God’s Sovereignty and Human Sin

 the profound relationship between God’s sovereignty and human actions, particularly sin. It emphasizes the importance of understanding God’s sovereignty for a Christian’s spiritual growth, assurance of salvation, and response to life’s challenges.

1. Introduction to God’s Sovereignty in Salvation
   • Christians are called to seek God’s kingdom first. Understanding God’s sovereignty, including His foreknowledge, predestination, election, and even the concept of reprobation, is crucial for spiritual growth. It offers comfort in trials, humbles in pride, and gives confidence in service and assurance of salvation.
   • Salvation is a three – part process: God the Father planned it in eternity past, Jesus Christ accomplished it in salvation history, and the Holy Spirit applies it in our personal experiences.
2. God’s Election and Reprobation
   • God’s foreknowledge is His special love for a chosen group. He elected them in Jesus Christ before creation, not based on human merit but by His sovereign will. For example, Jesus said it was He who chose the disciples, not the other way around (John 15:16).
   • Since God elects some, there is a group He passes over or “reprobates.” In Acts 14, Paul indicates that in past generations, God let nations go their own way without special grace. In Acts 16, only Lydia’s heart was opened by the Lord to receive the gospel among those listening to Paul, showing God’s sovereign election. In Romans 9, Paul discusses how God chose Jacob over Esau before they were born, not because of their deeds but by His sovereign choice.
3. God’s Sovereignty in Salvation and Human Responsibility
   • God has the absolute right to show mercy or judgment. He is like a potter with the power to make different vessels from the same clay (Romans 9:21). All humans are sinful and deserve God’s judgment, but God in His mercy saves some.
   • We should be humble and grateful for our salvation. When sharing the gospel, we should spread it widely, as we don’t know who God will save. Even those who seem least likely to be saved, like Paul before his conversion, can be chosen by God.
4. The Relationship between God’s Sovereignty and Evil in the World
   • God’s sovereignty extends over all things, including evil. He has a revealed will (such as the commandments) and a hidden will. Many human actions, like murder, theft, and idolatry, go against His revealed will, but God can use human sin to fulfill His hidden will.
   • In the story of Joseph, his brothers sinned by selling him into slavery, but God used this to save many lives (Genesis 50:20). In the case of Job, God allowed Satan to afflict him to test his faith, and in the end, Job’s faith was strengthened, and he was blessed more than before (Job 42:10 – 11).
   • In the New Testament, Jesus’ crucifixion was a great sin by humans but was in line with God’s plan for salvation (Acts 2:23, 36). God also allowed Satan to sift Peter to humble him (Luke 22:31 – 34) and gave Paul a “thorn in the flesh” to keep him from pride (2 Corinthians 12:7 – 9).
5. Conclusion and Response
   • We should be grateful for God’s sovereign salvation. In times of difficulty, we should trust in God’s sovereignty, even when we don’t understand His ways. God may use our trials to make us more like Jesus, refine our faith, and free us from worldly attachments.
   • We end with a prayer, thanking God for His sovereign guidance and protection, and asking for His Word to comfort and strengthen believers, with all praise and glory going to Jesus Christ.