Understanding The Sovereignty of God

Understanding The Sovereignty of God

Proverbs 16:9 NIV

In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps.

One of the most difficult subjects that I deal with on a regular basis is God’s sovereignty. God’s sovereignty is His absolute power, supreme authority and control over His creation. Since God is the creator of all things it seems only fair that He rule over His creation. Any decision He makes is certainly His prerogative (A hereditary or official right or privilege). However, many people don’t understand why God would allow horrible things to take place in a world He has complete control over. Examples include the Holocaust, premature death of a family member, sudden acts of terror and violence, Weather related disasters, unjust and unfair treatment. You get the idea. Why do bad things happen to good people and why doesn’t God stop the madness? This is a good question to ponder as we dwell into the realm of God’s sovereignty.

When I think about who we are in relationship to God, the first questions that come to my mind go like this: Are people really good? And what is good according to God?

The Bible is clear; just doing “good” does not qualify us as good. When we go beyond our self-focus and works we must understand that we have inherited a sin nature stemming from the fall of man. Having this greater understanding of the human condition helps us better understand who we are in relationship to a Holy God.  What I have come to learn is this, even the most loving people I know are not without some kind of sin in their lives. From God’s perspective, aside from Jesus, we are all sinners:

Romans 3:11-18 NIV

there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one." "Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit."
“The poison of vipers is on their lips." "Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness." "Their feet are swift to shed blood; ruin and misery mark their ways, and the way of peace they do not know." "There is no fear of God before their eyes."

Romans 3:23 NIV

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

When it comes down to it, just take the Ten Commandments test and see if you can pass it each and every day. I can honestly say that I cannot pass it. So, by failing any part of God’s basic law I cannot qualify as good in accordance to the decrees of a Holy God. Even though many people are thoughtful, kind, generous, loving etc. Our acts, outward expressions, deeds or works in God’s eyes are not enough to change our

sinful standing before God.  We need help and the good news is, Jesus provided that help.

Romans 5:8 NIV

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

So with that said, no one is “really good”. We all have sinned and we all are far from perfection in relationship to a Holy (sacred or pure) God.

If you think you are, take a gut check: Are you obedient to God? Do you abide by God’s Word? Have you been a good friend and companion to God lately?

So we can say this:  Human beings are not without sin. However, those who have received Christ are no longer declared guilty for their sin. In fact, true Christians are new creations in Christ.

But even with this new standing of righteousness before God, even with a new heart and love for God and His Word, “Bad” things still do happen to Christians if we process the “Bad” without an eternal perspective attached to the circumstance.

Sometimes the “Bad” can be a matter of God’s discipline directed toward someone for their own good. I have never enjoyed a good discipline from God, but after the fact I realize it was necessary and important toward my spiritual growth and sanctification (The process of making holy).

Hebrews 12:10 NIV 
Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness.

God will use any means at His disposal to fulfill His promise to make us Holy.

OK, discipline is one thing. What about things like disease and death?

I happen to come across this one passage in Isaiah that helped me when I asked the same question.

Isaiah 57:1-2 NIV

The righteous perish, and no one ponders it in his heart; devout men are taken away,
and no one understands that the righteous are taken away to be spared from evil.

Those who walk uprightly enter into peace; they find rest as they lie in death.

Isaiah 57:1-2 NLT

Good people pass away; the godly often die before their time. But no one seems to care or wonder why. No one seems to understand that God is protecting them from the evil to come. For those who follow godly paths will rest in peace when they die.

So when God’s allows what we consider a “Bad” thing to happen to a person of faith, it is important to consider that maybe God is somehow protecting that person from a greater evil. God, in His sovereign timing, is constantly directing His eternal purpose when someone, a member of God’s kingdom, departs from this world.  This can be reassuring to us, to know that God is actively participating in the scheme of all things

and the events of this world are not out of His control. In fact, we can say God is directing these events in ways we can never totally understand this side of Heaven.

We do know this:  that God in all His goodness has a greater good in mind for those who love Him even though on the surface it may not seem that way.

Romans 8:28 NIV

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

I am not going to put words in God’s mouth but surely if we are given eternal life we have been given an eternal purpose. God is quick to point out we have a purpose for the here and now as well:

Mark 12:30-31 NIV 
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these.

Deuteronomy 10:12 NIV 

 And now, O Israel, what does the LORD your God ask of you but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul,

Matthew 28:19 NIV  
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

 

But even with the mission and purpose we have been given, God still allows opposing forces to interfere with the things He wants us to do and the people He wants us to become.  We know that God allows evil to continue to wreak havoc in this world and that evil is out to thwart God’s plans and distract us from living a life dedicated to God. Take the Book of Job for example. God allows Satan to have a field day with Job and his family. Even though Satan caused a lot of pain and suffering, God still maintained ultimate control over what Satan was allowed to do.

Still we ask, If God is so good why does He allow “Bad” things to happen?

The Bible points out that people do not understand the mind of God.

Isaiah 55:8 NIV 
"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD.

If we are to look at the complexity of God’s creation we can understand that God has a particular purpose and design for everything He created.  Thank goodness we are at the top of the food chain.

Since we are to live by faith and not by sight, Can we accept the fact that God is Holy and Good even though He allows “Bad” things to happen?

Does the fact that God has given us life in the first place count for anything?

If God has given us life then it was through His will that we were born into this world.

He designed us and has graciously given us a certain amount of time to exist in our physical bodies. This is a privilege and a gift, not an inherent right. We did not cause ourselves to be born. We did not breathe life into ourselves. How can we say we earn special rights as human beings when we are the result of God’s design and creation?  I think we end up having problems with God when we want to dilute His sovereignty and reduce Him in size and effectiveness in order for us to have more control and even change the special purpose He has for our lives.

God has an eternal perspective and we tend to have a limited one. God knows the outcome and result of all the decisions we are going to make. By His grace we have been protected from many of the bad decisions and poor judgments we have made over a lifetime. I know that many of the decisions I have made in the past had the potential to lead to catastrophe. Having some perspective on my earlier years I can say

with total conviction that God has spared my life many times. But the question still enters my mind, Why did God spare me even though my own misdeeds and bad choices were worthy of great consequences?

I am hoping now it is so I can continue to serve His special purpose, honor His power and Glory, and praise His Holy name.  You see in the past I would have never guessed my life would ever have value in God’s Kingdom. I never even considered the thought. In fact, I rejected the idea of having a relationship with God and for that matter with Jesus. I used to mock and persecute those who were Christians. There is no way I would have ever chosen the life that I have now based on my thinking and desires from my past. But God intervened and it was His will that I am who I am today. Here again is an example of God’s sovereignty.

So now you have heard a piece of my testimony without all the gory details. Details better left for another time.

Ok, let’s take a look at God’s greater purpose and design for those who have become part of His family.

We have to understand that life does not end with the death of our physical body. This is something we must comprehend. God has given us more than just a physical body. The Spirit aspect of who we are continues to live on forever.  And this is evident for those who are followers of Christ because they have a place designated in heaven to live out eternity. God has promised His children a future home in heaven which has already been prepared by Jesus for them to live. Jesus reassured His disciples

of this future home, and He also said that He would come back in order to bring them there. 

John 14:1-4 NIV

Jesus Comforts His Disciples

"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come

back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going."

Jesus also asked the disciples to do one thing, and that was to trust Him to follow through on this promise.

Can we trust God with our lives even though we live in a world that seems totally out of control?

The Bible tells us:

Proverbs 3:5-6 NIV

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;

in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.  

So part of our responsibility in all of this is to trust God.

Look up at the night sky and see the vastness of God’s creation. How can a God be so huge and so detailed in His creation and not to care about the details of our lives. God created us for the special purpose of being fellowship with Him. He designed a specific and unique home for us, earth, and placed it within His infinite “universe” so we would have a place to live. Why would God go through all that trouble if we weren’t important? Why would God allow His Son Jesus to go through the great amount of pain, suffering and death on the cross for our salvation if He didn’t care about each of us?

When we trust God we are trusting in His promise of Salvation. God knew that evil would exist, and being the sovereign and loving God that He is, He took care of both evil and the sin problem with His plan of Salvation through Jesus.  

1 John 3:8-9 NIV

He who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil's work. No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God's seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God.

John 10:10 NIV 
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

John 12:46 NIV 
I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.

One thing we can be assured of; Even though God allows evil to exist in our fallen world now, He will not allow it in Heaven. Our future eternity will be filled with a life of pure joy which one cannot fully experience in this world.

The Bible describes eternal life and a picture of Heaven in these ways:

Revelation 7:13-17 NIV

Then one of the elders asked me, "These in white robes—who are they, and where did they come from?" I answered, "Sir, you know." And he said, "These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore,    "they are before the throne of God
and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will spread his tent over them. Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst. The sun will not beat upon them, nor any scorching heat. For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; he will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes."

Matthew 22:30 NIV

At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven.

Luke 20:36 NIV

 and they can no longer die; for they are like the angels. They are God's children, since they are children of the resurrection.

Revelation 21:4 NIV

 He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."

Revelation 21:3 NIV

 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.

Isaiah 33:17 NIV

Your eyes will see the king in his beauty and view a land that stretches afar.

Isaiah 49:10 NIV

They will neither hunger nor thirst, nor will the desert heat or the sun beat upon them. He who has compassion on them will guide them and lead them beside springs of water.

Revelation 21:2 NIV

I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.

Revelation 21:11

It shone with the glory of God, and its brilliance was like that of a very precious jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal.

Nehemiah 9:6 NIV

You alone are the LORD. You made the heavens, even the highest heavens, and all their starry host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to everything, and the multitudes of heaven worship you.

We do have a sovereign God with a great plan for our future. Our time on this earth in our physical bodies is limited, yet carries with it an eternal purpose. As followers of Jesus we understand that the future we have been given will be far better than the life we have now.  Even with this promise It is important to remind ourselves to live life with an eternal perspective so that when we do observe and experience the pain and death that comes from living in this fallen world, we can still understand that God has an ultimate purpose behind everything that happens.

For whatever reason I am still alive.  Each day I wake up I thank God for another day of life.  Beyond that I thank God for the everlasting gift of Life He has given me based on the work of Jesus on the cross and my decision to receive that work as my salvation.

If you ever wonder if God is still in control take a look at all the people who have dedicated their lives to loving and serving God and others.  If you ever wonder if there is a greater good take a look at what God is doing through His people to spread the message of Hope to the world. Even with all the evil in this world God’s Greatness, Holiness, Mercy and Love are still present, and the Holy Spirit is still actively

changing lives.

God is sovereign, and even though evil exists and still wreaks havoc in this world, it is only for a short time. God has promised us a great future and we can live right now with a hope and heartfelt joy that He will carry out that promise.

In this passage from Jeremiah, even though it was written to the Israelites who were exiled from Jerusalem to Babylon, is still a great hope and promise for us as well. God speaks to us through His Word and His Word carries a lot of promise for His people.

Jeremiah 29:10-14 NIV

 This is what the LORD says: "When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my gracious promise to bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.  Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.  You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.  I will be found by you," declares the LORD, "and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you," declares the LORD, "and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile."

God kept His promises to Israel and He will certainly keep His promises to us as well.

We have a Sovereign God who has a great plan for our lives now and for the future. Let’s do all we can to bring this message of hope to the world.

Our God is an Awesome God!

We will never fully understand this side of heaven why God allows for tragedy.

The truth is, the suffering we face in this broken world will soon end because Jesus is coming back to bring us home. Thereby, those believers who have fallen in light of this brokenness have not passed without purpose.  Each believer has left a great legacy of the Saviors work to encourage us to persevere in light of this fallen world. The promise of eternal life reassures us of our place in Heaven which has already been prepared by the Lord who suffered and died on the Cross to prove His love. The wonderful thing to remember daily is, God desires to be with His people for all eternity. So in light of the limited time we each have been given on this earth, we have a lot to look forward to in heaven. There we will all be rejoicing together because the plan of our Sovereign God.

There in heaven the joy and celebration never ends.

And our hope is in Him!

Just Sayin……………….Dave