Afternoon Y'all! I pray this post encourages you and gives God glory! Got suggested topics you want me to write about? Please comment below or email me at info@mocatoday.com.
Lately, I've been hearing things like, "It happened, so this must be God's Will and what He wanted to happen." For example, if someone commits murder, this concept says, "The murder happened, so this must be what God willed and wanted to happen, right?" Wrong, not necessarily! Such a concept is not biblical doctrine and brings me to today's blog topics— God's sovereignty, our free will, good choices.
Principles around God's sovereignty and free will are important for believers to understand.
Whenever we reference that God is sovereign, we are essentially saying, "For ALL things [good and bad], God either allows it to happen or caused it to happen." There are also no such things as "coincidences" due to the truth that God is sovereign. Moreover, nothing surprises God because nothing occurs or is created without first getting God's permission. Global pandemics apply here too!
The story of Job is a great example of the above principles.
To go a bit deeper, God's sovereignty teaches that God is:
Omniscient. All-knowing. (Psalm 147:5, Romans 11:33)
Omnipresent. Outside of time, present everywhere at the same time. (Exodus 3:14; Psalm 90:2, Revelation 21:6)
Omnipotent. All-powerful over all things at all times in all ways. (Genesis 1:1; Colossians 1:16, John 1:1)
At the same time, God also gives us free will (the freedom to make choices that either support or go against God's Will). Hence, while God is indeed sovereign, He also gives us the freedom to choose His Will or not within all matters of our lives. And, although God is not the author of sin, He may choose to allow it ultimately for His purposes. In other words, sometimes God uses evil to accomplish good (Genesis 45:7-8; 50:20, Romans 8:28).
See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil, in that I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commandments, His statutes, and His judgments, that you may live and multiply; and the Lord your God will bless you in the land which you go to possess. But if your heart turns away so that you do not hear, and are drawn away, and worship other gods and serve them, I announce to you today that you shall surely perish; you shall not prolong your days in the land which you cross over the Jordan to go in and possess. I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live; ~Deuteronomy 30:11-19 (NKJV)
Gotquestions.org further explains,
The Bible describes God as offering humanity choices (Deuteronomy 30:15-19), holding them personally responsible for their sins (Exodus 20:5), and being unhappy with some of their actions (Numbers 25:3). The fact that sin exists at all proves that not all things that occur are the direct actions of God, who is holy. The reality of human volition (and human accountability) sets the maximum boundary for God’s sovereign control over the universe, which is to say there is a point at which God chooses to allow things that He does not directly cause.
God’s "sovereignty" means that He is absolute in authority and unrestricted in His supremacy. Everything that happens is, at the very least, the result of God’s permissive will. This holds true even if certain specific things are not what He would prefer. The right of God to allow mankind’s free choices is just as necessary for true sovereignty as His ability to enact His will, wherever and however He chooses.
Given above, we can derive that just because God allowed something to happen, it doesn't necessarily mean it was His Will because the sovereignty of God and our free will are two different things that work hand-in-hand.
Instead, it could be the case that God has allowed our freedom to choose to "prevail", even if it technically goes against His Will and His desires for our lives.
Yet, even with our choices and sin, God can use all of our decisions [good and bad] to ultimately work for His purposes. My favorite scripture, Romans 8:28, explains this truth—
And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. ~Romans 8:28 (NKJV)
Grace Church describes,
Scripture affirms both divine sovereignty and human responsibility. We must accept both sides of the truth, though we may not understand how they correspond to one another. People are responsible for what they do with the gospel— or with whatever light they have (Romans 2:19-20), so that punishment is just if they reject the light. And those who reject do so voluntarily.
Therefore, if we desire to make "good" choices that pleases God according to His Word and His Will, it is critical we have a growing personal relationship with Jesus Christ and choose to walk by the Holy Spirit daily.
Why?
Because it's from the supernatural power only sourced by the Holy Spirit that we receive God's direction, discernment, strength, wisdom, and ability to make "good" choices.
How do we know if a choice is "good" and lines up with God's Will according to His principles and calling for our lives?
By first being a child of God (Galatians 3:26, John 1:12). Then, always seeking God in prayer for guidance, knowing and adhering to His Word, possessing a repentant heart, and being able to answer 'Yes' to each of these six questions:
Does this choice glorify [or honor] God?
Do I have peace of God about it?
Does this choice help me and/or others draw nearer to God?
Do I have a genuine desire or feel God is calling me to make such a choice?
Is the door open for me to make the choice?
The choice does not contradict or abandon the Word of God?
Pastor John MacArthur, Grace Church, provides a helpful summary:
Above all, one must not conclude that God is unjust because He chooses to bestow grace on some but not to everyone. God is never to be measured by what seems fair to human judgment. Is man so foolish as to assume that he, a sinful creature, has a higher standard of what is right than an unfallen, infinitely, eternally holy God? What kind of pride is that? In Psalm 50:21 God says, "You thought that I was just like you." But God is not like man, nor can He be held to human standards. "My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways," declares the Lord. "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts" (Isaiah 55:8-9).
Additional Resources:
Remember, it's about progression not perfection!
God loves you! With Him, you got this! Until next post, may God give you His peace and blessings!
~Natasha
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Such a great topic! Thank you, sis!