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THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD
INTRODUCTION
By Arthur W. Pink
Who is regulating
affairs on this earth today—God, or the Devil? That God reigns supreme in
Heaven, is generally conceded; that He does so over this world, is almost
universally denied—if not directly, then indirectly. More and more are men
in their philosophizing and theorizing, relegating God to the background.
Take the material realm. Not only is it denied that God created everything,
by personal and direct action, but few believe that He has any immediate
concern in regulating the works of His own hands. Everything is
supposed to be ordered according to the (impersonal and abstract) "laws
of Nature". Thus is the Creator banished from His own creation.
Therefore we need not be surprised that men, in their degrading conceptions,
exclude Him from the realm of human affairs. Throughout Christendom, with an
almost negligible exception, the theory is held that man is "a free
agent", and therefore, lord of his fortunes and the determiner of his
destiny. That Satan is to be blamed for much of the evil which is in the
world, is freely affirmed by those who, though having so much to say about
"the responsibility of man", often deny their own responsibility,
by attributing to the Devil what, in fact, proceeds from their own evil
hearts (Mark 7 :21-23).
But who is regulating
affairs on this earth today—God, or the Devil? Attempt to take a serious
and comprehensive view of the world. What a scene of confusion and chaos
confronts us on every side! Sin is rampant; lawlessness abounds; evil men
and seducers are waxing "worse and worse" (2 Tim. 3:13).
Today, everything appears to be out of joint. Thrones are creaking
and tottering, ancient dynasties are being overturned, democracies are
revolting, civilization is a demonstrated failure; half of Christendom was
but recently locked-together in a death grapple; and now that the titanic
conflict is over, instead of the world having been made "safe for
democracy", we have discovered that democracy is very unsafe for
the world. Unrest, discontent, and lawlessness are rife every where, and
none can say how soon another great war will be set in motion. Statesmen are
perplexed and staggered. Men’s hearts are "failing them for fear, and
for looking after those things which are coming on the earth" (Luke
21:26). Do these things look as though God had full control?
But let us confine our
attention to the religious realm. After nineteen centuries of Gospel
preaching, Christ is still "despised and rejected of men". Worse
still, He (the Christ of Scripture) is proclaimed and magnified by
very few. In the majority of modern pulpits He is dishonored and disowned.
Despite frantic efforts to attract the crowds, the majority of the churches
are being emptied rather than filled. And what of the great masses of
non-church goers? In the light of Scripture we are compelled to believe that
the "many" are on the Broad Road that leadeth to destruction, and
that only "few" are on the Narrow Way that leadeth unto life. Many
are declaring that Christianity is a failure, and despair is settling on
many faces. Not a few of the Lord’s own people are bewildered, and their
faith is being severely tried. And what of God? Does He see and hear?
Is He impotent or indifferent? A number of those who are regarded as leaders
of Christian-thought told us that, God could not help the coming of the late
awful War, and that He was unable to bring about its termination. It
was said, and said openly, that conditions were beyond God’s
control. Do these things look as though God were ruling the world?
Who is regulating
affairs on this earth today—God, or the Devil? What impression is made
upon the minds of those men of the world who, occasionally, attend a Gospel
service? What are the conceptions formed by those who hear even those
preachers who are counted as "orthodox"? Is it not that a disappointed God is the One whom Christians believe in? From what is heard from the
average evangelist today, is not any serious hearer obliged to
conclude that he professes to represent a God who is filled with benevolent
intentions, yet unable to carry them out; that He is earnestly desirous of
blessing men, but that they will not let Him? Then, must not the
average hearer draw the inference that the Devil has gained the upper hand,
and that God is to be pitied rather than blamed?
But does not everything
seem to show that the Devil has far more to do with the affairs of
earth than God has? Ah, it all depends upon whether we are walking by faith,
or walking by sight. Are your thoughts, my reader, concerning this world and
God’s relation to it, based upon what you see? Face this question
seriously and honestly. And if you are a Christian, you will, most probably,
have cause to bow your head with shame and sorrow, and to acknowledge that
it is so. Alas, in reality, we walk very little "by faith".
But what does "walking by faith" signify? It means that our
thoughts are formed, our actions regulated, our lives molded by the Holy
Scriptures, for, "faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word
of God" (Rom. 10:17). It is from the Word of Truth, and that
alone, that we can learn what is God’s relation to this world.
Who is regulating
affairs on this earth today—God or the Devil? What saith the
Scriptures? Ere we consider the direct reply to this query, let it be
said that, the Scriptures predicted just what we now see and hear.
The prophecy of Jude is in course of fulfillment. It would lead us too far
astray from our present inquiry to fully amplify this assertion, but what we
have particularly in mind is a sentence in verse 8—"Likewise also
these dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion and speak evil of
dignities." Yes, they "speak evil" of the Supreme
Dignity, the "Only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of
lords." Ours is peculiarly an age of irreverence, and as the
consequence, the spirit of lawlessness, which brooks no restraint and which
is desirous of casting off everything which interferes with the free course
of self-will, is rapidly engulfing the earth like some giant tidal wave. The
members of the rising generation are the most flagrant offenders, and in the
decay and disappearing of parental authority we have the certain precursor
of the abolition of civic authority. Therefore, in view of the growing
disrespect for human law and the refusal to "render honor to whom honor
is due," we need not be surprised that the recognition of the majesty,
the authority, the sovereignty of the Almighty Law-giver should recede more
and more into the background, and that the masses have less and less
patience with those who insist upon them. And conditions will not improve;
instead, the more sure Word of Prophecy makes known to us that they will
grow worse and worse. Nor do we expect to be able to stem the tide—it has
already risen much too high for that. All we can now hope to do is warn our
fellow-saints against the spirit of the age, and thus seek to counteract its
baneful influence upon them.
Who is regulating
affairs on this earth today—God, or the Devil? What saith the Scriptures?
If we believe their plain and positive declarations, no room is left for
uncertainty. They affirm, again and again, that God is on the throne of the
universe; that the sceptre is in His hands; that He is directing all
things "after the counsel of His own will". They affirm, not
only that God created all things, but also that God is ruling and reigning
over all the works of His hands. They affirm that God is the
"Almighty", that His will is irreversible, that He is absolute
sovereign in every realm of all His vast dominions. And surely it must be
so. Only two alternatives are possible: God must either rule, or be ruled;
sway, or be swayed; accomplish His own will, or be thwarted by His
creatures. Accepting the fact that He is the "Most High", the only
Potentate and King of kings, vested with perfect wisdom and illimitable
power, and the conclusion is irresistible that He must be God in fact, as
well as in name.
It is in view of what
we have briefly referred to above. that we say, Present-day conditions call
loudly for a new examination and new presentation of God’s omnipotency,
God’s sufficiency, God’s sovereignty. From every pulpit in the land it
needs to be thundered forth that God still lives, that God still observes,
that God still reigns. Faith is now in the crucible, it is being tested by
fire, and there is no fixed and sufficient resting-place for the heart and
mind but in the Throne of God. What is needed now, as never before,
is a full, positive, constructive setting forth of the Godhood of God.
Drastic diseases call for drastic remedies. People are weary of platitudes
and mere generalizations—the call is for something definite and specific.
Soothing-syrup may serve for peevish children, but an iron tonic is better
suited for adults, and we know of nothing which is more calculated to infuse
spiritual vigor into our frames than a scriptural apprehension of the full
character of God. It is written, "The people that do know their God shall
be strong and do exploits" (Dan. 11:32).
Without a doubt a
world-crisis is at hand, and everywhere men are alarmed. But God is not! He is never taken by surprise. It is no unexpected emergency which now
confronts Him, for He is the One who "worketh all things after the
counsel of His own will" (Eph. 1:11). Hence, though the world is
panic-stricken, the word to the believer is, "Fear not"! "All
things" are subject to His immediate control: "all things"
are moving in accord with His eternal purpose, and therefore, "all
things" are "working together for good to them that love
God, to them who are the called according to His purpose." It must be
so, for "of Him, and through Him, and to Him are all things" (Rom.
11:36). Yet how little is this realized today even by the people of God! Many
suppose that He is little more than a far-distant Spectator, taking no
immediate hand in the affairs of earth. It is true that man has a will, but
so also has God. It is true that man is endowed with power, but God is
all-powerful. It is true that, speaking generally, the material world is
regulated by law, but behind that law is the law-Giver and
law-Administrator. Man is but the creature. God is the Creator, and endless
ages before man first saw the light "the mighty God" (Isa. 9:6)
existed, and ere the world was founded, made His plans; and being infinite
in power and man only finite, His purpose and plan cannot be withstood or
thwarted by the creatures of His own hands.
We readily acknowledge
that life is a profound problem, and that we are surrounded by mystery on
every side; but we are not like the beasts of the field—ignorant of their
origin, and unconscious of what is before them. No: "We have also
a more sure Word of Prophecy", of which it is said ye do well that ye
"take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day
dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts" (2 Pet. 1:19). And
it is to this Word of Prophecy we indeed do well to "take heed,"
to that Word which had not its origin in the mind of man but in the Mind of
God, for, "the prophecy came not at any time by the will of man: but
holy men of God spake moved by the Holy Spirit." We say again, it is to this "Word" we do well to take heed. As we turn to this
Word and are instructed there, we discover a fundamental principle which
must be applied to every problem: Instead of beginning with man and his
world and working back to God, we must begin with God and work down to man—"In
the beginning God"! Apply this principle to the present
situation. Begin with the world as it is today and try and work back to God,
and everything will seem to show that God has no connection with the world
at all. But begin with God and work down to the world and light, much light,
is cast on the problem. Because God is holy His anger burns against
sin; because God is righteous His judgments fall upon those who rebel
against Him; because God is faithful the solemn threatenings of His
Word are fulfilled; because God is omnipotent none can successfully
resist Him, still less overthrow His counsel; and because God is omniscient no problem can master Him and no difficulty baffle His wisdom. It is
just because God is who He is and what He is that we are now beholding on
earth what we do—the beginning of His out-poured judgments: in view of His
inflexible justice and immaculate holiness we could not expect anything
other than what is now spread before our eyes.
But let it be said very
emphatically that the heart can only rest upon and enjoy the blessed
truth of the absolute sovereignty of God as faith is in exercise. Faith
is ever occupied with God. That is the character of it: that is what
differentiates it from intellectual theology. Faith endures "as
seeing Him who is invisible" (Heb. 11:27) : endures the
disappointments, the hardships, and the heart-aches of life, by recognizing
that all comes from the hand of Him who is too wise to err and too
loving to be unkind. But so long as we are occupied with any other object
than God Himself, there will be neither rest for the heart nor peace for the
mind. But when we receive all that enters our lives as from His hand, then,
no matter what may be our circumstances or surroundings—whether in a
hovel, a prison-dungeon, or a martyr’s stake—we shall be enabled to say,
"The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places" (Ps.
16:6). But that is the language of faith, not of sight or of
sense.
But if instead of
bowing to the testimony of Holy Writ, if instead of walking by faith, we
follow the evidence of our eyes, and reason therefrom, we shall fall
into a quagmire of virtual atheism. Or, if we are regulated by the opinions
and views of others, peace will be at an end. Granted that there is much
in this world of sin and, suffering which appalls and saddens us; granted
that there is much in the providential dealings of God which startle and
stagger us; that is no reason why we should unite with the unbelieving
worldling who says, "If I were God, I would not allow this or tolerate
that" etc. Better far, in the presence of bewildering mystery, to say
with one of old, "I was dumb, I opened not my mouth; because Thou didst
it" (Ps. 39:9). Scripture tells us that God’s judgments are "unsearchable",
and His ways "past finding out" (Rom. 11:33). It must be so if
faith is to be tested, confidence in His wisdom and righteousness
strengthened, and submission to His holy will fostered.
Here is the fundamental
difference between the man of faith and the man of unbelief. The unbeliever
is "of the world," judges everything by worldly standards, views
life from the standpoint of time and sense, and weighs everything in the
balances of his own carnal making. But the man of faith brings in God, looks
at everything from His standpoint, estimates values by spiritual
standards, and views life in the light of eternity. Doing this, he receives
whatever comes as from the hand of God. Doing this, his heart is calm in the
midst of the storm. Doing this, he rejoices in hope of the glory of God.
In these opening
paragraphs we have indicated the lines of thought followed out in this book.
Our first postulate is that because God is God, He does as He
pleases, only as He pleases, always as He pleases; that His great concern is
the accomplishment of His own pleasure and the promotion of His own glory;
that He is the Supreme Being, and therefore Sovereign of the universe.
Starting with this postulate we have contemplated the exercise of God’s
Sovereignty, first in Creation, second in Governmental Administration over
the works of His hands, third in the Salvation of His own elect, fourth in
the Reprobation of the wicked, and fifth in Operation upon and within men.
Next we have viewed the Sovereignty of God as it relates to the human will
in particular and human Responsibility in general, and have sought to show
what is the only becoming attitude for the creature to take in view of the
majesty of the Creator. A separate chapter has been set apart for a
consideration of some of the difficulties which are involved, and to
answering the questions which are likely to be raised in the minds of our
readers; while one chapter has been devoted to a more careful yet brief
examination of God’s Sovereignty in relation to prayer. Finally, we have
sought to show that the Sovereignty of God is a truth revealed to us in
Scripture for the comfort of our hearts, the strengthening of our souls, and
the blessing of our lives. A due apprehension of God’s Sovereignty
promotes the spirit of worship, provides an incentive to practical
godliness, and inspires zeal in service. It is deeply humbling to the human
heart, but in proportion to the degree that it brings man into the dust
before his Maker, to that extent is God glorified.
We are well aware that
what we have written is in open opposition to much of the teaching that is
current both in religious literature and in the representative pulpits of
the land. We freely grant that the postulate of God’s Sovereignty with all
its corollaries is at direct variance with the opinions and thoughts of the
natural man, but the truth is, we are quite unable to think
upon these matters: we are incompetent for forming a proper estimate
of God’s character and ways, and it is because of this that God has given
us a revelation of His mind, and in that revelation He plainly
declares, "My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My
ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are
My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts" (Is.
55:8,9). In view of this scripture, it is only to be expected that much of
the contents of the Bible conflicts with the sentiments of the carnal
mind, which is enmity against God. Our appeal then is not to the
popular beliefs of the day, nor to the creeds of the churches, but to the
Law and Testimony of Jehovah. All that we ask for is an impartial and
attentive examination of what we have written, and that, made prayerfully in
the light of the Lamp of Truth. May the reader heed the Divine admonition to
"prove all things; hold fast that which is good" (1 Thess. 5:21).
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