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Results from: Answered Bible Questions, Answers, Unanswered Bible Questions, Notes Ordered by Verse | ||||||
Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | God is Sovereign | Ps 145:10 | DocTrinsograce | 138132 | ||
Recent forum comments suggest that many do not understand the sovereignty of God. Perhaps the following will help: "Who rules the universe, God or Man?" This is the basic question of theology. The Bible answers boldly, without apology or compromise, "God is King." Almost all systems of theology say they agree, but upon closer examination they put Man on the throne with God or even replace Him altogether. The principle of God's sovereignty must be clearly understood to understand Biblical Theology. The Bible says that "In the beginning God..." (Genesis 1:1a). God has no point of origin. He has always existed. He is entirely self-sufficient (Revelation 1:8). He is totally independent of everything else. He does not need Man or anything in all Creation (Acts 17:25). He is complete and perfect (Matthew 5:48). He is whole and entire within Himself. He is not like Man (Isaiah 55:8-9). In fact, He is so far above him that Man cannot even begin to comprehend Him (Psalms 135:5, Isaiah 57:15). In other words, God is God (Exodus 3:14). Everything that exists which is not God was created by God, both in heaven and in earth (Genesis 1:1). But why did He create anything, especially considering that He is wholly sufficient and complete unto Himself? What could move God to do what He does? The answer to these questions can only originate in God Himself. Happily, theologians are not simply left to speculation because God has provided the answer: "But our God is in the heavens: He hath done whatever He hath pleased" (Psalms 115:3). (See also Psalms 135:6, Job 23:13, Daniel 4:35, Ephesians 1:11.) In other words, God does whatever He wants to do. God does as He pleases, exactly as He pleases, and only as He pleases. God created this universe for His pleasure. Scripture provides further insight. Before God began creating He formed a "plan" (Jeremiah 49:20, 50:45). The Bible calls this His "eternal purpose" (Isaiah 46:10-11, Acts 4:28, Romans 8:28, 9:11, 2 Timothy 1:9, Ephesians 3:11). This divine plan for the universe is not a wish or even a command. It is His decree that predestined everything. God does nothing outside of His plan (Ephesians 1:11, Psalms 33:11). Understanding that God foreordained everything that has and will come to pass is essential to a right understanding of God. He predestined all things that happen down to the smallest detail, both the things we perceive as good (Romans 8:28, James 1:17) and those that we perceive as "bad" (Ecclesiastes 7:14, Acts 4:28). "For of Him, and through Him, and to Him, are all things" (Romans 11:36a). But can God change His mind concerning this eternal plan? The answer to that is a simple, but emphatic "No." His purpose will stand forever, because God never changes (1 Samuel 15:29, Jeremiah 4:28, 23:20). It follows that His purpose will come to pass exactly as He planned. Can Man or Angel or Demon keep Him from accomplishing His eternal purpose? Again, the answer is "No" (Psalms 33:11, 148:3, Proverbs 19:21, Job 41:11, Isaiah 14:27, Titus 1:2, Hebrews 6:17). No, because the actions of Man, Angel, and Demon are included in that purpose. God did not consult with men on any of this, not even by foreseeing what he would do or say. He consulted only with Himself within the Trinity (Isaiah 40:13-14, Romans 11:34, Ephesians 1:11). Thus, it is obvious that there is no such thing as fate, chance, accident, luck or coincidence. God has even determined in advance the flipping of a coin (Proverbs 16:33, Jonah 1:7, Acts 1:24-26). God is King over all that is, was or ever shall be (Psalms 93:1, 99:1, 103:19, Revelation 19:6). He is an absolute Monarch, the "King of Kings" (Revelation 19:16). This is what is meant by the theological phrase "sovereignty of God." The universe is not a democracy, it is a kingdom ruled by God. The universe is not a mechanism set in motion at creation, for God not only predestined everything that happens, but in time He sovereignly guides all things through Providence (Romans 8:28, 11:36, Ephesians 1:11). If any object to any of this, God reminds Man that the universe belongs to Him and He can do whatever He wants to with it (Job 41:11, Matthew 28:15)... and that's exactly what He does do with it: whatever He wants. So, what is the final purpose for which God does all things? God has not revealed all of the details of His plan (Deuteronomy 29:29). He has, however, granted men the privilege of knowing its conclusion. The final goal of all God's eternal purpose and all creation is the glory of God, for He foreordained and created everything to give Him glory; and everything will give Him glory and praise at the end of time in future eternity (Psalms 145:10, Proverbs 16:4, Romans 11:36, Philippians 2:11, Revelation 4:11). There is neither chance nor fate. The universe has meaning, as do men: each person exists to give God glory. |
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2 | God is Sovereign | Ps 145:10 | BradK | 138135 | ||
Doc, Good comments! I believe many are ignorant of the Attributes of God- specifically this one. C.H. Spurgeon offered this in his sermon titled, "Divine Sovereignty from Matt. 20:15: "There is no attribute of God more comforting to His children than the doctrine of Divine Sovereignty. Under the most adverse circumstances, in the most severe troubles, they believe that ‘Sovereignty hath ordained their afflictions, that Sovereignty overrules them, and that Sovereignty will sanctify them all. There is nothing for which the children of God ought more earnestly to contend than the dominion of their Master over all creation — the kingship of God over all the works of His own hands — the throne of God, and His right to sit upon that throne. On the other hand, there is no doctrine more hated by worldlings, no truth of which they have made such a football, as; the great, stupendous, but yet most certain doctrine of the Sovereignty of the infinite Jehovah. Men will allow God to be everywhere except upon His throne. They will allow Him to be in His workshop to fashion worlds and to make stars. They will allow Him to be in His almonry to dispense His alms and bestow His bounties. They will allow Him to sustain the earth and bear up the pillars thereof, or light the lamps of Heaven, or rule the waves of the ever moving ocean; but when God ascends His throne, His creatures then gnash their teeth; and when we proclaim an enthroned God, and His right to do as He wills with His own, to dispose of His creatures as He thinks well, without consulting them in the matter, then it is that we are hissed and execrated, and then it is that men turn a deaf ear to us, for God on His throne is not the God theylove. They love Him anywhere better than they do when He sits with His scepter in His hand and His crown upon His head. But it is God upon the throne that we love to preach. It is. God upon His throne whom we trust. It is God upon His throne of whom we have been singing this morning; and it is God upon His throne of whom we shall speak in this discourse. I shall dwell only, however, upon one portion of God’s Sovereignty, and that is God’s Sovereignty in the distribution of His gifts. In this respect I believe He has a right to do as He wills with His own, and that He exercises that right." Have a blessed Thanksgiving! BradK |
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3 | God is Sovereign | Ps 145:10 | DocTrinsograce | 138136 | ||
Thank you, Brad... the Prince of Preachers certainly had an awesome way of putting things! | ||||||
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Questions and/or Subjects for Ps 145:10 | Author | ||
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DocTrinsograce | ||
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Emmaus | ||
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DocTrinsograce | ||
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BradK | ||
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DocTrinsograce |