Ephesians 1:11: \u201cIn whom also we have\nobtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him\nwho worketh all things after the counsel of his own will\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Just\nhow \u201csovereign\u201d is God? Intellectually\napproached, the question seems so simple \u2013 God is God, nothing is beyond His\npurview, beyond His authority, beyond His interdiction. Practically addressed, even believers\ndemonstrate a lack of trust in a sovereign God. \nIs God intimately involved in the world? \nMore practically, is God involved in my world? For the Scriptural answers, we examine:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
God\ndetermines whatsoever comes to pass:
\nProverbs 16:1, 4, 7, 9, 33; 20:24; 21:1, Jeremiah 10:23, Lamentations 3:37, 38,\nAmos 3:6, Acts 17:26-27, Daniel 2:21; 4:35, Psalm 139:16, Ephesians 1:11,\nRomans 11:36 John 3:27, Job 12:9-10; 14:5 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
God is\nsovereign over (ordains) evil, sin, and calamity without ever being guilty of\nwrong:
\nIsaiah 44:18; 45:7; 19:2; 63:17, Job chapters 1 and 2; especially Job 1:11-12,\n21-22; 2:3, 10 and Job 12:9-10; 42:11, Psalm 105:25, Exodus 4:11, 21; 7:2-4,\n13, 22; 10:27 Romans 9:17, 18-23, 1 Kings 22:19-23, 1 Chronicles 21:1 with 2\nSamuel 24:1, 2 Thessalonians 2:11, 12, Genesis 45:5-8; 50:20, Revelation 17:17;\n13:5; 13:7, Acts 2:23; 3:18; 4:27, 28, Luke 22:22, John 13:27-31; 19:11 <\/p>\n\n\n\n
This\nsimply refers to the fact that all things are under His rule and control, and\nthat nothing happens in this Universe without His direction or permission. He\nis a God Who works, not just some things, but all things after the counsel of\nHis own will (see Eph. 1:11). God’s purpose is all- inclusive and is never\nthwarted (see Isa. 46:11). Nothing Takes Him by Surprise<\/p>\n\n\n\n
“It\nis not merely that God has the power and right to govern all things but that He\ndoes so always and without exception.” – John Piper<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The sovereignty of God represents the ability to exercise His holy will or supremacy. The Most High, Lord of Heaven and earth, has unlimited power to do what He has resolved. Being absolutely independent, God does as He pleases. None can deter Him, none can hinder Him. In His Word, God declares: \u201cI am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me . . . I say: ‘My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please’\u201d (Isaiah 46:9-10). Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon, created architectural works that were classified among the Seven Wonders of the World. Yet he praised the Most High\u2019s sovereignty. \u201cHis [God\u2019s] dominion is an eternal dominion; his kingdom endures from generation to generation . . . He does as he pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth. No one can hold back his hand…\u201d (Daniel 4:34-35). Sovereignty\nof God \u2013 What are the Parameters?<\/strong> But imagine for a moment a deity with that kind of sovereign power who was changeable or impulsive or unpredictable. Imagine that at any moment He could rescind a promise for any reason, or take back a gift simply because He felt like it. Imagine that He could break a covenant on a whim or change His mind or scrap one plan and come up with another. After all, He is<\/em> sovereign. So who could stop Him? Sovereignty\nof God \u2013 How is it seen?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n While the sovereignty of God is infinite, the use of His power is defined by His other attributes. Characteristics such as truthfulness, goodness, faithfulness, righteousness, and love define God\u2019s every action. If one attribute were disproportionate or over-emphasized, chaos would result on a universal level. What God has planned\nfrom before the foundation of the world, He will bring to pass. He doesn\u2019t\nrevise His plans according to what people do, a popular notion called \u2018open\ntheism,\u2019 the ridiculous idea that God doesn\u2019t know the future and He is\nconstantly having to adjust His plans according to what man does. But if the\ncreature has such power over the Creator that our actions cause Him to change\nHis plans, that would make the creature God, wouldn\u2019t it? Of course we know the\nroot of that heresy\u2014the desire to be God that lurks in the heart of everyone\nsince Satan tempted Eve to believe she would be like God (Genesis 3:5<\/a>).\n\u201cBut the plans of the LORD stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart\nthrough all generations\u201d (Psalm 33:11<\/a>). Sovereignty\nof God \u2013 How is it comforting?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Most importantly,\nour salvation is secure because the One who secured it doesn\u2019t change, nor does\nHe change the rules on us so that we may be saved one day and lose our\nsalvation the next. We have His solemn oath that all who come to Christ in\nfaith will<\/em> be saved, not because we are faithful, but because He is.\nBecause of His unchanging nature, we can be assured that once we are in His\nhand, we will remain there, \u201cfor God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable\u201d (Romans 11:29<\/a>). Ephesians 1:11: \u201cIn whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will\u201d Just how \u201csovereign\u201d is God? Intellectually approached, the question seems so simple \u2013 God is God, nothing is beyond His purview, beyond His authority, beyond His […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[526,535],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n
Divine sovereignty signifies that God is the One who sits on the Throne of the universe. He is God in name as well as in all things, directing all things, and \u201cwho works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will\u201d (Ephesians 1:11). In his God-permitted affliction, Job acknowledges God\u2019s greatness and splendor in contrast to his pride and sin. \u201cI know that you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted\u201d (Job 42:2). Job finally realizes that God\u2019s purposes are supreme and He is sovereign.
Our God is completely sovereign, in control of absolutely everything at all times. There is not a single molecule floating about in the universe that is outside of His sovereign will and purpose. Everything that happens is either caused or allowed by Him for His own perfect purposes. As Nebuchadnezzar came to realize after being turned out to pasture, \u201che does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, \u2018What have you done?\u2019” (Daniel 4:35<\/a>). Nebuchadnezzar had it right.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\nWhile the God\u2019s supremacy is unrestricted, even the sovereignty of God has its\nparameters. Ultimately God is in complete control of all things, though He may\nchoose to let certain events happen according to natural laws which He has\nordained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But thankfully, that is not our God. His complete sovereignty is completely compatible with another of His magnificent attributes\u2014His immutability, His unchanging nature. What God says He will do, He will do. No question about it. Isaiah 14:24<\/a> says \u201cJehovah of Hosts has sworn, saying, \u2018Surely as I have thought, so it shall come to pass; and as I have purposed, it shall stand.\u2019\u201d Samuel writes \u201cHe who is the Glory of Israel does not lie or change his mind; for he is not a man, that he should change his mind” (1 Samuel 15:29<\/a>). In fact:<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
Consider a god who favored one person over another. God does not favor an individual because of his station in life, his nationality, or his material possessions (Acts 10:34-35). Rather, God\u2019s accepts us by welcoming us into a right relationship by faith in Jesus Christ.
By the sovereignty of God, we have a free will and are able to make choices and decisions that shape our lives. While we do not possess God\u2019s infinite power, we can surrender our hearts, souls, minds to ways that are consistent with His holy will. In this way, we honor the Creator and Sustainer of all things, recognizing God is truly sovereign (Colossians 1:16-17).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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\nWhen He says \u2018forever,\u2019 that\u2019s exactly what He means. When He makes a covenant,\nHe keeps it. His plans are not affected by changing, unfaithful man so that He\nhas to be constantly updating them. What comfort would it be to pray to a god\nwho, like the chameleon who changes color depending on its environment, God\nchanged His mind every minute? Who would put up a petition before an earthly\nruler who was so changeable as to grant it one day, then deny it the next?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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\nToo many Christians who doubt their salvation would have their fears alleviated\nif only they studied the doctrine of God\u2019s immutability and took it to heart.\n\u201cEvery good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the\nheavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows\u201d (James 1:17<\/a>).\nAnd salvation is the most perfect gift of all, given by our immutable God who\npromised that none of His children would be lost (John\n10:28-29<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n