Subject: Why does Satan believe he can win? |
Bible Note: Greetings Ocelot! Allow me to quote from a former post of mine on this issue: "I think that part of the struggle people face concerning human events and God's sovereignty is that many operate under a definition of sovereignty that is philosphical not necessarily biblical. What I mean is simply this: Where in the Bible does it say that Sovereignty means that every act and every decision must be a direct result of God's determinitive will? A. W. Tozer used an example years ago that explains both sovereignty and free will very well. Imagine that God has placed us upon an ocean liner. We have no way to steer the liner. We have no way to change the speed. We have no way to determine the destination of the liner. All of this has been determined by God. However, within the confines of our limitations, we have a multitude of choices. We can choose what we will eat. We can choose with whom we will fellowship. We can choose the attitude with which we will approach our journey. This is an excellent illustration of the tension between God's sovereignty and our freedom. God doesn't determine what we will eat for breakfast. We freely choose our food. God doesn't force us to obey His commands. We freely choose to obey or disobey. However, we suffer the consequences of our choices." It is certainly clear that God's sovereignty is a Biblical doctrine and concept. What is not so clear is how that sovereignty should be defined. Does God's sovereignty allow His creation to do things that He does not wish? The answer is found in Mt. 23:37, "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing." Here, Christ clearly speaks of individuals rejecting His will. So, any definition of sovereignty that rules out limited human freedom is clearly not biblical. Your Brother in Christ, Tim Moran |