Is My Friend Mistaken?

Q.  A friend of mine is of the persuasion that because of the sovereignty of God he does not  have to be involved in witnessing or reaching out to the lost.   He seems to be a good Bible student, but he has recently left our church indicating in a paper that he has reached (what I consider to be) an ultra-Calvinistic position.  I am looking for Scriptures that show that even though God is sovereign He intended us to have dominion and to work for His glory and occupy til He comes.

A.  First, let’s understand that Matt. 7:7-8, John 3:16 and John 6:40, Romans 10:9 and Romans 10:13, 1 Timothy 2:4, and 2 Peter 3:9-10 all speak against the Calvinist position on Salvation. Any person can choose to accept the pardon the Lord purchased for us with His shed blood.

Second, in Matt. 28:18-20 Jesus gave us what’s been called the Great Commission, to make disciples of people in all the nations.  Since He used the phrase “all nations” and said He would “be with you to the very end of the age”, we know He wasn’t speaking just to His followers seated with Him but to all who would come after them as well.

In Romans 10:13-15 Paul wrote, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?  And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”