"In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will," Ephesians 1:11. There are some words in this verse that really ruffle the feathers of some people. Ephesians 1 causes some people to start choking, stuttering, and become very angry. You can be having a great theological conversation with someone and the Sovereignty of God comes up, and the mood of the conversation changes. The atmosphere becomes awkward. Some people even become combative. Thank God for the Scriptures! The word "counsel" in this verse means determination, decision, decree, and in this verse speaks of God's counsel. God has made a decision of His own will. The word "will" in this verse means the will, the faculty of willing, free will. In order to have a free will, we must be able to make decisions without being influenced. Only God can do this. What God has decided to determine before time as we know it, will come to pass. This is His purpose. "Purpose" in this verse means what one proposes in one's mind or purposes to himself; spoken of the eternal purpose and counsel of God. "Who worketh" in this verse means to work, to effect, produce. The next part is where we lose people. What is it that God has freely decided to decree according to His own counsel, "all things"?
This is very comforting for those whom the Lord has redeemed. Our God is Sovereign. If you look up the word sovereign in modern dictionaries today, you will find that the definition is watered down, and has little to no reference to the God of the bible. It's simplest definition means supreme ruler. We have a hard time grasping this when we attach this definition to God because every ruler we know on this earth has limits. Even earths most powerful rulers are finite. Hitler and Stalin saw what they purposed come to naught. This can be applied to every person born of the seed of Adam. But God is infinite in all of His attributes. "God the good Creator of all things, in his infinite power and wisdom doth uphold, direct, dispose, and govern all creatures and things, from the greatest even to the least, by his most wise and holy providence, to the end for the which they were created, according unto his infallible foreknowledge, and the free and immutable counsel of his own will; to the praise of the glory of his wisdom, power, justice, infinite goodness, and mercy." Chapter 5 paragraph 1 Of Divine Providence from The London Baptist Confession of Faith of 1689.
We are to base everything upon the Scriptures. "Whatsoever the LORD pleased, that did he in heaven, and in earth, in the seas, and all deep places" Psalm 135:6. "Let all the earth fear the LORD: let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him. For he spake and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast. The LORD bringeth the counsel of the heathen to nought: he maketh the devices of the people of none effect. The counsel of the LORD standeth for ever, the thoughts of his heart to all generations," Psalm 33:8-11. "But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased," Psalm 115:3. "Declaring the end from the beginning, and form ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure," Isaiah 46:10. "And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?" Daniel 4:35.
According to the Scriptures, God is Sovereign. "The sovereignty of God may be defined as the exercise of his supremacy. Being infinitely elevated above the highest creature, He is the most High, Lord of heaven and earth. Subject to none, influenced by none, absolutely independent; God does as he pleases, only as he pleases, always as he pleases. None can thwart him, none can hinder him. So his own Word expressly declares: "My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure" Isaiah 46:10; "He doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand," Daniel 4:35. Divine sovereignty means that God is God in fact, as well as in name, that he is on the Throne of the universe, directing all things, working all things "after the counsel of his own will" Ephesians 1:11." A.W. Pink.
Why is this biblical truth so hated today? In answering this we must clarify that this biblical truth is not hated by everyone. Obviously the lost world hates anything about God that they feel infringes on their desires to please themselves, but there are also Christians that do not like the Sovereignty of God. How can someone be a Christian and not like the Sovereignty of God? We must remember that when the Lord saved us we did not know all that we know today. This is why discipleship is so important. We are to grow in our knowledge of who God is. I don't know if we understand how much we are influenced by this world system. Even without this world system, we have our own flesh to deal with. Those of us who believe in the Sovereignty of God should live like it. Turn to Matthew 6:24-34. Our God is faithful. It is obvious that things happen in our lives that we wish they never had. God never makes mistakes. "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose," Romans 8:28. The more we grow in our knowledge of who God is, the more we rest in the God we are learning about. The God of the bible loves all who belong to Him. Not even a hair from our head can fall without God ordaining it. This doesn't make the hurt go away, and this doesn't cause us to stop grieving, but it does give us a peace which passeth all understanding. "Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity," II Timothy 2:19.
I hope that we are growing in the knowledge of who God is and that our faith in Him is also growing. Our faithful, loving, merciful, and gracious God is Sovereign. We have access to Him through our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. This again is great comfort for those whom the Lord has redeemed, but for those who are not saved, this is terrible news. You will stand before God one day, and in your current lost state, Sovereign God will judge you for what you have done, and He will cast you into the lake of fire to suffer for eternity. God has only given One Way to receive forgiveness of sins and to escape His wrath, and that One Way is through His Son Jesus Christ. Lost person, I beg you to trust Christ and His finished work on the cross. In God's Sovereignty, He has decreed that all who are saved are saved by the power of the Gospel unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
I am eternally thankful that God is Sovereign. Please send questions and comments to richardsonbaptistchurch@gmail.com. Soli Deo Gloria.
