The Will (Part 1), Religious & Secular Trends

Religious Trends

• Stress on the sovereignty of God

• Misunderstanding of human will

• False measure of fellowship (for example, 5 points of Calvinism--TULIP)

o Total depravity

o Unconditional election

o Limited atonement

o Irresistible grace

o Perseverance of saints

• Gnostic (we know and you don’t) attitude

• Swing away from the study of the text in favor of the writings of reformers

• Among Neo-Calvinists, there is a surrender of correct eschatology

• Failure to see and maintain a distinction between Israel and the church

• Placing the believer under the law

Secular Trends

• Rejection of the historicity of Scripture

• Rejection of the imperatives of Scripture.

• Massive resistance to personal responsibility.

Value of a study of the will (of God and man)

• Increased ability to make a decision

• Increased understanding of the sovereignty of God

• Increased understanding of responsibility

• Definite means self-control

• Understanding the relationship of thoughts to choices