THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD

Sovereignty = “supreme and unrestricted power, as of a state” (Collins Dictionary).  In principle, the state of Kenya, by its government, has all authority to do whatever it likes in the country, with no other power from outside forcing it to do something else in principle (it might not always be true in practice).

The teaching of our 1689 Confession of Faith: “Over all His creatures He is sovereign.  He uses them as He pleases, and does for them or to them all that He wills” (Chapter 2, Section 2).  “From all eternity God decreed all that should happen in time, and this He did freely and unalterably, consulting His own wise and holy will” (Chapter 3, Section 1).

BIBLICAL EVIDENCE

What does God accomplish?  All that He pleases  (Psalm 115:3, 135:6)

What was king Nebuchadnezzar forced to confess, after his experience of being humbled by God, that God does?  God does according to his will  (Daniel 4:35)

Where does God do this?  Among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth

What can no one do to God?  Stay his hand or say to him, “What have you done?”

What things does God accomplish according to His will?  All things (Ephesians 1:11)

Write down the words that describe God’s sovereignty in 1 Timothy 6:15  The blessed and only sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords

extent of god’s sovereignty

(1) Things which no one planned.  God’s prophets had said that Ahab would die (1 Kings 21:19, 22:17).  In the battle a certain man drew his bow at random (22:34) and Ahab died of his injuries.  No one can plan the decision of the ‘lot’, but God does, as in life of Jonah (1:7).  Whose decision alone does the ‘lot’ reveal?  From the Lord (Proverbs 16:33).

(2) Details of our lives.  What two things seem insignificant, yet they do not happen without the will of God?  Read Matthew 10:29-30  Falling to the ground of a sparrow, numbering of the hairs of our head.  What things did the traders forget were not under their control but under God’s control?  Read James 4:13-15 What tomorrow will bring; the shortness of their lives.

(3) Affairs of nations.  Which way does the heart of the king turn?  Wherever the Lord wills (Proverbs 21:1).  Who rules the kingdoms of men?  (Daniel 4:17) The Most High.  To which earthly ruler is any kingdom given?  To whom the Lord wills.

 (4) Even sinful actions of men.  What was done to Jesus according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God?  Delivering up of Jesus to crucifixion and death  (Acts 2:23).  What did the rulers and people, who were gathered together against Jesus, really do?  Whatever God’s hand and plan had predestined to take place (Acts 4:27-28).

THE ALTERNATIVE TO THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD

If God is not sovereign over everything, then who is in control of this world and our lives?  Is the devil still fighting it out with God so that we cannot be sure who will get the final victory?  Is there some other power above God?  Many people so emphasize the freedom of man (free-will) that it appears that man is able to stop God from doing what he wants (so they teach).  I remember a preacher in Nairobi from Uganda saying, “God took a chance in creating man, giving him the freedom to do what he wants”.  To teach that God is not sovereign is to teach that His plans can fail (but read Isaiah 46:9-11); that the fulfillment of all His promises cannot be guaranteed; that no matter how we live we may perish in the end.  If God is not sovereign then there can be no assurance about anything.  Thank God He is sovereign! 

PROBLEM OF THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD AND SIN

It is impossible to have full understanding of the fact that God is sovereign even in the sinful deeds of men.  We believe it because the Scripture clearly teaches it.  Why should we expect to understand how God works?  What is the reply to one who argues against God finding fault with a man because He is sovereign?  Who are you, O man, to answer back to God?  (Romans 9:19-20).

It is often asked why God should judge Judas when he was only fulfilling God’s plan (prophecy) in betraying Jesus.  But God did not force Judas to sin against his will.  Judas betrayed his Master, not because he wanted to fulfill the will of God, but because he let Satan enter his heart by his wickedness (John 13:27), for he loved money and was a thief (John 12:6).  We may have many questions, because we lack knowledge of the Bible, or just because it is impossible to fully understand God’s ways, but we must always confess with Abraham, “Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?”  (Genesis 18:25).

THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD AND OUR DAILY LIVES

(1)         In the life of Joseph.  Write down the words Joseph used to confess God’s sovereignty: It was not you who sent me here, but God (Genesis 45:8a).  In Genesis 50:20 Joseph reminds his brothers they had meant evil against him; what were the evil things they did that got Joseph into Egypt?  They were jealous of him (Genesis 37:11); they sold him to the Midianite traders for a slave (37:28).  Yet Joseph acknowledged that God had a good purpose.  Write down that purpose: To bring it about that many people should be kept alive (Genesis 50:20b).  Because Joseph knew God was in control of his being in Egypt he told his brothers they had no need to fear his revenge now their father was dead. 

Because you believe God is sovereign you will humbly submit to your circumstances in life, you will not seek to revenge wrongs done to you.  How did Job show humble submission when he lost all his possessions?  The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord (Job 1:21, see 2:10).

(2)   In our daily lives.  Read Romans 8:28.  For what purpose is God working in our lives? For good.  In this is only the nice blessings we receive?  No, in all things.  Because God is sovereign, and He has called us according to His purpose, He will not let anything happen to us that will be for our spiritual destruction.  You know this because the Bible teaches it.  So do not be discouraged in the sufferings of this life; one day you will be glorified (Romans 8:30).  God knows what He is doing, so have confidence in Him. 

Write true or false for each of the following statements:

________ God has no control over the devil or the sinful actions of men

________ To complain about our lives is to doubt the sovereignty of God

________ God has purposed things in our lives that are spiritually harmful

________ Our earthly rulers have been appointed by the will of God

________ If it is possible for the will of God to fail, then we cannot have assurance

Two books for further study on this subject:

The Sovereignty of God, by A. W. Pink, pp.20-44

The Mystery of Providence, by John Flavel, 221 pages

THE AUTHORITY OF THE BIBLE

Authority means the power to command and get a response of obedience.  There may be two authorities in competition.  God is the final authority and, if necessary, all other authorities may be put aside in order to obey Him (Acts 4:18-20, 5:27-29). 

How do the apostles, in these verses, show God is the final authority in their lives?  The religious authorities (4:5-6, 5:27) forbade them to speak in the name of Jesus, because God had commanded them to speak

This is a most important question for all religion claims to be based on truth.  Where is truth to be found?  How can we be sure that what we believe is the real truth?  The answer of our 1689 Confession of Faith is: “The Holy Scripture is the all-sufficient, certain and infallible rule or standard of the knowledge, faith and obedience that constitute salvation” (Chapter 1, Section 1).  It is because the Bible is the word of God that it has final authority over our lives.

THE BIBLE IS OUR AUTHORITY BECAUSE IT IS INSPIRED

When we say the Bible is inspired we mean that what is written in it is fully the word of God.  Thousands of times we read, “The Lord said”, or similar words (starting with Genesis 1:3). 

Write out the first words of 2 Timothy 3:16 about inspiration ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­  All Scripture is breathed out by God  “Inspired” means that the words come from God, and this is true of all Scripture. 

Write out 2 Peter 1:21 For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit  The prophets did not speak according to their own interpretation of the situation, but God was at work in them by the Holy Spirit, making sure that they only spoke what was from Him.

Our Lord and His apostles believed the Scriptures were the word of God. 

Jesus said God commanded the law Moses wrote in Exodus (Matthew 15:4, see also 19:4-5).  How did David speak the words of Psalm 100?  In the Holy Spirit (Mark 12:36).  Whose words were the words of the prophet Isaiah?  ­­­­­­The Holy Spirit (Acts 28:25, see 1:16, 4:25).  What promise did Jesus make to His apostles that they would write the full truth from God?  Read John 14:26.  The Holy Spirit will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.   See also John 16:13. 

How does Peter recognize that Paul’s writings are the word of God?  He calls them ‘Scripture’ by comparing them with the “other Scriptures” which are also twisted by the ignorant and unstable (2 Peter 3:15-16). 

They could appeal to a word (John 10:34-36), even a singular noun (Galatians 3:16).  Jesus said, “Scripture cannot be broken” because what it says is final, and everything must be judged by it.

How do we know Jesus’ words are the final authority?  They will be our judge on the last day (John 12:48).

How do we know the writings of the apostles are the final authority?  Paul claims that what he is writing is a command of the Lord (1 Corinthians 14:37, also read 2 Thessalonians 3:6,14).

claims to other sources of authority

1.       Catholicism believes that the Bible is the word of God but can only be properly interpreted by the church.  How the church has interpreted the Bible in the past, and what the Popes say, are the authoritative teachings of Scripture and must be believed.  In this way so many unScriptural doctrines and practices entered the church.  The Reformation of the 16^th. century was a call to return to the Bible as the final authority, with the cry, “Scripture alone!”  When standing before the Emperor and other dignitaries, having been asked whether he still believed what he had written in his many books, Martin Luther replied: “I am bound by the Scriptures and my conscience has been taken captive by the word of God, and I am neither able nor willing to recant, since it is neither safe nor right to act against conscience”.

2.       Charismatics also believe the Bible is the word of God, but insist that there is continuing prophecy in which the voice of God is heard.  In practice such prophecies become the voice of God directing His people, so that the Scripture is no longer the final authority.  If the Bible is the complete word of God, then it is sufficient to give all necessary “teaching, …reproof, …correction, …and training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16).  Our 1689 Confession states: “The sum total of God’s revelation concerning all things essential to His own glory, and to the salvation and faith and life of men, is either explicitly set down or implicitly contained in the Holy Scripture.  Nothing, whether a supposed revelation of the Spirit or man’s traditions, is ever to be added to Scripture” (Chapter 1, Section 6).

3.          Liberalism, in all its various forms, teaches that the mind of man is the final authority.  So where science conflicts with the Bible, as in the account of the creation and fall (Genesis 1-3), then the Bible must be wrong; it is just a ‘myth’ to teach some spiritual truth.  In this way, men can take what they like, and leave what they do not like in the Bible.  If you do not like the idea of an eternal and conscious suffering in hell then say it is not true because Jesus was just repeating what He heard from His teachers.  If the world has a ‘Women’s Liberation’ movement then let us say that Paul refused women to teach (1 Timothy 2:12), either because he had a very low opinion of women, or because this was the culture of the day.  But if God made everything He is the only One with full understanding; and if man is a sinful creature he cannot possibly understand unless it is revealed to him.  And this is why the Scriptures have been given.

the authority of the bible in practice

“All religious controversies are to be settled by Scripture, and by Scripture alone.  All decrees of Councils, opinions of ancient writers, and doctrines of men collectively or individually, are similarly to be accepted or rejected according to the verdict of the Scripture given to us by the Holy Spirit.  In that verdict faith finds its final rest” (1689 Confession, Chapter 1, Section 10).

Why does the Bible commend the Jews at Berea as “more noble than those in Thessalonica”?  Find the answer in Acts 17:11 They received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so

Where does Isaiah say people should go for guidance instead of to the mediums and wizards?  To their God (8:19), and to the teaching and the testimony (8:20).

How did our Lord respond to the devil’s temptations? “It is written” (Matthew 4:4,6,10).

How important it is to know the Scriptures!  Write out the following two verses from Psalm 119:

Verse 9 How can a young man keep his way pure?  By guarding it according to your word

Verse 11  I have stored up your word in my heart that I might not sin against you

The Bible constantly warns us against false teachers/prophets.  How can we know what is truth and what is error, what we should accept and what we should reject?

Who are the “us” John says we should listen to if we “know God”?  John, other apostles and all who preach the truth about Christ (1 John 4:6).  Note that this is in the context of many false prophets having gone out into the world (v. 1).

Whose gospel is the only true gospel?  The one Paul first preached to the Galatians (Galatians 1:8).

Why do we forbid women to become pastors?  (1 Timothy 2:12)

Why do we not practice the ceremony of Confirmation?  (not in the Bible)

Why do we baptize believers only?  (Acts 2:41)

Write true or false for each of the following statements:

1. ________ Those who speak “This says the Lord” should not be listened to. 
2. ________ The Bible has final authority over our eating habits.
3.  ________ Because the church is now much larger than at the beginning it needs bishops to rule over pastors.
4. ________ The Bible must be believed rather than the sayings of expert scientists.
5. ________ The “altar call” should be used in evangelism because it has been so successful.

The following books are recommended:

1.      Brian H. Edwards, Nothing but the Truth.

2.      E.J. .Young, Thy Word is Truth

3.