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Subject: Is God Sovereign in the Church today? |
Bible Note: Dear Brother Mark, You ask, "...are you absolutely certain that you can know what another is thinking?" :-) The topic seems to be drifting. I explained what Pink meant. Now you want to know about absolute certainties regarding specific thoughts in others. I am absolutely certain that men do what they do and say what they say out of the fulness of the heart. Perhaps a few examples are in order for further contemplation: Chuck Smith, John Piper, Jim Bakker, and Sun Myung Moon. Who do you think loves God? A man cannot serve two masters. The master he loves will always ultimately become manifest. By the way, Pink was not writing about judging explicit thoughts. He was talking about what people were *preaching.* Regarding your defense of your theology: Read again Pink's definition of the sovereignty of God. It is the orthodox definition arising out of the Reformation. Your position differs. It's okay, Brother Mark! It doesn't mean that you have to defend your position as differing from Pink's. It certainly doesn't mean that I'm interested in changing your mind. It is simply a historical fact: the Reformers defined sovereignty one way, Brother Mark defines it another way. Nothing to be ashamed of... nothing to worry about... nothing to be argued over. (Indeed, I thought you did an admirable job of expressing your definition.) Now, in the quotes below I am NOT arguing with your position. I'm just citing specific examples that state the orthodox Reformed position on the sovereignty of God. By doing so, you can contrast your definition of sovereignty with that of the Reformers. In Him, Doc "Election is the unchangeable purpose of God whereby, before the foundation of the world, out of the whole human race, which had fallen by its own fault out of its original integrity into sin and perdition, He has, according to the sovereign good pleasure of His will, out of mere grace, chosen in Christ to salvation a definite number of persons, neither better nor more worthy than others, but with them involved in a common misery." --Canons of Dort, Article 7 "God from all eternity, did, by the most wise and holy counsel of His own will, freely, and unchangeably ordain whatsoever comes to pass (Eph 1:11; Rom 9:15, 18; 11:33; Heb 6:7); yet so, as thereby neither is God the author of sin, (Jam 1:13, 17; 1 John 1:5) nor is violence offered to the will of the creatures; nor is the liberty or contingency of second causes taken away, but rather established (Acts 2:23; 4:27; Matt 17:12; John 19:11). Although God knows whatsoever may or can come to pass upon all supposed conditions (Acts 15:18; 1 Sam 23:11, 12; Matt 11:21,23); yet has He not decreed anything because He foresaw it as future, or as that which would come to pass upon such conditions (Romans 9:11, 13, 18)." --Westminster Confession Faith (3:1-2) "It is not merely that God has the power and right to govern all things but that He does so always and without exception." --John Piper "In my classes in the seminary, I raise questions like, 'Is God in control of every single molecule in the universe?' When I raise that question, I say, 'The answer to that question will not determine whether you are a Christian or a Moslem, a Calvinist or an Arminian, but it will determine whether you are a theist or an atheist.' Sometimes the students can't see the connection. And I say to them, 'Don't you realize that if there is one molecule in this universe running around loose outside the scope or the sphere of God's divine control and authority and power, then that single maverick molecule may be the grain of sand that changes the entire course of human history, that blocks God from keeping the promises He has made to His people?' It may be that one maverick molecule that will prevent Christ from the consummation of his kingdom. For if there is one maverick molecule, it would mean that God is not sovereign. If God is not sovereign, then God is not God. If there is any element of the universe that is outside of his authority, then He no longer is God over all. In other words, sovereignty belongs to deity. Sovereignty is a natural attribute of the Creator. God owns what He makes, and He rules what He owns." --R. C. Sproul |