God’s Sovereignty

Acts 13:48

“And when the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord; and as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed.”

This verse leads us into a difficult study; the sovereignty of God versus the free will of man. God’s sovereignty is highlighted in the phrase “appointed to eternal life”. The first aspect we will consider is God’s knowledge; it is unlimited and timeless. He has detailed foreknowledge of everything that happens in history. Time is an irrelevant concept to God because he exists eternally. I believe the concept of time exists because of man’s temporary existence on earth. We will be equally unconcerned with time in our eternal state.

God also has a will and a plan that will be accomplished. Paul quotes Exodus 33:19 in Romans 9:15 where God says to Moses “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” Paul concludes from that statement “so then it does not depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy.” God has perfect foreknowledge of every thought and action in our lives and knows whether we will trust Him as our Savior, and whether we will live our lives in a manner pleasing to Him.

With that as a backdrop we should consider how then do we exercise our own free will. We are all familiar with John 3:16 that says “whoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life.” There are no constraints or qualifications on “whoever”. Man must decide for himself whether he is going to follow God.

I’ve made that decision and am comforted and assured that God knows every detail of my life; every situation I’m going to face. I’m convinced that if I live my life in His will through the leading of the Holy Spirit He will not only prepare me to face the good times and the tough times, He will also lead me through those times. I’ve experienced that in good times such as finding the life-mate He chose for me and in the difficult times facing serious illness and death of my parents.

I pray that you will be sensitive to His will and plan your life.