Doctrine of the Angelic Conflict, part 12 – The essence of God – Sovereignty. 1Ti 2:4; Jam 4:6; Pro 3; Rom 12:2; 1Cor 15:57.Title: Doctrine of the Angelic Conflict, part 12 – The essence of God – Sovereignty. 1Ti 2:4; Jam 4:6; Pro 3; Rom 12:2; 1Cor 15:57.
Hereby it is manifest that during the time men live without a common power to keep them all in awe, they are in that condition which is called war; and such a war as is of every man against every man. For war consisteth not in battle only, or the act of fighting, but in a tract of time, wherein the will to contend by battle is sufficiently known: and therefore the notion of time is to be considered in the nature of war, as it is in the nature of weather. For as the nature of foul weather lieth not in a shower or two of rain, but in an inclination thereto of many days together: so the nature of war consisteth not in actual fighting, but in the known disposition thereto during all the time there is no assurance to the contrary. All other time is peace. [Thomas Hobbes, Leviathan]
5. The essence of God part 1: Attributes that constitute God and are not commuted to beings.
Before we begin this part of our study it is extremely important to recognize:
The attributes of God are interwoven, interdependent, and always in harmony. We are to never omit any or emphasize one over another. This leads to error.
A. Sovereignty
a) God is the Supreme Being of the universe (Heb 6:13), therefore the Highest King (Psa 47:7), and having absolute authority (Psa 50:10)
b) God has absolute will and does whatsoever He pleases – Psa 115:3, 1Sa 2:6-8; 1Chr 29:11-12.
This means that everything God has done, allowed, and prevented are in perfect accordance with His infallible and eternal pleasure.
c) The sovereignty of God always functions in total compatibility with all of His other divine attributes. -God is self-existent, which means He is eternal.
His perfect decisions from His sovereignty are compatible with His eternal and infinite self-existence. This means He is not like us in progressive decision making. His decisions before time, during time, and after time are the same.
-God is immutable and unchangeable.
Therefore, He has never had to reverse a decision. God does not have to be flexible, for He is perfect. As perfect, infinite, and eternal God, He never has to withdraw a decision. His decisions were perfect billions of years ago and they remain perfect in time.
-God’s integrity is incorruptible.
God’s decisions are perfect with regard to His integrity. Every decision is righteous and just. God’s sense of humor is also perfect, and there must be some amusement in heaven concerning the things we fail to understand.
-God’s gracious love toward us is perfect, based on His integrity.
This one blows Calvinism out of the water. God so loved the world. He does not condemn one person and save another based only on Sovereignty, but through love He acknowledges the free will of the creature to believe in Christ or to reject Him.
This is why the student of doctrine cannot overemphasize one characteristic of God and neglect another. They are all interwoven, interdependent, and in perfect harmony.
Therefore, all these add up to the fact that God cannot make a bad decision even once. And from His sovereignty, God has made billions and billions of decisions.
This includes the creation of Lucifer and Adam as well as you, your time in human history, your geographical location, your parents and siblings, your children, your PT and local church. This also includes all circumstances whether good, bad, adverse, or prosperous. If you are suffering because of bad decisions and therefore deservedly or undeservedly because of the bad decisions of another each circumstance perfectly fits God’s good pleasure under His Sovereign decree. Directed, allowed, or prevented all of God’s Sovereign decisions move perfectly toward His good pleasure.
[quote] “Yet since God cannot change, is immutable, it does not mean that He is immobile. If He consistently pursues a righteous course, His attitude must be adapted to every moral change in men. “God’s unchanging holiness requires him to treat the wicked differently from the righteous. When the righteous become wicked, his treatment of them must change [Prodigal Son]. The sun is not fickle or partial because it melts the wax but hardens the clay, - the change is not in the sun but in the objects it shines upon.” (Strong, Systematic Theology, p. 124)
Deut 30:19 I call heaven and earth to witness against you today, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse. So choose life in order that you may live, you and your descendants,
Deut 30:20 by loving the Lord your God, by obeying His voice, and by holding fast to Him; for this is your life and the length of your days, that you may live in the land which the Lord swore to your fathers [CA = SM], to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them."
Israel is a picture of the believer’s soul. Israel’s blessing is a type of the believer’s soul prosperity by attaining SM under the plan of God for the CA.
d) In His Sovereignty He pleased to give man free will – John 3:16 "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.
e) The meeting place of the two wills is the cross, Matt 26:39.
Matt 26:39 And He went a little beyond them, and fell on His face and prayed, saying, "My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as Thou wilt."
Christ’s free will met with God’s Sovereign will and acquiesced to make the issue of salvation in the free will of man and the Sovereign will of God one decision to believe on Christ for salvation.
The plan of God after salvation is based in Christ and His finished work and the word of God is His mind on the matter of His execution of God’s plan and so the believer’s continued free will in life is in communion with Sovereign will only in faith, but not faith in Christ all over again, but faith in the power ministry of God the HS and the inculcation of the word of God.
f) God’s Sovereign plan for the human race: There is perfect peace and highest destiny for those who, knowing the will of God, are subject to it. There is distress and anguish awaiting those who, knowing the will of God, disregard it.
Because of divine sovereignty, the saving gospel of Christ is, in various Scriptures, presented as something to be obeyed.
1 Tim 2:3 This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior,
1 Tim 2:4 who desires [Sovereign directive will] all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
This becomes more than an “oh well, I didn’t do the will of God,” when Sovereignty is in view. If God desires it than it is His Sovereign will and when the creature is opposed to that will then God makes war with him. The manner in which He makes war is entirely up to Him. It can be subtle or explosive, but in war with God the creature will lose. The unbeliever loses life and the believer loses the rewards of the life beyond dreams.
James 4:5-6 Or do you think that the Scripture speaks to no purpose: "He jealously desires the Spirit which He has made to dwell in us"? But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, "God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble."
1 Peter 5:5 You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders [PT]; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble.
Pro 3:1 My son, do not forget my teaching [be prepared through inculcation of doctrine], But let your heart keep my commandments;
Pro 3:2 For length of days and years of life, And peace they will add to you.
Pro 3:3 Do not let kindness and truth [grace and truth] leave you; Bind them around your neck [signet ring for writing checks – draw on your account], Write them on the tablet of your heart [metabolize doctrine].
Pro 3:4 So you will find favor [grace] and good repute In the sight of God and man.
Pro 3:5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart [His will], And do not lean on your own understanding.
Pro 3:6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight [clear, safe, leveling hills [problems], fastest way to soul prosperity].
Pro 3:7 Do not be wise in your own eyes [arrogance]; Fear [respect, protect what He has given you as precious] the Lord and turn away from evil.
Pro 3:8 It will be healing to your body, And refreshment to your bones.
Pro 3:9 Honor the Lord from your wealth [be gracious], And from the first of all your produce [not just the leftovers];
Pro 3:10 So your barns will be filled with plenty, And your vats will overflow with new wine [earthly prosperity].
Pro 3:11 My son, do not reject the discipline of the Lord, Or loathe His reproof [you need correction],
Pro 3:12 For whom the Lord loves He reproves, Even as a father, the son in whom he delights.
Pro 3:13 How blessed [happy] is the man who finds wisdom, And the man who gains understanding.
Pro 3:14 For its profit is better than the profit of silver, And its gain than fine gold.
Pro 3:15 She [wisdom personified – the intellect of God’s personality] is more precious than jewels; And nothing you desire compares with her.
Pro 3:16 Long life [vigorous life] is in her right hand; In her left hand are riches and honor.
Pro 3:17 Her ways are pleasant ways, And all her paths are peace [soul prosperity].
Pro 3:18 She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her, And happy are all who hold her fast.
Pro 3:19 The Lord by wisdom founded the earth; By understanding He established the heavens [cosmological and teleological arguments].
Pro 3:20 By His knowledge the deeps were broken up, And the skies drip with dew [prosperity in an agricultural economy].
Pro 3:21 My son, let them not depart from your sight; Keep sound wisdom and discretion,
Pro 3:22 So they will be life to your soul, And adornment to your neck.
Pro 3:23 Then you will walk in your way securely [confidently – people without confidence resent those who have it], And your foot will not stumble [stumbling blocks].
Pro 3:24 When you lie down, you will not be afraid; When you lie down, your sleep will be sweet.
Pro 3:25 Do not be afraid of sudden fear, Nor of the onslaught of the wicked when it comes [nothing concocted against you is greater than doctrine];
Pro 3:26 For the Lord will be your confidence, And will keep your foot from being caught [stumbling blocks].
Pro 3:27 Do not withhold good [divine good, virtue love] from those to whom it is due, When it is in your power to do it.
Rom 13:8 Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another;
Pro 3:28 Do not say to your neighbor, "Go, and come back, And tomorrow I will give it, "When you have it with you.
Pro 3:29 Do not devise harm against your neighbor [MAS’s; SOT], While he lives in security beside you.
Pro 3:30 Do not contend with a man without cause, If he has done you no harm [mind your own business].
Pro 3:31 Do not envy a man of violence, And do not choose any of his ways.
Pro 3:32 For the crooked man [crooked paths] is an abomination to the Lord; But He is intimate with the upright.
Pro 3:33 The curse of the Lord is on the house of the wicked, But He blesses the dwelling of the righteous.
Pro 3:34 Though He scoffs at the scoffers, Yet He gives grace to the afflicted [quoted in Jam 4:6 and 1Pe 5:5].
Pro 3:35 The wise will inherit honor, But fools display dishonor.
This is the Sovereign will of God for His creatures. It is obvious that opposition to God’s will is not a wise choice.
Of the doctrine it is God’s will that the mind first be transformed by doctrine and then the proof of doctrine be made a witness, Rom 12:2.
Rom 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.
Proof is made through the positive believer’s thought, speech, and deed as he applies the pertinent doctrines to all of life’s situations.
“prove” – dokima,zw[dokimazo] = to test someone or something for the purpose of approval. To test for purity. Always from God and not from satan.
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