ON THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD

Regarding the word "world" and "all" :

First, a basic rule of hermeneutics ( bible interpretation ). Always interpret a seemingly vague passage in light of a clear passage related to it.

All can mean all without exception. It can also mean all without distinction.

Titus 2:11

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men,

John 12:32

"And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to Myself."

Luke 21:17

and you will be hated by all on account of My name.

John 6:37

"All that the Father gives Me shall come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out.

1 Tim 2:4

who desires ( qelw ) , (not decrees), all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

1 Tim 2:6

who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimony borne at the proper time.

2 Pet 3:9

The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing ( bouvlomai ) for any ( believers ) to perish but for all to come to repentance.

Rom 5:18-19

So then as through one transgression there resulted condemnation to all men, even so through one act of righteousness there resulted justification of life to all men. For as through the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, even so through the obedience of the One the many will be made righteous.

John 3:17-18

"For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through Him. "He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

I Jn 2:2

and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world.

Propitiation is the removal of the wrath of God against sinners by the death of Jesus.

John 3:36

"He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him."

I Jn 4:9-10

By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

Now, John does not mean that all God's wrath against the sins of every person in the world has been propitiated, because then every person in the world would be saved.

John 10:15-16

even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. "And I have other sheep, which are not of this fold; I must bring them also, and they shall hear My voice; and they shall become one flock with one shepherd.

In other words there are children of God, or sheep, scattered through the whole world. As John says in Revelation 5:9, Christ was slain and by his blood didst ransom men for God from every tongue and tribe and people and nation." He did not ransom everybody. He gave his life a ransom for many (Mark l0:45). He did not propitiate the wrath of God against everybody. But he laid down his life for the sheep. They are scattered throughout the world in every tongue and tribe and people and nation.
I Jn 5:19

We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies in the power of the evil one.

John 4:42

and they were saying to the woman, "It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves and know that this One is indeed the Savior of the world."

John 15:19

"If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.

Election

John 6:44

"No one can come to Me, unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day.

Eph 1:11

also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will,

II Th 2:13

But we should always give thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth.

Eph 1:4-6

just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.

1 Pet 1:1-2

Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who reside as aliens, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, who are chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit,


Order of decrees :
When Scripture deals with election it is generally picturing God electing sinners to salvation, not "neutral" men. (John 15:19). This is the main reason why some believe that God would have ordained the fall before electing some.
This is infralapsarian ( Creation, Fall, Election )

** Supralapsarian - (Election , Creation, Fall ) - just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, - Eph. 1:4

Reprobation ( double election - or God passing over the non-elect )
Rom 9:20-22

On the contrary, who are you, O man, who answers back to God? The thing molded will not say to the molder, "Why did you make me like this," will it? Or does not the potter have a right over the clay, to make from the same lump one vessel for honorable use, and another for common use? What if God, although willing to demonstrate His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction?

Prov 16:4

The LORD has made everything for its own purpose, even the wicked for the day of evil.

1 Pet 2:7-8

This precious value, then, is for you who believe. But for those who disbelieve, "The stone which the builders rejected, this became the very corner stone," and, "A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense"; for they stumble because they are disobedient to the word, and to this doom they were also appointed.

What does the following mean, "Unto this you were appointed" ?
"So the point of mentioning the negative side of unbelief is to stress that it cannot win. It can't frustrate God's ultimate purposes.
I think this is the point of the shocking verse 8 as well. Peter goes on to say (quoting Isaiah 8:14) that Christ, became "'a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense'; for they stumble because they are disobedient to the word, and to this [doom] they were also appointed." Peter's words at the end of this verse are intended to sever the last strand of self-reliance: "to this -- this stumbling, this disobedience -- they were appointed." In other words if any proud unbeliever should boast and say, "I have chosen my own destiny -- my own disobedience and my own stumbling -- to show God that I have the final and ultimate say in my life; I have the power of ultimate self-determination; and I can frustrate the purposes of God with my own self-determining will. If anyone boasts in that way, Peter responds with the awesome words: No, you can't; you only think you can. But you will discover sooner or later that whatever you choose -- and mark this, your choice is real and crucial -- whatever you choose, "unto this you were appointed."
God and not man will have the last say. No mere human can thwart the ultimate purposes of God -- not by belief or unbelief. Now why does Peter teach such a thing? Why does he even bring it up? The reason is for our encouragement. What he means is that human choices cannot finally destroy the temple of God. They are not ultimate. A person can reject the chosen and precious Stone of Jesus Christ. But if they do, two things are still true:
1) the stone will not be rejected by God, but will still be put in the place of honor and glory for ever and ever as the chief corner stone; and
2) the one who rejects the stone will never be able to boast over God that he frustrated God's ultimate design for his temple. Even unbelievers fulfil God's appointments. He cannot be defeated. He triumphs even in his own rejection." ( John Piper )


Rom 9:17-18

For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, "For this very purpose I raised you up, to demonstrate My power in you, and that My name might be proclaimed throughout the whole earth." So then He has mercy on whom He desires, and He hardens whom He desires.

Rom 9:11

for though the twins were not yet born, and had not done anything good or bad, in order that God's purpose according to His choice might stand, not because of works, but because of Him who calls,

Jude 1:4

For certain persons have crept in unnoticed, those who were long beforehand marked out for this condemnation, ungodly persons who turn the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.

John 6:70-71

Jesus answered them, "Did I Myself not choose you, the twelve, and yet one of you is a devil?" Now He meant Judas the son of Simon Iscariot, for he, one of the twelve, was going to betray Him.

John 17:12

"While I was with them, I was keeping them in Thy name which Thou hast given Me; and I guarded them, and not one of them perished but the son of perdition, that the Scripture might be fulfilled.

Acts 1:24-25

And they prayed, and said, "Thou, Lord, who knowest the hearts of all men, show which one of these two Thou hast chosen to occupy this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside to go to his own place."

Rev 17:17

"For God has put it in their hearts to execute His purpose by having a common purpose, and by giving their kingdom to the beast, until the words of God should be fulfilled.

John 5:38-40

"And you do not have His word abiding in you, for you do not believe Him whom He sent. "You search the Scriptures, because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is these that bear witness of Me; and you are unwilling to come to Me, that you may have life.

John 3:17-18

"For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through Him. "He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

John 12:47

"And if anyone hears My sayings, and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world.

by Dave Smith, D.Min.
Spring, TX