God is sovereign. Most Christians will agree to this statement. But many disagree on what this means.
Below is an article from c. Michael Patton on the different views of God’s sovereignty.
Believing in the sovereignty of God is not an option of yes, no, or maybe within the Christian context. If the Bible is our authoritative guide, one must believe that God is sovereign. It is not unlike the issue of predestination. That God predestines people to salvation is not up for debate, what is up for debate is what it means that God predestines.
Both Calvinists and Arminians agree that God is sovereign, but they will often disagree as to what this means.
Here are the four primary options:
1. Meticulous sovereignty: God is the instrumental cause behind every action and reaction there has ever been. In other words, you chose white socks instead of the black socks because God caused it to happen. You have an itch on your eyebrow right now because God is actively causing it. In other words, every molecule that bounces into another is a result of God active agency in being the first and instrumental cause to the action.
This position holds little or no tension with regards to the human will and the divine will.
God is actively controlling everything.
Adherents: Hyper-Calvinists and some Calvinists
2. Providential sovereignty: While God is bringing about his will in everything (Eph 1:11), his will is not the instrumental cause of all that happens. God’s will plays a providential role in “causing” all things. In other words, all that happens happens because God did in some sense will it, but secondary causes are usually the instrumental cause behind the action. In the case of your socks, you chose them because you decided to, but it was also part of God’s will. God allows evil as it is part of his imperfect will to bring about a perfect end, but he is not the instrumental cause of evil.
This position holds much tension with regards to human will and divine will.
God is in control of everything.
Adherents: Calvinists and some Arminians
3. Providential oversight: Here God’s sovereignty is more of an oversight. He has a general plan, but is not married to the details. When necessary, God will intervene in the affairs of humanity to bring about his purpose, but this does not necessarily involve an intimate engagement with all that happens. God does not care what color socks you pick unless it somehow effects his meta plan.
This position holds much tension with regards to human will and divine will.
God could control everything, but only controls some things.
Adherents: Arminians and some Calvinists
4. Influential oversight: Here God’s sovereignty is self-limited. God could control things, but to preserve human freedom, he will not intervene in the affairs of men to the degree that the human will is decisively bent in one direction or another. He is hopeful that his influence will be persuasive to change a person’s heart or to guide them to his will, but is not sure if this will happen. Being all-wise, however, God will make strategic moves in people’s lives that will manipulate the situation to his advantage.
This position holds little or no tension with regards to the human will and the divine will.
God could control everything, but decides only to influence.
Adherents: Open Theist Arminians and some Arminians
Which view do you believe explains God’s sovereignty the best.
4 comments:
In the begining God Just was, and God had a PLAN, so he created the earth and the fullness thereof. Would you say that God is in controll so far??? Exodus 6:1-8 Then the Lord said unto Moses, Now shalt thou see ahat I WILL DO to Pharoah: for with a strong hand shall he let them go,and with a strong hand shall he drive them out of his land. And God spoke unto Moses and said unto him, I am the Lord: And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them. And I have also established my covenant with them,(who's covenant?) to Give Them The Land of Canaan,(who is in control here?) the land of their pilgrimage, where in they were strangers. God told Moses to go to Pharoah and tell him to let my people go. Exodus 7:1 And the Lord said unto Moses , See I have made thee a god to Pharoah: and Aron thy brother shall be thy Prophet. ( Who is in control here?)Thou shalt speak all that I command thee: and Aron thy brother shall speak unto Pharoah, that he send the children of Israel out of his land. And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and multiply my signs and my wonders in the land of Egypt.( Who is in control here?)Read on and you will see that God is in controll, it was by the mighty right hand and power of God that the children of Israel were delivered from Pharoah. Exdous 7:5 And the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I stretch forth my hand upon Egypt,and bring out the children of Israel from among them. And Moses and Aron did as the LORD Commanded them, so did they, (Who is in control Here?) and the children of Israel were delivered by GOD.
The Lord said we are to Love him with our whole mind heart soul and body. This is our reasonable service.
Let's look at another story that we are all familar with, Jonah the reluctant missionary who was sent to a foreign field. God told Jona to go to Nineveh, that great city and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me. But Jonah rose up to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD, and went down to Joppa; he got on a ship to go to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD. But the LORD sent out a great wind into the sea, and there was a mighty tempestin the sea, so that the ship was like to be broken. Jonah1:7 And they said everyone to his fellow, Come, and let us cast lots, that we may know for whose cause this evil is upon us, that we perish not. (Who is in Control and who caused this evil?) Jonah1:9-17 And he said unto them, I am an Hebrew; and I fear the LORD, the GOD of Heaven, which hath made the sea and the dry land.
Now the LORD prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.( who is in control here?) Jonah2:1-10 V9 But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the Lord.
V10 And the Lord spake unto the fish, and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land.(who is in control here?).......OUR ALMIGHTY GREAT GOD!!!!!!!
Jonah 3:1-10 Jonah went to Nineveh and preached the word of the LORD and the people believed and repented of their sins. The King proclaimed a great fast. V10 And GOD saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and GOD repented of the EVIL, that HE had SAID that HE WOULD DO unto them; and HE DID IT NOT. ( who does it sound like is in control here?) MY HEAVENLY FATHER, GOD. HAPPY FATHER'S DAY GOD, I LOVE YOU Deborah L. Gibson...
I agree mostly with the second point but I see a lot of truth in number one.
I haven't quite pinned it down exactly yet...still thinking...
But I do know He does whatever He wants to and I'm not sure we can or should know what that totally entails.
Good point David.
Ephians1:9
Having made known unto us the mystery of his wil, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself:
V10 That in the dispensation of the fullness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in Heaven, and which are on earth.
When you love GOD and seek him to do his will, he will show you what his will is for your life. GOD has secrets and he will show what he desires to whom he chooses.
Psalm 145:17 The Lord is righteous in all his ways, and HOLY in all his WORKS.
Psalm 103:22 Bless the LORD, all his WORKS in all places of his dominion: bless the LORD, O my soul...
Psalm 115:3 But our GOD is in the heavens: HE HATH DONE WHATSOEVER HE HATH PLEASED.
Psalm 135:6
Deborah L. Gibson
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