formerly slaves to sin.

17. Why do you not understand what I say
Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word. You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and has nothing to do with the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies..
None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one. Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive. The venom of asps is under their lips. Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness. Their feet are swift to shed blood; in their paths are ruin and misery, and the way of peace they have not known. There is no fear of God before their eyes."
You were slaves of sin.. For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot..
The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned..
And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience—among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind

18. A quote from Mark Driscoll – staunch Calvinist
Understanding our desperate condition as sinners, the question is not how can a loving God send anyone to hell but, rather, how can a just and holy God allow anyone into heaven? Indeed, apart from divine intervention and an amazing act of saving grace on God's behalf, everyone is utterly doomed and without any hope. Thankfully, God has made a way for sinners who are hostile to him as enemies to be reconciled to him as friends through Jesus Christ. In Romans 5:1o Paul explains this amazing work of redemption by God: "While we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son." Indeed, the reconciliation of any sinner to God the Father through God the Son by the power of God the Spirit occurs not when a sinner turns to God offering a hand of friendship but, rather, when he or she is still an enemy at war with God.

19. Consequences of different views
You can believe either view, and be saved (let’s be friends!)
However, each view leads somewhere… a quote – “The Dangers of Arminianism” Keith Drury
I admit that I am a committed Arminian. Of course I welcome the host of new "practical Arminians" joining ranks with my theological tradition. I think this approach fits better with the Bible, reason, tradition, and experience. But I must be honest. There are some real hazards over here in the Arminian ocean—especially for Calvinistic churches. You can sink your theological ship here. As a local "pilot," I'd suggest you keep your eyes open wide for submerged rocks!
We Arminians tend to put too much emphasis on man and his decisions, and not enough on God and the gospel. Sometimes we are tempted to act as if God is helpless without us and our work. We lean toward pragmatism and are constantly looking for "what works best" as if methodology were more important than the message. Since we believe that all men can be saved, we tend to assume that if they aren't saved, we have not packaged the invitation (or the message) right. We especially love management, leadership, programs, marketing, and research data. We tend to focus more on the "potential convert" than on the eternal gospel. Arminianism easily leans toward a NIKE mentality—"Just do it." We are somewhat less inclined to pray in order to move God to "do it"  .
And, as has always been true, Arminianism can be taken to the extreme of humanism. Calvinists have a sovereign God and an inactive man. Humanists have a sovereign man and an inactive God. Arminians lean toward the humanist end of this continuum and thus are always in danger of becoming humanists.

20. Conclusion Where do I want to end up?
That we honour God in his righteousness and sovereignty.
That we see the grace of God in electing anyone to salvation.
That we see the mercy of God – and that we know he saves.
That we remember John 3v16 and preach the love of God.
That we are secure in the call of God – knowing it is God who called to us (as he did to Adam, and Abram)
That we preach the gospel to all – knowing God will save and we don’t have to manipulate, yet we can reason to persuade.
That we are not fearful of our position in the family. That we know God has predestined to make us holy.