The Sovereignty of Sovereignty
It seems that the sovereignty of God has been a rather popular topic of conversation for me lately. Blogs, personal conversations, stuff at school, etc., all have been concentrated on this subject for about the past two weeks. So, I wanted to strike while the iron was hot, so to speak, and see if I could pull some others into the mix. To do so (at least for the time being), I offer the following article for your approval, dissaproval, etc. Thoughts? Comments? Problems? Let's hear it.
Not That Sovereign
Patch Blakey
Many Christians believe that God is sovereign. They believe that God can control the weather, heal disease, provide safety for folks when they are on long trips, grant healthy deliveries of babies, give doctors wisdom to treat ailments, provide food, work, and rest, mend broken relationships, give courage and protection to those in danger, change hearts, bring disaster on the wicked, exalt the righteous, lead single people to the person they will ultimately marry, limit the actions of the devil and his demons, lead people to a saving knowledge of Christ, and much, much more. Yes, they believe that God has authority over all things that come to pass—almost.
We know that these dear Christians believe that God can do all these things because we hear them pray for Him to do them. It would be ludicrous to ask someone to do something that they are incapable of doing, even if that someone is God. But the one thing that these same Christians believe that God cannot touch—that it is inviolable for Him to tamper with, that He has foresworn not to invade—is man's free will. This is apparently the big "King's X" in the universe which God has strictly bound and forbidden Himself to violate. Man's free will is like the Garden of Eden to God; He has placed a guard against entering man's free will just as the cherubim kept man from entering the sacred spot of the Garden after the Fall. Yes, these Christians believe that God is sovereign, but not that sovereign.
So, what is the point then of praying to God, asking Him to intercede in people's affairs, if He cannot transgress man's free will? Why ask God to fatten an anorexic young girl since He would have to violate her free will to do so? Why pray for a young teenager who is pregnant out of wedlock to be deterred from getting an abortion if that is what she has set her mind to do? Why pray for a missionary's safety while he's ministering to bring the gospel to violent tribesmen if this would violate their free will? Why ask God to have Congress pass a bill that would protect heterosexual marriage if this would require Him to tamper with their politically correct thinking? Why pray for God to save a homosexual knowing that He isn't about to change that person's heart against his own free will?
It seems that many Christians are willing to allow God the latitude to give doctors greater skill than they naturally possess in order to perform some serious surgery or treatment that will result in the restoration to health of some beloved family member or friend. But isn't this also a violation of God's self-imposed restraint into the free will of men? But someone may say that the doctor would like to have this increased ability. Did they ever ask the doctor before they prayed for God to act in this way? Most likely not.
Did God tamper with man's free will when He kicked Adam and Eve out of the garden after the fall, and placed the cherubim as priests at the entrance back into the garden? The garden was a pretty cozy spot that didn't require much labor to obtain food, other than picking it. But God forced Adam to work by the sweat of his brow by physically removing him from the Garden. Maybe Adam should have filed a complaint with the free-will police.
Didn't God bring the Flood on the entire world, killing all of mankind and sparing only eight? "For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished" (2 Pet. 3:5-6). God took the lives of all but eight people in the Flood. Did all these people want to drown? Was this action by God against their free will?
Didn't God bring plagues on the nation of Egypt, ultimately killing all of their firstborn, both of man and beast? "And it came to pass, that at midnight the Lord smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sat on his throne unto the firstborn of the captive that was in the dungeon; and all the firstborn of cattle" (Ex. 12:29). Was this in accordance with the free will of the Egyptian people? Did they all want their firstborn children and cattle to die?
Wasn't the land of Canaan previously occupied by seven nations, and didn't God give the land of Canaan to the Israelites? "Get thee up into this mountain Abarim, unto mount Nebo, which is in the land of Moab, that is over against Jericho; and behold the land of Canaan, which I give unto the children of Israel for a possession" (Deut. 32:49). Did God ask the Canaanites if they wanted to be cast out of the land of their heritage? Was this action on the part of God a violation of the Canaanites' free will?
But perhaps some will concede that a sovereign God certainly may and can take life and land against the free will of their possessors; however, He still can't save them contrary to their free will. Yet Scripture testifies even here, "For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life" (Rom. 5:10). Fortunately for those Christians who believe that God is sovereign, but not that sovereign, He is far more sovereign than they are willing to believe, even in saving them contrary to their own free will.
Volume 17, Issue 3: Doctrine 101
Copyright © 2005 Credenda/Agenda. All rights reserved.
posted by Ian @ 6:34 PM
10 comments
10 Comments:
Speaking of idolatry. This song is a perfect allegory of the Christians blindness to his own idolatry. And it's hilarious. It might hit to close to home to your generation.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=1329362959167995041
Dad
Ian,
I sent this post first, I guess it didn't go through.
Post #1 (from memory):
As one who has done my fair share of debating election, predestination, freewill etc., I doubt that it was very profitable for either myself or my "opponents". I wonder how such debates make anyone a better follower of Jesus. In my case it was often a matter of pride (knowledge puffs up, I repent). Although I believe that the Bible does teach the so called "doctrines of grace", I no longer think that they are of primary importance. When the Bible speaks of God's sovereignty it seems to me that it is talking about God's Lordship. "Jesus is Lord!" is as much a part of the Gospel as "Jesus saves!" the word salvation in the Bible emcompasses both concepts. Believers, unbelievers, and especially the church, both in the Old Cov. and the New are continually challenged as to where their allegiance lies. The main issue as I see it is idolatry, something that the church has to continually repent of (especially the American church because of the affluent culture in which we live). The challenge or the question that we must answer today is: "How do we live, as individuals, families, and churches, in such a way that the world will know that Jesus is Lord?"
So the issue for me is no longer are you a Calvinist or an Armininain, but rather, "Who is your Lord?"
Now, speaking of idolatry. . .
Dad
P.S.- I got the stuff you mailed. Looking forward to listening to the tape.
Ian
This is a great topic, and I am currently reading "The soveriegnty of God" by Pink, so this subject is of great interest to me. You have pointed out some key conflicts that many people can't reconcile. I have found that the more I study this topic, the more appreciation I have for my salvation - especially knowing that I had absolutely nothing to do with it.
Jim speaks with great wisdom, as the "knowledge puffs up" quote is something we all have to guard against. I too have engaged in countless discussions with fellow brothers about the Calvinist points and don't seem to get anywhere with most. What makes some to understand and others not? Eph 1:4 is pretty clear...
Lately I find myself having a hard time dealing with people who don't believe as I do - and that is really bothersome, as I know it's wrong! I think I likethe question Jim posed - "Who's your Lord"! (Is that like "who's your daddy?")
None of us fully understands God, and we all ere in our beliefs about Him. To say that someone is not saved because they aren't Calvinist, Reformed, or even Protestant, for that matter, I believe, is a prideful and ignorant statement. The question "who's your Lord?" is wonderful as it gets at what I believe to be the foundational aspect of the gospel: that Jesus is Lord. The Scriptures say that if one confesses that Christ is Lord, then he is saved. It doesn't say that if one confesses Calvin's t.u.l.i.p., or the Westminster Confession, etc, etc. We have said that! All of us, from just about every denomination, sect, or whatever you want to call them, have walled up the gospel in our interpretations of Scripture rather than proclaiming it freely in the simple truth of the Lordship of Christ. I firmly believe that the establishment of the Church, the progressive and active revelation of God's sovereginty, will come about through the humble discourse of the Scriptures between all that claim Christ as Lord and humbly seek to learn the truth in His word, not through trying to persuade others that any one doctrine or theology is right over another.
The article speaks specifically about God's sovereignty in salvation, but what about other areas of the everday? How do we apply God's sovereignty to our decision making, our actions, etc.? What effect do our beliefs of God's sovereignty have on these things? What effect, if any, do these things have on God's sovereignty? How is God's sovereignty displayed day to day?
So that everybody doesn't think we have gone completely over the edge, I would like to bring up some questions that I think are related:
What is the relationship of theology to Christian practice?
What is the relationship of Scriptural authority to theology?
These questions are probably not the best way to frame what I am trying to get at, but it's a start.
What you're trying to get at? Hey! Who's blog is this anyways!?
Just kidding....Good questions. Let me ponder them, and I will post my thoughts.
What is the relationship of theology to Christian practice?
Here's one - I can't tell you how many sermons I have heard where the preacher rue's the day that he didn't share Jesus with someone - only to find out that the person died, etc without salvation. That story is obviouslly meant to motivate us to share our faith, because "... we don't want to be responsible for that person being in Hell" That all sounds well and good, but in light of this discussion, it's insulting - and prideful. Yes, we must witness out of obedience to God and the Scriptures, but if my neighbor does not "accept" Christ, am I responsible? Did I not make enough of a convincing argument so as to persuade him unto belief? That's the line of thinking in this passionate story. Where it's prideful is that we think that God can't give salvation to this person unless we help him out. MAN centered theology!!! So, how this theology alters practice is that we continue to pray for the salvation of the unsaved, all the while knowing that God will save those whom he foreknew.
Jay,
I think you're spot on. I'll never forget listening to speakers, paticularly missionaries, tell me that the fate of the world was in my hands and that foreign missions was the most God pleasing work a Christian could take up (WOL was notorious for this). To think that a condition of another's salvation laid in my presentation of the gospel was not only arrogant, but down-right frightening. Good words.
But how should the death of the unsaved affect our behavior? How does our theology of God's sovereignty affect our Christian practice? I have very recently experienced the death of a friend/co-worker. He professed to be a Christian, and I believe he was sincere, but was having a hard time with consequences of past actions and alcohol abuse and ended up commiting suicide about three weeks ago. I had been giving this guy rides home after work as he lived a few blocks from me and upon hearing of his death was immediately stricken with guilt: If I had only used those times in my car with him more wisely and had been more aggressive in our friendship and brotherhood in Christ, maybe he'd still be around. Now that a few weeks have gone by, I still feel that way and believe I am right in doing so. I believe God wanted me to learn to be purposeful, deliberate, and wise with my time and words. God is sovereign, but that doesn't mean that the things that happen in our lives are always "good". I believe God reveals His sovereignty to us in ways that change us and cause us to be more like citizens of his kingdom. Why do we think that God never wants us to be uncomfortable in our salvation and Christian living? When things like this happen, God allows His people joy, happiness, comfort, pain, unrest, anguish, etc so that they will see, for one thing, that they have work to do. Often times our view of God's sovereignty lulls us into complacency and stagnancy. Like Jay said, God saves whom He pleases, but that doesn't alleviate our responsibility to preach the gospel. God is in control, but that doesn't remove our accountability to Him to actively live out our faith and aggressively fight evil. Evil, obviously, still exists, and we need to combat it with all the might our faith grants us. God will prevail and His sovereignty will be made known to the cosmos, but He has chosen to do so in such a way that allows and requires His Kingdom sons to participate in His victory. We, as God's people, do not know the full sovereignty of our creator, but we come to know more of it as it continues to be revealed to us and the world, as it has been throughout history through the gathering of His people and the establishing of His kingdom. His sovereignty will not be fully known until the consumation of the Kingdom at the return of Christ. Until then, it is our charge, and our reward, to continue to fight the ground war that rages in our place in history to prove the sovereignty of God and display His character.
To answer Dad's questions, theology should never dismiss Christian practice. That may be a bad way to say what I'm thinking, but let me give an example: if our theology of God's sovereignty were to cause us to not witness, to not be ready to give a defence of our faith, etc; if our theology of God's sovereignty were to ever trump Scriptural commands, then it would be a false theology. While theology can help to define Christian practice, it should never contradict plainly commanded duties found in the Scriptures. This arcs over to the second question: The Scripture must always be the authority from which we derive our theology, never the other way around. If we were to start interpreting Scripture to make it consistant with our theology, then we would be in error. That being said, theologies need to stem from careful study of the Scriptures and should be consistant and harmonious with each other. Some systematics have trouble with this as they tend to separate points of theology from one another. While I do believe it is possible to lay out good theologies systematically, I think it is dangerous to formulate them solely in that manner. Does any of this make sense? I'm rushing this as I'm at work!
I believe this is a question of WHO you are talking to. When you are witnessing to someone who is lost it's good to focus on the basics. Jim's question concerning lordship of their life is a good one. I remember Tim would often answer people who would say "I believe in God" by quoting Mt.22:37 to them. That's also a good approach.
Then you've got people who are babes in the Lord. They are on milk and the idea of their having "free will" is the way they are used to looking at things. It takes time to grow, but if you spend time studying the Bible regularly, you can't avoid eventually coming to a truer, broader understanding of who God is and what you're really like. [Personally, I like Jonathan Edward's explanation of free will and how it fits in with the sovereignty of God. I think often the problem is that the people have a different definition of free will than Scripture does.]
So you're right about not "arguing", but sometimes people have honest questions they want answers to, and that's when these issues should be discussed...but not to the point of arguing.
The more time you spend in Bible study and prayer, the more you understand God. And the more you understand God, the more obvious His sovereignty becomes. As we face trials, respond in obedience and observe His sovereignty, the more we trust, the more "peace" we have in difficult circumstances because we understand His sovereignty. It's a progressive understanding. How many times does Paul pray that his readers' "knowledge" of God may abound? It's a gradual thing we don't get the whole impact of as we start down the road of faith.
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