Our God is Omnipotent (Part 4)

Alright. Romans 13 verse number one, the Bible says this, let every soul be subject unto the higher powers for there is no power but of god and the powers that be are ordained of god. Note, but not the powers that we wish to be but the powers that be, that is what is actually there. I think all of us would agree that there are powers in this world that we wish were not there, right? But that’s not something we have control over.

The powers that be are ordained of god. Okay. So, notice it says, the thing I want you to key in on is where the scripture says, there is no power but of god and so if you think of if you think of god’s power as an umbrella, right? If you think of God’s power as an umbrella, everything in this world, in God’s universe that has authority, right? Everything in this world that has authority, whether it be governmental authority, whether it be authority within the family because that’s also an authority or whether it be authority structures that exist in the military as an example or or authority structures in in school or whatever authority structures exist.

All of those fall under the umbrella of God’s authority. God’s authority is above all and not only above all as in greater, and this is a key thing we have to understand. When we talk about God’s authority, we’re not meaning simply that His authority is greater. We mean not only is it greater but the lord sits atop that authority and all of those sub authorities are within his own authority.

Okay. So, you can think of it as an umbrella and under the umbrella are all the other authorities we see in this world but you can also think of it as a circle with a bunch of little circles inside of that circle and then little circles inside of those circles but the big circle is God’s God’s power, God’s authority, and every authority that exists is within that circle.

Whether it’s good or bad, whether it’s righteous or unrighteous or holy or unholy, every authority exists within that within that broader circle of God’s power. That’s what verse number one is describing to us. And so, that’s an important thing for us to understand about God’s about God’s power. No power exists outside of God’s power and if it did exist outside of God’s power, He would no longer be omnipotent.

You why that’s so important, why this verse says what it says? From a philosophical standpoint, the reason why all power must be within God’s power is because if you had a circle of God’s power and then you had a different circle, whether it’s big or large, that existed not within god’s power, he is no longer omnipotent and that’s actually what we’re what we’re doing is we’re connecting maybe a philosophical truth with what the scripture text actually says. So, they go they go together And so no power outside of God’s power. And this is what it means to be omnipotent. Not only does no power exist outside of God’s power, but we also know that all those power, all those powers, however they be, or however they’re exercised are under God’s, He has all power. So those are His two.

And of course as we’re gonna see, that creates some interesting issues and problems because we definitely see in this world, whether it’s parents, whether it’s government on some level, whether it’s school or job, whatever authorities exist, do all of those authorities act in a way that is according to God’s will? No way. Right? War is often raged using power that is unjust. Right? Parents sometimes treat their children in a way that’s not right.

School teachers do the same. And of course politics and government policies and things can unjust and wrong. And those things, it creates a problem because on one hand, those powers exist within God’s power. There’s no question about that no matter how much we don’t like it, that is a fact. And on the other hand, we can also objectively say that those are not right. And so it creates this difficult problem, but the good thing is is that as Christians, as Bible believing people, the Lord knows that’s a problem and he has addressed it in his word in unmistakable ways.

That is in, in Romans chapter 13 in particular, but in other passages as well. And so this is what we mean by the omnipotence of God. Now, I want to since we’re on the subject of omnipotence, I want to deal with one particular, like subset of this because it it is directly related to omnipotence and it is this idea of sovereignty, sovereignty. How many of you have ever heard people talk about the sovereignty of God, the sovereignty of God?

Of course, we use this word kind of, we might use the word commonly. Among our church, in fact, I’ve heard people. I think I heard Sam the other day, maybe in the school scripture. He was talking about the sovereignty of god in reference to providence. That is how god oversees events and things like that and he used the word sovereignty and then some other people use the word sovereignty in a completely different way.

And so I feel like it’s necessary when we talk about the power of God to also discuss the sovereignty of God because they’re related, they’re directly related. Okay, so what is meant by the word sovereign? Let’s start with the definition. You wanna write this down, maybe next week I’m gonna give you a quiz on this if you wanna write it down, you don’t have to but you might make a better grade if you write it down.

So let me give you a pre quiz, alright? You know, my kids are in school and they always have these silly pretests and in a way they’re good because you can see if you’re gonna know the test but then they’re giving the questions away, So here’s your pretest, here it is. Somebody give me a definition of the word sovereign, a dictionary definition of the word sovereign. I don’t mean how theologians use it, I mean what the word means.

David? Self retained jurisdiction and authority over government. Lazearic. Supreme Lord or ruler? It’s a little bit harder to define than meets the eye, right? Any others? Any others? The interesting thing is the word sovereign like many words is actually a lot simpler than we make it. Here’s what the word means.

It means authority, supreme and ultimate authority. That’s it. Pretty pretty basic. So when you talk about God’s sovereignty, we’re talking about authority, right? That’s why they’re related. If you imagine the sovereignty of God as if you imagine authority and power as a pyramid, God is the capstone at the top, supreme. There does not exist an authority either outside of or greater than God’s authority. That’s what we’re talking about with sovereignty. So when you say I believe God is sovereign, that is a perfectly biblical statement.

As long as we understand what we mean when we say sovereign and by that we mean and all of us in this room obviously would agree that there is no power outside of or greater than God’s power. Is that right? Does everybody give me a nod? Yes. Yes, sir.

That’s true. Because otherwise he’s not omnipotent. The word sovereign means supreme authority, okay? But as we all know, or as many of you probably know anyway, can’t speak for maybe for everyone, but the word sovereign has been as Andrew indicated, has been kind of in a subtle way redefined into something else other than the dictionary definition. In other words, it’s taken on a highly specialized theological definition based upon some verses of scripture and what’s basically done is this philosophy, this belief about this particular attribute of God has been formed and then the word sovereign has been kind of borrowed and used to describe the belief and therefore the word sovereign has changed. And so for this reason, when you say God is sovereign, you you should be careful as to who you’re you know, who you’re speaking to so they they don’t misunderstand what you say. Because there are, it’s absolutely true that when you say, I believe God is sovereign, a lot of people say that and that’s loaded.

Is it not? Some people say that and they intend on it to be loaded in the same way if someone says, well I believe in free grace. Well why do two, but that’s a loaded term. Sovereign is one of those, yeah.

Right. Exactly. Here’s the problem with redefining terms and you see it kind of in broader world as well, especially in the political world, how that love is love. Now all of a sudden love has been redefined and so, oh, you don’t love, okay. If you don’t agree with me, don’t love. Well, that’s the way sovereignty is, you redefine the term and they and then you say, well, I believe god is sovereign and you say, well, I don’t believe what you’re saying. Oh, well, you don’t believe god is sovereign. You see how that goes? See, here’s the thing.

That’s not intellectually honest. That’s playing fast and loose with words to kinda arm twist people into agreeing with you or trick them into agreeing with the point. Look, if whatever position we take as a scriptural position should be evaluated on the merits of the position, not upon our use of terminology. You see what I’m saying? So if we have one idea of sovereignty and then another person another idea of sovereignty, let’s define what we mean and let’s then agree or disagree on that instead of using the terms and then trying to kind of Billy club somebody over it.

Really, just be a little more direct and pointed, using terms like this is a little bit manipulative because what you’re trying to do is instead of arguing the point, you’re trying to kind of shame someone into agreeing with your point. And so, we gotta be very careful with terms. So sovereignty is one that is often often like that. So let’s look at it. Let’s look at sovereignty, okay?

I’m gonna set forth an illustration for you of what what what I mean when I say the word sovereignty based upon the dictionary definition as well as scripture, and then we’ll look at a few verses. Okay. The best illustration I can think of when it comes to the idea of sovereignty is to to examine how it’s used outside of the religious world, okay? If you look at the beginning of your Bible, I don’t know if yours has this. I think mine does. It used to anyway.

Let’s see if it hears. What’s that? No, this is not part of the Bible. This is the beginning. What’s that? Oh yeah, my other Bible. Here it is. Let’s see if I can find it here.

Yeah, don’t think this has the thing that Anyway, the heads of some Bibles, at the beginnings of some Bibles they’ll have the translators to the reader or the epistle dedicatory and I think it’s actually in translators to the reader, won’t spend time looking for it but it refers to the King of England, James the first as most dread sovereign. Most dread sovereign.

So here’s the point I’m making. The word sovereign, that’s an example of using the word sovereign in the sense of, outside of a religious sense and here’s why that’s important. You think of the king of England, not now, but I’m saying at this time, when you think of the king of England or an earthly monarch, an earthly ruler being called sovereign, what does that mean? Now of course we know an earthly ruler is not the same as omnipotent God.

What is different? The scope of their authority, that’s what’s different. But because sovereign refers to the to to authority. So obviously, a king’s authority is gonna be is gonna be less than God’s authority, you know, for obvious reasons. But within what we mean by sovereign as far as a sovereign ruler is within that circle of his power, of his authority, he has ultimate authority. Within the scope of that authority and in that circle, there is no authority greater than his and there is no authority within that circle that exists outside of his.

It means that no no authority rules over his or is independent of his authority. Okay, but to be a sovereign earthly ruler within that scope does not mean that that king, that ruler actively controls everything within that that circle of authority. That is not what it means.

That ruler, you know James the first in this case, that ruler can if he chooses, exercise his power in any situation that he wishes. That’s what it means to be sovereign. But that doesn’t mean he does.

He can exercise authority in any circumstance within that scope but it does not follow that he must. The sovereign ruler over a over a country allows for true freedom within limits obviously. Within the sphere of his rule while never losing his place as sovereign. So, the fact that freedom is permitted within his the scope of his of his sovereignty doesn’t mean that he loses his places as sovereign.

At any point, can overrule any choice at his discretion without warrant, without explanation, and sometimes kings do that. You think of Nebuchadnezzar was a sovereign, right, over Babylon, and he could do whatever and that’s what he did. He created a statue and demanded that every person worship that statue. Well, he he’s not the right to do that. Well, he thought he did and he did it and of course, except for Daniel and his three friends or the three friends in particular, know, they recognize a greater sovereign.

So the fact that freedom is permitted within the scope of the king’s sovereignty does not mean that he is no longer sovereign. But this is not how sovereignty is often understood in theological contexts. So, what I’m trying to show you is the word is used in all kind, you know, we talk about our sovereign states in the in the discussion of the civil war. We talk about sovereign nations, right? Whether we should allow this or that in our country and we use it in that way but then all of a sudden, we go into the theological and we mean something different and no longer just refers to supreme authority. It now refers to something more.

In theological context, often the word sovereign when we say god is sovereign means active control. That’s what it means. To say that God is sovereign means that God actively controls everything that happens within the scope of His authority. Can you hold your question and I’ll get a little bit further and we’re probably gonna touch on it in just a minute.

But the natural meaning of the word sovereign is supreme, not control. You gotta get this, the word sovereign has never meant control, It has meant supreme authority. There’s a difference. There’s a difference. There is a difference. Now, let me let me prove to you that that’s how the word sovereignty is used. This is from the Westminster Confession chapter two section one. It says this, God from all eternity did by most wise and holy counsel of His will freely and unchangeably ordain whatsoever comes to pass.

Now that’s a brief statement, but think about the implications of that statement. He freely and unchangeably ordained whatsoever comes to pass, big and small, good and evil, everything. Alright, that is, I mean that’s a very highly regarded statement of faith. So that’s what is meant by the word sovereign in many contexts, in the theological context. Look at Ephesians chapter one, I’m not forgetting about you there, Andrew, I’ll come back to you in a second. Ephesians chapter one, these are the verses that are then used to describe this version of the sovereignty of God and there’s three of them, and I want among others, but I want you to examine them yourself, alright? Ephesians chapter one verse number 11.

Ephesians one verse 11. The Bible says in whom, that is in Christ, also we have obtained an inheritance being predestinated according to the purpose of him, here it is, who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will. And so the idea is God works all things after the counsel of his own will. What’s so amazing is in this verse, we brought in the word all to everything like everything that could possibly be and then we go to other verses that talks about how that Christ died for all men and we wanna narrow that down to a select all and we just kinda willy nilly change it.

But in the context of this verse, it’s it’s referring to the lord’s work in the church. He talks about the inheritance in verse number 10. The dispensation, the fullness of times, gathering in in one all things in Christ which are in heaven, which are on earth, even in him, and then he talks about the inheritance, and here it is, the predestination of the saints. In other words, god has predestinated that the saints of God are going to have, pardon the kind of pun, but a final destination, God has already determined that. In other words, every saint of God is going to end up at a certain place, right?

Every one of them. And you say why? Well that’s the context of what we’re talking about here because God has willed to do it and he has power to do it and nobody can say no you can’t do that or what are you doing? You see what I’m saying? He works those things, all things in this context referring to these things after the counsel of his own will. In other words, and that’s always been a question and that’s what Ephesians addresses which is, why are the Gentiles included in God’s plan?

Why is this church, this body that was hidden in mystery prior, why is God exalting this body of Jew and Gentile even though he had a relationship with the Jewish people prior through the covenants with Abraham and Moses and things. Why is he? He’s just doing whatever he wants because he is sovereign. He’s working all things after the council of his own will.

You see in order to get the idea that God controls every minute thing that happens in the universe actively, you have to understand the word all things, you have to basically lift it out of its context and just expand and it to everything that could possibly be. But the problem is that it is found in a particular context, especially when you talk about the privileges and blessings that God has chosen to give to the church. That’s what Ephesians is all about. Amen.

It’s what it’s all about. Why these Gentile dead and sin Gentiles who had no covenant, no relationship to god would be exalted to such a place of glory in Christ. That is what’s being addressed in Ephesians. Go to Psalm number 115, if you would.

Psalm 115. So we can say without a doubt, whatever God chooses to do, He does so out of His own will without regard or consideration of counsel from other people. And that’s what it says, who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will. It is perfectly legitimate. You know, we can say well, all things means everything that happens in the universe. Well, you could also perfectly legitimately look at that verse and say God works all things after the counsel of His own will referring to all the things that He does.

Why can’t you do that? What if God in the counsel of His own will worked such that He provided true liberty to mankind to exercise within the counsel of His own will? Can God do that? Why is it that the authority and control of God must be that He absolutely and actively controls everything? Why is that the only way to express that authority?

You see what I’m saying? Can God exercise his authority such that he gives freedom within that authority? This is the side nobody, in other words, yes, I could with my children, yes, I absolutely have the authority to withhold food from them. Like I could do that. I mean it would say a lot about me, but I could do that. Or I could make them go to a certain room or I could sleep in a certain room or I have authority as their parent, a lot of authority, parents have a lot of authority, but that doesn’t mean you necessarily have to exercise that authority. You can within that authority provide them true freedom without controlling every part of it. You see, what I’m saying is this is a legitimate exercise of authority.

Psalm 115 verse three, notice what it says, but our God is in the heavens, He hath done whatsoever He hath pleased. Okay? That doesn’t say He controls everything, does It doesn’t tell us anything about what He’s pleased to do, it just says that whatever He’s pleased, that’s what He does. There’s no assertion of control in this verse. Isaiah 46, look at that if you would.

Isaiah 46 verse nine. Isaiah 46 verse nine says this, remember the former things of old for I am God and there is none else. I am God and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning.

Alright, there’s God’s omnipresence, there’s God’s omniscience, God’s eternality, we already talked about that, right? And from ancient times the things that are are not yet done say, my counsel shall stand and I will do all my pleasure. Okay, that doesn’t say God controls it, it just says whatever He’s pleased to do He will.

Do you see that? It’s important because these are the verses that are cited to say that God’s sovereignty means He controls everything that happens in the universe. But it doesn’t say that, yeah. Going back to Psalms 115 verse 16 says the heavens, even the heavens are the Lord’s, but the earth hath He given to the children of men. No he can’t do that because he would no longer be sovereign. What were you going to say?

You’re getting ahead of me brother. I should have made you wait longer. You’re right, alright, I’m getting there, I’m getting there. Okay, so based upon these verses, these are the verses that are set forth to say that God controls everything that happens in the universe, okay? These are not verses I chose, but these are the verses that are cited. But by reading the verses, can see then that the question is not whether God is supreme, but whether the scriptures say that God is chosen, we know He can, but has he chosen to control everything that happens in the universe? That’s the question.

But these verses do not indicate that. Certainly, he has the he has the ability to. And as Andrew was saying, the problem with god controlling the control idea of sovereignty or definition of sovereignty is that it creates a situation in which god is the causer and doer of every evil thing in the universe. Evil things which he himself expressly forbids and condemns. That’s the problem. Now, if you would, I’ll get to you. Jeremiah, look at Jeremiah 19 and Jeremiah 32.

I told you guys would wanna talk, would wanna wanna have comments on this subject today. Jeremiah 19 verse number five. He’s speaking the lord here speaking of Israel. He says this, they have built also the high places of Baal to turn their sons to to burn their sons with fire for burnt offerings into Baal which I commanded not nor spake it, neither came it into my mind.

32, Jeremiah 32 verse 35. 32 verse 35 and they built the high places of Baal which are in the valley of the son of Hinnom to cause their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire unto Molech which I commanded them not neither came it into my mind that they should do this abomination to cause Judah to sin. Now, if if one believes that by being sovereign, god has actively chosen every controlled, everything that’s happened in the universe.

There’s a problem here because God expressly says, this never came into my mind. And I think we safely say, for sure god would never ordain that someone do this thing, okay?

So, the question then, based upon these verses, where god directly says that this wickedness that they were doing had not entered into his mind, how then is god the doer of it? And the common answer to this conundrum that has been created, not by the text of scripture but by the doctrine is we just we just say, well, it’s a mystery. It’s a paradox. You see, so, here’s how it goes. We simply assert that both are true simultaneously despite the fact that god has stated otherwise.

In other words, theologians have formed definitions that make god the actual doer of those very things that he says he abhors. And then, when someone says, wait, you’re making god the doer of evil that he hates and never came into his mind. We just kind of wave it off and if you think I’m overstating the matter, I’m going to continue with the Westminster Confession.

God from all eternity did by the most wise and holy counsel of His own will freely and unchangeably ordained whatsoever comes to pass, yet so as thereby neither is God the author of sin.

So you see they hold both at the same time. God ordains everything that comes to pass in the universe while somehow also not being the doer of and the author of sin. Okay, anything can be asserted, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s scriptural. The truth is the confession doesn’t matter. What does the scripture say? And what I’m saying is, there are absolutely things that come to pass that God does not want to happen and yet He provides freedom for it to happen. He does not do it.

Now does that mean it’s outside of His control? No. Does that mean He could not stop it? Well no, he could stop anything he wants. He certainly stopped the sinners in Noah’s day, did he not? He managed to put a stop to that whenever he chose to after the counsel of his own will. When He wanted to, He did and nobody could say, you can’t do that.

You see what I’m saying? And so when we talk about the sovereignty of God, we have to make sure we’re understanding our terms, okay? Now, this idea that I’ve been discussing deals directly with God’s authority and what it includes and what it doesn’t include. Now I wanna hasten to say this, although I don’t take the position of the sovereignty of God as been in the Westminster Confession, yet I think that many who would agree with me have gone to the other extreme.

Where they literally view God as impotent and somehow out of control, and that’s not right either. That’s not right either. And it comes out in various ways. It comes out in ways, sometimes some people that describe themselves as people who believe in the sovereignty of God like that will mock and make fun of us and they’ll say oh well but when you pray, you pray like you believe like we do. And there’s some truth to that.

When you pray for a person to be saved, you’re praying for God to exercise authority in that person. But that does not mean, because if I actually believe that, then why pray? If God’s gonna do it, He’s gonna do it after the counsel of His own will, then why pray? Well God’s gonna use the means of your prayer to do it. Maybe, but you see the conundrum it has created, is created. Now Sam, you had your hand up. You remember what it was?

Is in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven because he’s saying, on the earth, I’ve given it to souls of the men and they don’t always do my will but in heaven, they always do my will and so, we’re, that’s why we should pray. Lord, help let your will be done on earth as it always is in heaven. You know, like, it’s always done in heaven. Which implies it’s not done on earth. Right. Exactly. Well, that Which which and of course, Jesus is inviting us and and instructing us to pray to the end that His will is done also on earth. Right.

And so it raises the question of does God always get His way? And the answer is no. The reason it’s a simple answer is because there are things like burning your children to Molech that is not what God wants at all period. And at that point usually, now we start mincing the word will, now there’s different kinds of will. There’s the permissive will and I forgot the words, David do you remember the specific words they used for the various? No, it’s a fancy word, it’s like a 10¢ word. Anyway, I have to review what?

Salvific love and Response. Love that is not free is not love kind of thing. Right. And so the conclusion we make about the sovereignty of God, God’s supreme authority is this, to boil it down to one kind of brief summarization, it is this. The idea that God is sovereign, which we acknowledge if we understand the word means He is supreme authority to all, right? Does not demand that God cause all things.

It does not demand that God do all things, but it allow for the possibility that within the scope of God’s authority, which is everything, that God has chosen by His own will to allow a true measure of freedom to humanity and He then holds men responsible for that as the doers of it.

God’s sovereignty and sovereignty in general permits that setup. And it doesn’t appear that the Scriptures from what I have studied, it doesn’t appear that the Scriptures anywhere assert that that is not a paradigm that broadly fits into the scriptural, the relevant verses.

But there’s retribution. Right. Right. All right. Good study, good discussion. Let’s pray together.