God's sovereignty (Part 1)

God...does what He chooses, as He chooses, when He chooses.  –JAMES BORDWINE

In the preceding days we have looked again at the Argument from Design, one of my five reasons for believing in God’s existence, and have tried to see if we could infer from it anything about His nature or character. Thus far, we have discussed four attributes of God that follow from the universe’s design:

•  He is the Power behind that creation.

•  He is the Activity behind that power.

•  He is the Volition behind that activity.

In short, He is the One who has chosen to act powerfully in creation. 

The next characteristic, God’s sovereignty, follows from His volition. It is one of the most widely discussed and deeply polarizing topics in theology. The ways it has been defined and interpreted have splintered the Church into denominational factions and left congregations in turmoil and dissension. My purpose here will be to define God’s sovereignty in terms we all can understand and in a manner that will accentuate our common ground.

The simplest way I have found to understand the sovereignty of God is to remember this phrase: “It’s His choice!” God’s sovereignty, reduced to its simplest expression, involves just that—His freedom to make the choices He deems appropriate, whether or not we happen to like them or understand them. It is not in any sense a loss of ultimate power but, quite the opposite, is power ultimately expressed. It is God being God and acting as God, regardless. So when the subject of God’s sovereignty comes up, my advice is to remember the phrase: “It’s His choice!” This should eliminate over half the confusion and argument about the subject.

The overall effect of such a bare-bones definition is to muffle those who would question the way He has chosen to act. My reply to these skeptics would be as follows:

•  If the universe exists and He created it, it’s His choice.

•  If the universe is so constructed that sin and suffering may enter therein, it’s His choice.

•  If He has provided a way of escape from sin, a path of salvation for us, it’s His choice.

•  If that path involves humility and sacrifice on His part, it’s His choice again.

And His choice stands—even in the face of all questions, doubts, and accusations thrown His way—because God is the Sovereignty behind the choice. He acts in power the way He chooses to act in power.

                                                            -Dear God, You Sure Don't Act Like You're Alive (Day 13)