A Minor Defense of the Sovereignty of God

A Minor Defense of the Sovereignty of God

Dear Father,

     You, Lord, in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the works of Your hands; they will perish, but You remain; and they all will become old like a garment, and like a mantle You will roll them up; like a garment they will also be changed. But You are the same, and Your years will not come to an end. (Heb 1:10-12) As for me, I trust in You, O Lord, I say, “You are my God.” My times are in Your hand; deliver us from the hand of our enemies and from those who persecute us. Make Your face to shine upon Your servant; save us in Your lovingkindness. (Ps 31:14-16) May Your grace grant us power to see a glimpse of Your true sovereignty here.

In Jesus Christ’s Name,

Amen

Dear Beloved,

     The repute of the sovereignty of our God has been compromised. Countless false notions of the nature of God reside in our midst. These notions take away from the full sovereignty of God and portray a god who is both impotent and less than omniscient. The true worship of such individuals is greatly inhibited, if not absent, for the Father is seeking worshippers who worship in spirit and in TRUTH (John 4:23). Our greatest authority on the nature of God is His Holy Word. Our God is the only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords (1 Tim 6:15). May the Lord open our eyes with His Word to His full sovereignty as we proceed.

1.     His Undefeatable Purpose

     God speaks to us saying, “Remember this, and be assured; recall it to mind, you transgressors. Remember the former things long past, for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is no one like Me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things which have not been done, saying, ‘My purpose will be established, and I will accomplish all My good pleasure’; calling a bird of prey from the east, the man of My purpose from a far country. Truly I have spoken; truly I will bring it to pass. I have planned it, surely I will do it.” (Is 46:8-11) As God prophesied imminent judgment upon the nation of Israel He devised a plan against the whole earth; for His is the hand that is stretched out against all the nations. For the Lord of hosts has planned, and who can frustrate it? And as for His stretched-out hand, who can turn it back? (Is 14:26-27)

He has spoken, He has purposed, and He has planned. His purpose will be established. He will accomplish all His good pleasure. No one can stop His purpose.

2.     The Mystery of His Sovereign Will in Christ

     Our God has power to subject all things to Himself (Phil 3:21). He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him with a view to the administration suitable to the fullness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth (Eph 1:9-10) For He was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but has appeared in these last times for the sake of you who through Him are believers in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God. (1 Pet 1:20-21). The mystery of God, that is, His predestined purpose for mankind resulting in His glory, is fulfilled in Christ. We do speak wisdom among those who are mature; a wisdom, however, not of this age nor of the rulers of this age, who are passing away; but we speak God’s wisdom in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God predestined before the ages to our glory; the wisdom which none of the rulers of this age has understood; for if they had understood it they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. (1 Cor 2:6-8) As Peter preached to the audience on the day of Pentecost, he proclaimed that this Man was delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, and was nailed to the cross by the hands of godless men who put Him to death. But God raised Him up again, putting an end to the agony of death, since it was impossible for Him to be held in its power. (Acts 2:23-24). Grace was given to the apostle Paul to preach to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ, and to bring to light what is the administration of the mystery which for ages has been hidden in God who created all things; so that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly realms. This was in accordance with the eternal purpose which He carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and confident access through faith in Him. (Eph 3:8-12). Of this church, Paul was made a minister according to the stewardship from God bestowed on him for the benefit of the saints, so that he might fully carry out the preaching of the Word of God, that is, the mystery which has been hidden from the past ages and generations, but has now been manifested to His saints, to whom God willed to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. (Col 1:25-27). For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself. (Phil 3:20-21) In the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he is about to sound, then the mystery of God is finished, as He preaches to His servants the prophets (Rev 10:7)

3.     The Preordained Mystery of Lawlessness

     In His sovereignty, our God has predestined the presence of wickedness and those who practice such until the time of His final judgment. For God has shut up all in disobedience so that He may show mercy to all those who would believe in Him (Rom 11:32). For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way. Then the lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming; that is, the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders, and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the Truth so as to be saved. For this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false, in order that they may be judged who did not believe the Truth, but took pleasure in wickedness. (2 Thess 2:7-12) The great woman of wickedness: on her forehead a name is written, a mystery, “BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH” (Rev 17:5)

4.     His Sovereignty over Human Souls

    Our God is not only able to effect His chosen state of every soul, but He has predestined some for wrath and appointed some for eternal life. What shall we say then? There is no injustice with God, is there? May it never be! For He says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” So then it does not depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy. For the Scripture says to Pharoah, “For this 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 9:14-18) His sovereignty over the souls of His people is complete. He works in them that which is pleasing to His will and He works in them to will and to act according to His good purpose (Heb 13:21, Phil 2:13). He directs their hearts into God’s love and the steadfastness of Christ, puts His Spirit within them, and causes them to walk in His statutes so that they will be careful to observe His ordinances (2 Thess 3:5, Ez 26:27). Though they were continually straying like sheep, now they have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of their souls (1 Pet 2:25). The sovereignty, the dominion and the greatness of all the kingdoms under the whole heaven will be given to the people of the saints of the Highest One; His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all the dominions will serve and obey Him (Dan 7:27).

     The saints understand the sovereignty of God over souls. And thus they pray on behalf of the spiritual poverty around them, “You, O Lord, rule forever; Your throne is from generation to generation. Why do You forget us forever? Why do You forsake us so long? Restore us to You, O Lord, that we may be restored; Renew our days as of old, unless You have utterly rejected us and are exceedingly angry with us” (Lam 5:19-22). On the basis of the blood of Christ they pray, “The Lord bless you because He was cursed, and keep you because was forsaken; The Lord make His face shine on you because the Father turned His face away from Him, and be gracious to us because He suffered our condemnation; the Lord lift up His countenance on you because He underwent His Father’s just wrath, and give you peace because He underwent agony.” (Num 6:24-26)

²⁸ And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. ²⁹ For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; ³⁰ and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified. Rom 8

Why is this a “Minor” Defense

     I have called this writing as a “minor” defense of His sovereignty. This defense is minor in comparison to the full Scriptural defense of His sovereignty. It is minor in comparison to the full outpouring of the riches of His power and majesty to the inhabitants of the world. His judgments, His salvation, and His signs and wonders display and authenticate His Sovereignty. In addition to the inerrant, infallible, inspired, all-sufficient Holy Scriptures, there are several means by which God can and will authenticate His sovereignty. The great miracle is His work of regeneration: removing the heart of stone, placing in the man the heart of flesh and His own Holy Spirit…the changing of the very nature of a man into the image of Christ by the power of His eternal Gospel!

“He who is holy, who is true, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, and who shuts and no one opens" Rev 3:7 

Ways that He Authenticates His Sovereignty:

1.     The Love and Unity of the Saints

     Christ has given His people a new command, that they love one another, even as He has loved them, that they also love one another. By this all men will know that they are His disciples, if they have love for one another. (John 13:34-35). Christ prayed that the glory which the Father has given Him He has given to them, that they may be one, just as the Father and He are One; He is us, and the Father in Him, that they may be perfected in unity, so that the world may know that the Father sent Him, and loved His people, even as He has loved Him. (John 17:22-23)

2.     The Judgment of the Lord

     When the earth experiences His judgments the inhabitants of the world learn righteousness (Is 26:9). At the time of the end, another angel flies in midheaven, having an eternal Gospel to preach to those who live on the earth, and to every nation and tribe and tongue and people; and he said with a loud voice, “Fear God, and give Him glory, because the hour of His judgment has come; worship Him who made the heaven and the earth and sea and springs of waters” (Rev 14:6-7).

3.     The Signs and Wonders of the Lord

    One of the magnificent wonders of God is His creation. For since the creation of the world, His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, having been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse (Rom 1:20). As Elihu tells Job, “Stand and consider the wonders of God. Do you know how God establishes them, and makes the lightning of His cloud to shine? Do you know about the layers of the thick clouds, the wonders of one perfect in knowledge, you whose garments are hot, when the land is still because of the south wind? Can you, with Him, spread out the skies, strong as a molten mirror? Teach us what we shall say to Him; we cannot arrange our case because of darkness. Shall it be told Him that I would speak? Or should a man say that he would be swallowed up?...” (Job 37:14-20)

     Similarly, God performs signs and wonders through His people. Moses led the Israelites out, performing wonders and signs in the land of Egypt and in the Red Sea and in the wilderness for 40 years (Acts 7:36). The people of God keep feeling a sense of awe; and many wonders and signs were taking place through the apostles (Acts 2:43, 5:12). For example, Stephen, full of grace and power, was performing great wonders and signs among the people (Acts 6:8). And these signs will accompany those who have believed: in Christ’s name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues; they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover. (Mark 16:17-18) Tongues are a sign, not to those who believe but to unbelievers; but prophecy is for a sign, not to unbelievers but to those who believe (1 Cor 14:22). For if the saints prophecy, and an unbeliever or an ungifted man enters, he is convicted by all, he is called to account by all; the secrets of his heart are disclosed; and so he will fall on his face and worship God, declaring that God is certainly among them. (1 Cor 14:24-25). He performs these signs and wonders in His own time and by His own will.

4.     The Steadfastness of the Saints in the Midst of Persecution

    The saints are to conduct themselves in a manner worthy of the Gospel of Christ, so that they may stand firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the Gospel; in no way alarmed by their opponents—which is a sign of destruction for them, but of salvation for them, and that too, from God. (Phil 1:27-28) For the time already past is sufficient for them to have carried out the desire of the Gentiles, having pursued a course of sensuality, lusts, drunkenness, carousing, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries. In all this, they are surprised that the saints do not run with them into the same excesses of dissipation and they malign them; but they will give account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. (1 Pet 4:3-5) The saints have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for them, leaving them an example for them to follow in His steps, who committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth; and while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while suffering, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him who judges righteously (1 Pet 2:21-23) They are to do all things without grumbling and disputing, so that they will prove themselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of the crooked and perverse generation, among whom they appears as lights in the world (Phil 2:14-15). When they are arrested and handed over, they do not worry beforehand about what they are to say, but say whatever is given to them in that hour; for it is not them who speak, but it is the Holy Spirit (Mark 13:11)

    Their faith is greatly enlarged, and the love of each one toward one another grows ever greater; therefore they are spoken of among the churches of God for their perseverance and faith in the midst of all their persecutions and afflictions which they endure. This is a plain indication of God’s righteous judgment so that they will be considered worthy of the Kingdom of God, for which indeed they are suffering. For after all it is only just for God to repay with affliction those who afflict them, and to give relief to those who are afflicted when the Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire, dealing our retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, when He comes to be glorified in His saints on that day, and to be marveled at among all who have believed—for the testimony of Christ spoken to them was believed by them. (2 Thess 1:3-10)

³³ Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways! ³⁴ For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who became His counselor? ³⁵ Or who has first given to Him that it might be paid back to him again? ³⁶ For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen. Rom 9