The Sovereignty of God and Our Plans

Many think that God proposes, but man disposes.  In other words, God offers up various plans and man chooses his own outcome.  But nothing could be further from the truth. Man simply doesn’t change the nature or direction of God’s plans at all.

From all eternity God planned (rather than proposed) and man does what God planned in the first place. Now this happens in such a way that man does what God intends to do, but it always turns out to be exactly what God planned for man to do.

Check out this passage:  Genesis 50:20: “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.”

In other words, “You planned evil against me; God planned it for good to bring about the present result – the survival of many people.”

You see, Joseph’s brothers had one plan and they carried it out, but God had another plan, which they also carried out. Both Joseph’s brothers plan and intentions and God’s plan and intentions were accomplished in such a way by Joseph’s brothers that they were rightly held responsible for their actions, and God’s will was carried out by them.

So, God has a plan and man has plans.  All of man’s plans are nothing more than the fulfillment of God’s ultimate plan.  You see, there is really only one plan.  God plans and purposes and man carries it out exactly the way God intends.

We may see a plan being carried out by man as going off course at times. But let me assure you of this:  Nothing that occurs in the world orchestrated by man is ever off course from the plan of God.

God is working out a story of redemption and all His actors are performing their parts precisely the way God intended for them to do so – man, angels and demons!

“Many plans are in a man’s heart, but the counsel of the Lord will prevail” (Prov. 19:21). 

Man proposes (offers up plans); God disposes (chooses the outcome). 

The Sovereignty of God and the Non-Elect, Part 5

In the Scriptures, the words “know” and “foreknowledge” when applied to God, have reference not simply to His prescience (i.e. His knowledge beforehand), but to His knowledge of approbation (i.e. a favorable choice of someone). When God said to Israel, “You only have I known of all the families of the earth” (Amos 3:2), He meant, “You only have I any favorable regard to.” When we read in Romans 11:2 “God has not cast away His people (Israel) whom He foreknew,” what was signified is, “God has not finally rejected the people whom He has chosen as the objects of His love”—cf. Deuteronomy 7:7,8.

In the same way are we to understand Matthew 7:23. In the Day of Judgment the Lord will say unto many, “I never knew you.”  Note, it is more than simply “I have no knowledge of you.” Rather, His solemn declaration will be, “I never knew you”—you were never the objects of My approbation. Contrast this with “I know (love) My sheep, and am known (loved) of Mine” (John 10:14).

The “sheep,” His elect, the “few,” He does “know;” but the reprobate, the non-elect, the “many” He knows not—no, not even before the foundation of the world did He know them—He “NEVER” knew them in the sense of approbation (a favorable choice). 

Now this is not hard to understand.  What it may be is hard to accept.  But let me remind you that as the Sovereign ruler of the cosmos, God is not obligated to give us anything – not life and not happiness. In America, we may have come to believe that we are entitled to some things freely, but not so with God. He chooses some to eternal life and He chooses some not to eternal life.  This is His sovereign choice and He does what pleases Him.

End of Part 5

The Sovereignty of God and the Non-Elect, Part 4

We do not squabble as much over God choosing the elect, but what do we say about the non-elect? When we affirm that the non-elect are left to destruction and nothing we do can change that, are we from the bible simply making mere inferences?

Here is a good passage to wrestle with – Joshua 11:18-20

18 Joshua made war a long time with all those kings.19 There was not a city that made peace with the people of Israel except the Hivites, the inhabitants of Gibeon. They took them all in battle. 20 For it was the LORD's doing to harden their hearts that they should come against Israel in battle, in order that they should be devoted to destruction and should receive no mercy but be destroyed, just as the LORD commanded Moses.

Go ahead and read verse 20 again, slowly. How does that sit with you?

What could be plainer than this? Here was a large number of Canaanites whose hearts the Lord hardened, whom He had purposed to utterly destroy, to whom He showed “no favor.”

Granted that they were wicked, immoral, idolatrous; were they any worse than the immoral, idolatrous cannibals of the South Sea Islands to whom God gave the Gospel through John G. Paton! No. Then why did not God command Israel to teach the Canaanites His laws and instruct them concerning sacrifices to the true God? Plainly, because He had marked them out for destruction, and if so, that from all eternity. “The Lord hath made all things for Himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil.” (Proverbs 16:4).

Here is something to keep firmly in mind: That God made us, not for our own sakes, but for Himself; not for our own happiness, but for His glory; is, nevertheless, repeatedly affirmed in Scripture— Revelation 4:11.

But Proverbs 16:4 goes even farther: it expressly declares that the Lord made the wicked for the Day of Evil: that was His design in giving them being. But why, you ask? Does not Romans 9:17 tell us why, “For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, Even for this purpose have I raised you up, that I might show My power in you, and that My name might be declared throughout all the earth!”

God has made the wicked that, at the end, He may demonstrate “His power”—demonstrate it by showing what an easy matter it is for Him to subdue the stoutest rebel and to overthrow His mightiest enemy. “And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: Depart from Me, you that work iniquity” ( Matthew 7:23).

Now listen, the devil will have his day. But even Satan and his angels were marked out and chosen by the absolute sovereign God of the universe for destruction (cf. Matt. 25:41).

God did not create anything for its sake; but God creates all things for His sake!

End of Part 4

Refugee Crisis in the Church

We have come to the place where the worse thing you can do in the land of the free and home of the brave is to call sin, sin!

This mentality has also crept into the church and pastors are so afraid to let the word "sin" slip from their lips. They are afraid to mention sin specifically for fear of not being accepted and losing people along the way.

This mindset set has caused the church to take in refugees from the world -- i.e. refugees of unconverted sinners, who find their place on the praise and worship team, serve as church officers, members of various committees, and even a part of the pastor's advisory committee.

We look at our present president and conclude that he is too soft on the borders. Thousands upon thousands of illegals are pouring into this country creating more concerns, changing for the worse the morals and traditions of this country, and depleting the necessary resources need to care for our own. We even become upset because Pres. Obama refuses to identity and call terrorists, "Muslim radicals!"

Yet, this is what is precisely being done in many so-called Christians churches. Pastors and church leaders are soft on sin, fearing even to name it and calling it what it is. Thy are afraid to exercise church discipline in their churches. They are afraid to preach messages on abortion, homosexuality, adultery, drunkenness, and divorce.

As a result of not naming the enemy, pastors have allowed the church to change from being a home of redeemed saints, to a place where sinners come in as refugees and must be consoled and tolerated.

Therefore, from a social stand point, the greatest sin is to call it what it is -- sin!

Should I Vote For A Christian?

Sometimes I encounter Christians who vote for a candidate on the basis that he or she professes to be a Christian.  Many candidates know this so they talk about their belief in God, their prayer life, and how they have done good along the way.

I think we need to be wise in this area. Voting for someone on the basis of whether he or she is a Christian is not wise. Here’s why:  The antichrist will deceive many in his day, getting people to believe that he not only believes in God, but that he is God (2 Thess. 2:4).  Of course, the latter revelation will come as a surprise and shock to many people who have no idea what’s coming next.

Satan is a master-counterfeiter.  He only counterfeits for one purpose – to deceive. Therefore, he lies about who he is and what he is about, so as to draw in as many as possible to his web before revealing his true intentions.

The bible teaches that Satan can transform himself into an “angel of light” (2 Cor. 11:14).  He can appear good, noble and worthy to be followed. Satan’s servants can also do the same by “disguising themselves as servants of righteousness” (v. 15).

Just how deceptive can Satan and his servants be?  Not one disciples of Jesus ever imagined that Judas would be the betrayer. He too followed Jesus wherever He went. Judas preached the gospel and performed miracles and healed people along the way (Matt. 10).  Notice that in verse 5, it says, “These twelve (Judas included) Jesus sent out after instructing them.”

So trusted was Judas that he was put in charge of the group’s finances (John 12:6; 13:29). It wasn’t until the very end when the time was right that Judas revealed his true intentions and it decimated the group, got Jesus arrested and eventually crucified. Of course, it all was in the plan and purpose of God. The Lord was not fooled!

The Beast or antichrist will come across to the world as a champion for religious expression and freedom, then when the time is right, he will destroy all major religions and set himself as the only one who is to be worshiped globally (Rev. 17:16). 

It is no secret that politicians will say whatever they need to say to look and sound good in order to get elected. Some will put forth their Christian card. Some will hide their true beliefs, waiting to reveal it when they get into office, where they will be virtually untouched.

When it comes to politics, look for the ideas of a candidate that mirrors the bible as close as possible. Don’t put your hope and stock on a person professing to a Christian.

Hey, remember this: If revival is going to come to our great nation, it will not come through the White House.  It will come through the Church House and yours and my house!  Let’s keep our perspective and hope in God and not in man.