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This is a study on the Sovereignty of God. We must begin with Romans chapter nine. This is the most important doctrine of the Bible because it shows that God is the author of salvation and condemnation of men and not men himself as he think he is. Therefore, only proper understanding of God's Sovereignty brings one into perfect rest.
Rom 9:8 “That is, they which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.”
The first thing we notice is that God makes a difference between the children of the flesh and the children of the promise. Now, we are all flesh, born of a fleshly woman, but we are not all the children of the promise. So what is the promise? These are they that have been chosen by God before the foundation of the world. Not because they have some special ability or are better than the others and have been given a new resurrected spirit.
Rom 9:11 “For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth ;”
The thing that stands out of this verse is that; 1. Predestination is done so that the purpose of God might stand, 2. That is not of works. Salvation does not depend on any work done by men before or after the new birth, because what is save is his spirit not his flesh. His flesh still corrupt for it has sin dwelling in it.
Therefore, we need to find out what the purpose of God is and what the works are.
Quickly I can say that the purpose of God is that after all is said and done, God would be glorified and not men, so we have to take all men’s works out of the picture for that to occur, and I insist, that includes the works done after the new birth, the so called “good works”. John 1:13 “Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”
Rom 9:13 “As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.”
So, when we look at the Sovereignty of God we can see that the end result was predetermined before the foundation of the world, so from God’s perspective it’s irrelevant what we do or don’t do, we are caught in the means and not in the end, therefore we have to look at the end and not at the means so that we can rest because if don't do that we would be in trouble, working and labouring for God's favor.
We believe in the “end” because it is written in the Word of God and we know that it will be fulfill, for example; in Romans 9 the Bible talks about what God does with His mercy “Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will [have mercy], and whom he will he hardeneth.”
There’s nothing we can do about that, for or against it, we do not question God, we just believe Him and rest in Him knowing that He might, “… make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory,” verse 23.
Let me point out that, a vessel cannot dishonor his creator because it does not depend on the vessel to do it but it depends on the creator, nor can a vessel do something to honor the creator, it does not depend on the vessel to do that either, I repeat, it depends on the creator.
the problem is we now believe that since we got born again, we now have free will regarding what we do, whether we obey God or not. Ok, let me share this with you;
Going back to Romans 9 we can conclude that the scriptures are plain about the Sovereignty of God and the powerlessness of men;
Exod 9:12 “And the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh,and he hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had spoken unto Moses.”
The LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh. Like I said in the beginning of this study, the Revelation of the Sovereignty of God can break the hardest heart there is, the heart of men. But we know God is not going to harden the heart of His children for they are all in the sheepfold, we just need to listen to what He’s saying to us now and continue moving;
Rom 9:8 “That is, they which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.”
The first thing we notice is that God makes a difference between the children of the flesh and the children of the promise. Now, we are all flesh, born of a fleshly woman, but we are not all the children of the promise. So what is the promise? These are they that have been chosen by God before the foundation of the world. Not because they have some special ability or are better than the others and have been given a new resurrected spirit.
Rom 9:11 “For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth ;”
The thing that stands out of this verse is that; 1. Predestination is done so that the purpose of God might stand, 2. That is not of works. Salvation does not depend on any work done by men before or after the new birth, because what is save is his spirit not his flesh. His flesh still corrupt for it has sin dwelling in it.
Therefore, we need to find out what the purpose of God is and what the works are.
Quickly I can say that the purpose of God is that after all is said and done, God would be glorified and not men, so we have to take all men’s works out of the picture for that to occur, and I insist, that includes the works done after the new birth, the so called “good works”. John 1:13 “Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”
Rom 9:13 “As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.”
So, when we look at the Sovereignty of God we can see that the end result was predetermined before the foundation of the world, so from God’s perspective it’s irrelevant what we do or don’t do, we are caught in the means and not in the end, therefore we have to look at the end and not at the means so that we can rest because if don't do that we would be in trouble, working and labouring for God's favor.
We believe in the “end” because it is written in the Word of God and we know that it will be fulfill, for example; in Romans 9 the Bible talks about what God does with His mercy “Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will [have mercy], and whom he will he hardeneth.”
There’s nothing we can do about that, for or against it, we do not question God, we just believe Him and rest in Him knowing that He might, “… make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory,” verse 23.
Let me point out that, a vessel cannot dishonor his creator because it does not depend on the vessel to do it but it depends on the creator, nor can a vessel do something to honor the creator, it does not depend on the vessel to do that either, I repeat, it depends on the creator.
the problem is we now believe that since we got born again, we now have free will regarding what we do, whether we obey God or not. Ok, let me share this with you;
Rom 7:14 “For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that [it is] good. Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but [how] to perform that which is good I find not. For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.”Mind you, that is the Apostle Paul speaking. Sin has agrip in our flesh and it does what God allows it to do in our bodies, which is why Jesus taught us to pray; Mat. 6:13 “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.”
Jer 10:23 “O LORD, I know that the way of man [is] not in himself: [it is] not in man that walketh to direct his steps".
Prov 16:1 “The preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue, [is] from the LORD.
Pro 20:24 “Man’s goings are of the LORD; how can a man then understand his own way?
Psa 37:23 "The steps of a [good] man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way."
Psa 119:133"Order my steps in thy word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me."
Pro 16:1 “The preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue, is from the LORD.
Pro 16:9 "A man's heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps.”
Prov 16:33 “The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof [is] of the LORD.You can cast the lot but the disposing thereof is of the LORD. Wow! Everything we do is predetermined by God, not even a leaf will fall from a tree without our Father knowing about it, we have no say so in the way our steps go, we can only cry out, Lord please let no iniquity have dominion over me. If you still think you have some free will, let me share what God says we are:
Isaiah 40:21-26 “Have ye not known? Have ye not heard? Hath it not been told you from the beginning? Have ye not understood from the foundations of the earth? [It is] he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof[are] as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in: That bringeth the princes to nothing;he maketh the judges of the earth as vanity. Yea, they shall not be planted; yea, they shall not be sown: yea, their stock shall not take root in the earth: and he shall also blow upon them, and they shall wither, and the whirlwind shall take them away as stubble. To whom then will ye liken me, or shall I be equal? Saith the Holy One. Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who hath created these [things], that bringeth out their host by number: he calleth them all by names by the greatness of his might, for that [he is] strong in power; not one faileth.”
Going back to Romans 9 we can conclude that the scriptures are plain about the Sovereignty of God and the powerlessness of men;
Rom 9:15 “For he saith 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 is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy. For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up,that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth. Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth.”GOD CAN SEND US AN EVIL SPIRIT
1 Sam 16:14 “But the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD troubled him.”1Sam 19:9 “And the evil spirit from the LORD was upon Saul, as he sat in his house with his javelin in his hand: and David played with [his] hand.”An evil spirit from the Lord?
Exod 9:12 “And the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh,and he hearkened not unto them; as the LORD had spoken unto Moses.”
The LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh. Like I said in the beginning of this study, the Revelation of the Sovereignty of God can break the hardest heart there is, the heart of men. But we know God is not going to harden the heart of His children for they are all in the sheepfold, we just need to listen to what He’s saying to us now and continue moving;
Eph 4:13“Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son ofGod, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fullness ofChrist:”Zeph 3:9 “For then will I turn to the people a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of the LORD, to serve him with one consent.”
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