Regional Synod of Canada - Reformed Church in America

Pioneer Christian Monthly

Date - May/95

Contributor - John H. Muller

Title - The Sovereignty Of God

Topic - God

WE are going to talk about God.

There is no subject more worthy of our time and attention.

God is the sovereign king, and is in control of this universe. The sovereignty of God has been described as one-pointed Calvinism. The traditional five points all flow into this one truth. It is not a popular truth, since it downgrades man. We need to approach it in faith, for it is clearly opposed to our natural human pride. We need to understand ourselves on this point, since it is only when we get to know ourselves that we can be in a position to learn of God. If we truly learn of God's sovereignty we will learn a lesson we will never forget. The famous Baptist, C.H. Spurgeon, wrote about this truth: 'When first I received those truths in my soul - when they were burned into me, as John Bunyan says - burned as with a hot iron into my soul; and I can recollect how I felt. I had grown on a sudden from a babe into a man - that I had made progress in Scriptural knowledge, from having got hold once and for all a clue of the truth of God." (M.T.P., Vol. 7, p. 85) This is a truth which is Holy Spirit revealed.

God is sovereign, man is responsible. They must be kept in balance. To emphasize sovereignty alone tends to fatalism; while throwing all the emphasis on man's responsibility tends to exalt the creature above the Creator. In Scripture truth is often balanced by another aspect of truth. It speaks of the "goodness" and the "severity" of God. Jesus took upon Himself the form of a servant; while He was also addressed as 'Christ the Lord". No sheep of Christ's flock will perish, yet the Christian is called upon to make his "calling and election sure." These are not contradictions, but they complement and balance each other. So the Scriptural balances sovereignty and responsibility. Right now our concern is with God's sovereignty.

Who regulates affairs? Most will agree that God does in heaven, but few agree they He does on earth. What does the Bible say? "God is on His throne." "The sceptre is in His hands." "He directs all things after the counsel of His will." Again and again we read of God being the Almighty One. He is the absolute sovereign.

We need to hear of the omnipotent, the sufficient, the sovereign God. This is the only resting place for our hearts. We need to set forth the truth about God. Children may be satisfied with soothing-syrup, but adults need an iron tonic. No tonic can infuse vigour into our spiritual lives as having an understanding of God's true character. Daniel 11:32 states that "the people the people that do know their God shall be strong and do exploits."

In times of world crisis men are alarmed, but God isn't. No unexpected emergency confronts Him. The world panics, the believer is strong. We hear the Lord's "fear not". We believe that all things are subject to Him and under His control. His purposes are working to our good (Romans 8:28). "For of Him and through Him, and to Him are all things; to Whom be glory forever" (Romans 11:36).

Man has a will, but God's will prevails. Man is the creature, God is the Creator. Man is finite, God is infinite. His purposes are not thwarted.

"In the beginning God." T h e Bible starts there. And so it continues. God is holy. His anger burns against sin. God is righteous. His judgements fall against unrighteousness. God is faithful. His Word is fulfilled. God is omnipotent. None can resist His power. He is omniscient. No problem masters Him.

When faith is exercised, we "endure as seeing Him who is invisible". We endure hardships because His hands keep us calm in the midst of storms. We rejoice in hope of the glory of God. "Thine, 0 Lord, is the greatness, and power, and glory, and victory and majesty: for all that is in the heavens and the earth is Thine. Thine, 0 Lord, is the kingdom and Thou art exalted as head above all" (1 Chronicles 29:11).

The sovereignty of God speaks of His supremacy. His kingship, His Godhood. God is God! In Daniel 4 King Nebuchadnezzar spoke of God thusly: "I praise and honour Him Who lives forever, for His dominion is an everlasting dominion: and His kingdom endures from generation to generation." Psalm 115:3 states that "our God is in the heavens; He hath done whatsoever He hath pleased."

Today the picture we are often given of God is a miserable caricature of the God of the Bible. He is often pictured as a helpless, effeminate being. He is treated with sentimentality, and even becomes an object of pity. Sometimes evangelists portray Him as One who is trying His best to enter hearts, but people won't let Him. They portray the Creator as impotent, and the creature as omnipotent. But man doesn't control destiny, God does.

The God of the Scriptures is absolute, irresistible and infinite. He governs the universe. He has the right of the potter over the clay, out of the same lump to mould one vessel unto honour and another unto dishonour. He is restrained only by His own attributes or qualities.

God exercised His power when Pharaoh tried to hinder Israel from going to worship Him in the wilderness. His people were delivered. The city of Jericho stood in the way of progress of the people of God, and the Lord caused the walls of the city to fall down. By God's power David was able to deliver His people from the giant Goliath, the mouths of lions were shut, and three Hebrew men came forth from a fiery furnace unharmed.

God doesn't bestow His power on all alike. He allowed Stephen to be stoned, and Peter to be delivered. He gave Methusaleh long life, which others didn't receive, and also gave Samson physical strength above others. Deuteronomy 8:18 states that "It is He that giveth thee power to get wealth," but all do not receive this from God.

God demonstrates His sovereignty in exercising mercy. You cannot speak of deserving mercy. It is not our right. To speak of deserving mercy is a contradiction. God's mercy was clearly seen in the Incarnation of His Son to be our Saviour.

God's grace is also sovereignly bestowed. The Scriptures are replete with such instances. Israel was chosen as God's special people, and the Gentiles were not. Isaac became the child of promise, while Ishmael was cast out. Jacob receives the blessing and Esau misses out. The Pharisees and Sadducees usually lose out while publicans and sinners often are included in the Kingdom. The angel announcement of Christ's birth was made to humble shepherds and wise Gentiles. God could have given the announcement an every nation concept, but He didn't. God bestows His favours on those whom He chooses, often the unlikely and the unworthy.

Belief in God's sovereignty should have certain results in our lives. It should move us to a godly fear. The sight of God caused Job to abhor himself. When Isaiah saw the Lord (Isaiah 6) he said: "Woe is me! for I am undone ... I am a man of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts."

It should cause us to be obedient to our God. We either glory in ourselves or in God. We cannot serve two masters. Revering God should produce obedience.

It should also cause an attitude opposite to murmuring - more like acceptance of God's will and plan. Eli illustrated this attitude in I Samuel 3, when he learned that God revealed the coming slaying of his two sons he said: "It is the Lord, let Him do what seems good to Him." Job lost goods and family and still he could say: "The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away, blessed be the name of the Lord." (Job 1:21). These attitudes demonstrate a beautiful submission.

God's sovereignty should cause us to be thankful and full of joy. Psalm 103 illustrates this when it says: "Bless the Lord, 0 my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name." So does Ephesians 5:20: "giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ."

Madame Guyon was a well known Christian almost three hundred years ago. After she had spent ten years in an dungeon below the ground, and lit only by a candle at meal times, she wrote this testimony:

'A little bird I am,

Shut from the fields of air;

Yet in my cage I sit and sing

To Him Who placed me there;

Well-pleased a prisoner to be,

Because, my God, it pleases Thee."

The hymn writer has stated the truth before us today very well in these verses:

MY GOD, HOW WONDERFUL THOU ART

My God, how wonderful Thou art, Thy majesty how bright,

How beautiful Thy mercy seat, In depths of burning light.

How wonderful, how beautiful, The sight of Thee must be, Thine endless wisdom, boundless power,

And awful purity!

Yet, I may love Thee, too, 0 Lord, Almighty as Thou art,

For Thou hast stooped to ask of me The love of my poor heart. AMEN

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