Anyways, it’s about time that I finished what we got started with this series of articles. So, without further ado, let’s get back to our topic.

Let’s begin with a little review of some of the main points from our last article.

God’s revelation of himself is our final authority for understanding His sovereign control. We don’t begin 1^st with assumptions about our free will which then qualify what we read in God’s Word. We need to start first with God’s Word and whatever God tells us in Scripture about His lordship and sovereign rulership over the universe is what we should believe.

God clearly states in scripture that He has total control over good and evil. In fact, His sovereign control over both spectrums is what God cites as evidence of His being the one and only true God.

Since God is the creator and supreme ruler of the universe; He, not us, dictates how we relate to God. We might like to say that God cannot have meaningful relationship with us unless we have free will. But, that is not for us to determine. If God states that He pursues meaningful, intimate relationship with us and He also states that He holds ultimate, sovereign control over every event, then His Word stands as absolutely true. The fact that we may find these two truths difficult to reconcile is immaterial to their spiritual and authoritative reality.

As I thought about writing this blog and which direction to head with it, I decided that rather than head down the road of an exhaustive study on sovereignty; which would necessitate many articles, I’d try and draw this subject to some sort of conclusion and then respond later to whatever input we get. So, let me say up front that this final entry will not answer all the questions related to the topic. But, it will at least attempt to answer some of them. That said, I’d like to begin by discussing a general truth about our approach to theology.

Most of us prefer our theology neat and orderly with no “loose ends.” In other words, we have difficulty when two biblical truths appear to contradict each other. In our minds, when “truths” appear to contradict, they must be reconciled to our satisfaction. Or, we conclude that one of the apparently contradicting truths must not; in fact, be true after all. So, when we read different scriptural truths which state what appear to be opposing realities, we feel it necessary to minimize one truth in favor of whichever one we hold to be more important.

Our desire to resolve the tension of spiritual “contradictions” is understandable and at times even commendable. But, when our “resolving” results in us minimizing one scriptural statement in preference to another, we may enter into the dangerous realm of arrogance.

Here’s why; just because I don’t understand how God could possibly reconcile two apparent contradictions, doesn’t mean they are contradictions at all from God’s perspective. My thinking or perceiving something about God’s Word simply does not make it so! The obvious truth we often conveniently forget is that we do not know everything. If my perspective sees God’s Word stating things that appear to contradict, there are occasions when I must simply recognize my own ignorance, submit to the superior wisdom of God and bow to the fact that He is not obligated to explain every mystery to me.

“The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.^” (Deut. 29:29)

Let me try to make clear what I am NOT saying. I am not saying that every time there is something difficult to understand in scripture we should just give up trying to wrap our minds around it. A huge part of growing in Christian maturity involves digging in and learning what we did not previously understand about God’s truths. I am simply stating that there is an end to our human understanding and that our perspective of God’s Word does not always equal spiritual reality. God is the one and only arbiter of what is truth and what is not.

Really, most of our struggles with the area of what God sovereignly controls involve our difficulty reconciling a couple of issues: how a holy and loving God can be fair and just while controlling all events, and how God could have meaningful relationships with us if we don’t have complete free will in choosing relationship with Him.

There are many philosophical and scriptural arguments we could enter into to address these two areas of struggle. But, due to the constraints of time, space and attention spans, let’s look at how the Apostle Paul answers some of these objections to God’s fairness in Romans chapter nine. I would encourage you to read the entire chapter. Let me lay out some of Paul’s discussion by pulling out a few excerpts. He begins by talking about God’s greater purposes being served through His election of Jacob over Esau before birth.

“…Rebekah also, when she had conceived twins by one man, our father Isaac; for though the twins were not yet born and had not done anything good or bad, so that God’s purpose according to His choice would stand, not because of works but because of Him who calls, it was said to her, ‘The older will serve the younger.’ Just as it is written, ‘Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.’” (Rom. 9: 10-13 ESV)

As we read this, our natural feelings about what defines fairness cause us to ask questions about whether God is fair in His choosing one person over another. Paul anticipates these questions and begins to address them in the next verse.

“What shall we say then? There is no injustice with God, is there? May it never be! For He says to Moses, ‘I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.’ So then it depends not on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy.”(Rom. 9:14-15 ESV)

Notice how Paul addresses the question about God’s fairness. Rather than explaining how the apparent contradiction of God’s election of Jacob over Esau before birth squares with what is just and fair, Paul simply states “Is God unfair, no way!” and then quotes what God says about His choosing; that who receives mercy and who doesn’t is up to God and has absolutely nothing to do with the merits of one person over another. Paul, knowing that this answer may not be very satisfying to his readers, continues his argument by using another example of God’s sovereign choice.

“For the scripture says to Pharaoh, ‘For this very purpose I raised you up, to demonstrate My power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed throughout the whole earth.’ So then He has mercy on whom He desires, and he hardens whom he desires.” (Rom. 9:17-18 ESV)

Once again, most of us reading about Pharaoh and God’s sovereign purposes being fulfilled by Him having mercy on some and hardening some, struggle with questions about God’s fairness. Paul anticipates our objections again and states what most of us are asking,

“You will say to me then, ‘Why does He (God) still find fault? For who can resist His will?” (Rom. 9:19 ESV italics mine)

In other words, if God chooses to harden someone’s heart, how can it be fair for Him to judge that person? Let’s see how Paul answers the question.

“On the contrary, who are you, O man, who answers back to God? The thing molded will not say to the molder (God), ‘Why did you make me like this,’ will it? Or does not the potter (God) have a right over the clay (us), to make from the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for common use?” (Rom. 9:20-2 ESV italics mine)

So, Paul’s answer to the question about how we can resolve the apparent contradiction of God’s sovereign control with what is just and fair is…we have no right to question God’s character just because it doesn’t make sense to us.

If you continued reading chapter nine, you would see Paul focus on God’s mercy. He points out that God is compassionate and merciful in choosing any to be saved. Absolutely no one has a right to mercy from God. Two of Paul’s major points in this chapter are that God is creator and has a right to do whatever He chooses with what He has created. And, that God’s character of holiness and goodness is irreproachable!

There is so much more to be said about this topic. I realize that one danger in my using this passage may be that it might be misunderstood as meaning that it is wrong to ask questions about what God’s Word means when we are confused by something. Please, ask questions! Let’s discuss our confusion. But let’s not draw the conclusion that what doesn’t make sense to US cannot be true.

My hope and prayer is that the awesome truth of God’s sovereign control of events is becomes a comfort and defining truth affecting our life perspective. The fact that I am in relationship with an Almighty God who holds sway over the universe and whose character is wholly good should move me to live a life of constant worship and devotion.