SEMESTER 2
117 – THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD
BIBLE INSTITUTE OF CORRESPONDENCE
COURSE: THEOLOGY II LESSON # 17
THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD
Read Psalm 135:6
and Psalm 115:3.
INTRODUCTION:
1. Paul’s experience, revealed in Acts 24:14, has been mine in this area of truth.
2. If not only expressed difference, but change, i.e.,
i. What they hate he believes and,
ii. What they believe, he once believed.
3. This has been the experience of most men in the area of sovereignty.
4. Though hated, what I shall now teach was held by Bunyan, Gill, Fuller, Carey, Judson, Spurgeon, Graves, Jeter, Boyce, Strong, Carrol, Paul, Peter, Jesus Christ and is stated in all the ancient confessions of faith.
5. I challenge all opposition on grounds of faith of our fathers, but more surely on texts of Scripture.
6. In the previous lesson, we considered nature (independency) in this one, sovereign action.
I. THE IMPORTANCE OF THE DOCTRINE
1. Any variation from absolute sovereignty is, to the extent of that variation, practical atheism.
2. It denies the Godhood of God, in the area of all real action.
III: Godsoe – “It means God is God.”
III: Spurgeon – “Men will tolerate God anywhere except on His throne.” (Ps. 50:21, Ps. 89:7-9)
II. THE DEFINITION OF THE DOCTRINE
1. It states divine supremacy and independency, i.e., the right and the power to do as He pleases.
2. God, and He alone, has the right to act for His own glory.
i. The doctrine is simply that God has done, does, and shall do exactly as He pleases.
3. He makes even the wrath of man to praise Him. (Ps. 76:10, I Pet. 2:7-9)
4. To the deniers of this truth, I can give a hundred inexplicable Scriptures, from which they run like rats, when the lights come on.
III. SOVEREIGNTY IS DISPLAYED IN CREATION
1. Heresy often asserts that God created out of insufficiency (loneliness). Blasphemy!
2. Scripture says it was for His sovereign “good pleasure.” (Pro. 16:4, Rom. 11:36, Rev. 4:11)
III: The different lots in life of the species.
IV. SOVEREIGNTY IS DISPLAYED IN ADMINISTRATION
1. God controls what man calls nature. (Dan. 2:21, Mat. 5:45, Acts 14:17, Job 28:26)
1. God controls human life and death. (Job 30:23, Ps. 31:15)
2. God controls animal conduct, consider Baalim’s ass, whale, rooster, lions, cows and quail.
3. God controls all human activity, Abimeleck, Herod, wise men, Titus, Hitler, Cyrus. (Gen. 20:6, Pro. 21:1, Mat. 22:1-7)
4. Divine healing and physical favor to man: “Why hast thou made me thus?” and “If thou wilt thou canst make me clean.”
V. SOVEREIGNTY IS DISPLAYED IN SALVATION
1. Many who subscribe to all the foregoing, definitely insist upon stopping here.
2. There is no real middle ground between absolute sovereignty and salvation by works.
3. Is human action in salvation, the cause of divine action, or the result of it?
4. If you say it is the cause, you reject grace; if you say the effect, or result, you embrace grace.
5. This in no way denies either human responsibility, volition or action.
6. It is indeed the biblical explanation of them.
7. This in no way violates or forbids our preaching of repentance (Luke 13:5) and faith (Acts 16:31). Notice Acts 20:21.