OUTLINE:

Faith
It’s the one thing that allows mere man to reconcile otherwise incomprehensible realities of God, beginning with His salvation plan.

Charles Spurgeon
That God predestines, and yet that man is responsible, are two facts that few can see clearly. They are believed to be inconsistent and contradictory to each other.

Charles Spurgeon
If, then, I find taught in one part of the Bible that everything is fore-ordained, that is true; and if I find, in another Scripture, that man is responsible for all his actions, that is true; and it is only my folly that leads me to imagine that these two truths can ever contradict each other.

Charles Spurgeon
I do not believe they can ever be welded into one upon any earthly anvil, but they certainly shall be one in eternity.

Charles Spurgeon
They are two lines that are so nearly parallel, that the human mind which pursues them farthest will never discover that they converge, but they do converge, and they will meet somewhere in eternity, close to the throne of God, whence all truth doth spring.

Accepting God’s Sovereignty
Instead of trying to change God, one must surrender to Him as He is, as His justice and righteousness demands. He is Lord, after all.

Sowing Seed on Unprepared Soil
How do you present a solution to a person who doesn’t first understand the problem statement? This is the way many people present the Gospel.

Antichrists
Unbelievers have/maintain their own little kingdom, where they are Lord. As honest evangelists, our job is to deliver the smashing news that their little kingdom is garbage. Avoid the temptation to soften the Truth when we give the Gospel.

Evangelize without apology!
“I wouldn’t be doing my JOB if I didn’t tell you the Truth!”

Omission As a Form of Enablement
We don’t have the ability to deliver someone from their arrogance, but we certainly can encourage it by not telling them the whole Truth regarding the Gospel.

Why Do Some Evangelists Stumble?
One of the primary reasons people reject the Gospel is that they respect man’s self-esteem over God’s. As a result, they’d rather insult God’s sovereignty rather than the sovereignty currently ruling and unbeliever’s heart.

Paul’s Gospel
To Paul, God’s sovereignty was always in view, in every presentation of the Gospel he ever made. Paul was offensive to many because he refused to accommodate man at the expense of dishonoring God’s sovereignty.

Propitiation
Generically, we say that it means to placate an offended deity’s wrath. Specifically, in Christianity, we say that God’s wrath and righteousness are satisfied by the Cross of Jesus Christ. This paves the way for believers’ justification.

Perspective
God had to judge sin; He chose to bear the penalty Himself. This is how He is both “just” and the “justifier” (Ro 3:26).

Jn 14:26
“But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.”

What the Apostles Lacked
Understanding (e.g., Mt 16:15-23; Lk 18:31-34; Ac 1:1-9)
Humility (e.g., Mt 20:20ff; Mk 9:33-35)
Faith (e.g., Mt 16:5-11)
Commitment (e.g., Lk 5:11; 22:31ff)
Power (e.g., Mt 17:16-17; Jn 20; Ac 1:8)