Is God souvereign about all things?

[xdisciplex]

If God is absolutely souvereign and he controls everything and when he has a plan for everybody does this mean that if somebody become a criminal and dies and goes to hell that this was exactly God's plan? Most likely not. But this would mean that God's plans are destroyed all the time because people are not doing what God planned for them. Then God also isn't souvereign anymore and he doesn't control everything.
And this whole "God has a plan" stuff can also become dangerous because when you think that whatever happens is in God's plan then doesn't this also cause you to simply become passive and to surrender to circumstances in life thinking that whatever happens it's God's perfect plan?

 

[JamieinNH]

God does have a plan for each and every one of us, but he also gave us free will. So, using that free will, some people will turn away from God and sin, and will not follow through with God's plan for you.

I was one of those people for years. I kept seeing and hearing things that made me look to the Lord for a moment, but then I would go back to life as normal. Well, the knocks kept getting louder and louder until I finally looked up and said you win. I will do what you want me to with my life.

Every since then, I have tried hard to live a good clean Christian life, it's not easy, and I do slip, but I never stray away from God, never again.

He does have a plan, he is in control of everything, but he does give us free will, and allows us to choose between doing what he has asked us to do, and what we want to do.

It's a tight rope walk, at least for me it is. But it's one I wouldn't trade for the world.

Jamie

 

[DQuixote]

There is a difference between the Spiritual path God sets before us, and the choices we make in opposition to it, whether we are aware of them or not. We are reminded of God's Spiritual path throughout life. We simply choose to walk somewhere else, much to our dismay / heartbreak as we approach the end of life. God does not force, He offers. Satan rejoices when we reject His plan that would have been woven into the tapestry of all humankind, had we accepted it. Satan loves tangled webs, and what tangled webs we mortals weave.

 

[PastorGreg]

If God is absolutely souvereign and he controls everything and when he has a plan for everybody does this mean that if somebody become a criminal and dies and goes to hell that this was exactly God's plan?

Romans chapter 9 says that that was His plan fo rPharaoh. He
was created to be destroyed. Now THAT is a sovereign God.

Most likely not. But this would mean that God's plans are destroyed all the time because people are not doing what God planned for them. Then God also isn't souvereign anymore and he doesn't control everything

.

God is sovereign. His plan will be fulfilled. Along the way He can choose to intervene or not in individual events and decisions. That is part of His sovereignty. He does whatever he wants in heaven and on earth and no one can stop Him or even challenge Him. Daniel 4:34,35

And this whole "God has a plan" stuff can also become dangerous because when you think that whatever happens is in God's plan then doesn't this also cause you to simply become passive and to surrender to circumstances in life thinking that whatever happens it's God's perfect plan?

Nope, because then you would be deliberately disobedient to His Word.

 

[xdisciplex]

I don't know if you understand romans 9 correctly. I cannot imagine that God would create a human only to destroy him. God wants all people to be saved.

How do I know that God planned my life the way it is? What if God wants something totally different and I don't know it?
This is a depressing thought. What if you live your life and God had a totally different plan? How do I know what God wants? The bible does say: Do this and then do that and then go there and do that.

 

[BobRyan]

You are correct - God does not create people to indulge Himself in their torment and destruction.

"God so Loved the WORLD" yes really!

Some people argue that God is sovereign and plans how many times you will brush each tooth each day - and that you have no free will to do anything but brush each tooth just as He carefully planned it.

Then there is Arminianism - on some more reasonable forms of Calvinism - that say that God fully KNOWS what you will do - but is not PLANNING your tooth brush for you. He knows what will happen and sets boundaries for what will happen -- but in the mix there is free will operating within the Boundaries that God allows.

That is why Exodus says that "Pharaoh hardened his heart" and also says "God hardened his heart". Both are true.

Pharaoh chose to react as he did to God's mercy shown time after time.

God chose to slowly build up the crisis points knowing that Pharoah would choose to adjust to each one - getting more and more bold in his rebellion.

In Christ,


Bob