You just never know

Yesterday was one of those crazy spring days we have in the midwest. We got a mixture of rain, hail, and ice pellets over parts of central IL. My boss came into my office around 5:30pm and said his wife was driving on I-74 on the west side of Peoria and people were in the ditch all over the place due to ice on the roads even though it was above freezing all day, so he warned me to be careful on my way home (not that I have far to go).

Little did I know that those driving conditions would have a bigger impact on me than I thought. We got a call last night around 10:15pm to tell us that Uncle Ray Feucht had his life taken from him in a car accident around 5:45pm. He had lost control on a slick patch of road right around the time I was leaving work. He was around 79-80 years old and still very full of life. He was easy man to love. He is survived by his wife Marge and several children and grandchildren.

Praise God that he had a saving relationship with his Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. I look forward to seeing Uncle Ray in heaven some glorious day.

Let's all try to live a little more like today might be our last.

Paul Washer

I posted a sermon by Paul Washer a couple of months ago. The end of the full sermon was cut off. Here's the sermon in it's entirety.

8th Grade Science

I thought this was kind of fun. :-)

Sovereignty

Our church recently undertook the task of writing a paper on the topic of God's Sovereignty. I just finished reading the draft of that paper, and I'm going to try and summarize it here for those of you who would be interested. All these sections have numerous scriptures referenced. For the sake of space, I'm going to leave most of these out. If you want the specific scriptures for a specific section, let me know in the comments.

The paper starts off confirming the scriptural backing for God being the supreme power and in possession of the highest power. It affirms that absolute sovereignty belongs to God and only God. There are numerous scriptures that show that God is the sole creator. The paper quotes early church fathers such as Iranaeus, Bishop of Lyons, Justin Martyr of Samaria (one of the Ante-Nicene Fathers), and Tertullian several times.

From "God is the sole creator" it moves to "God is the creator of man" and lays out the scripture for that. In this section there is a quote from Justin Martyr. It states, "In the beginning, He made the human race with the power of thought and of choosing the truth and doing right, so that all men are without excuse before God." The writing body summed up this section by stating this: "In the very act of creation we see the all-powerful Creator acting in a very personal way toward His created work. This can be seen as just one of the many ways where the sovereignty of God is complemented, without any conflict, by His attributes of love and tenderness."

The next section is "God has created man in a personal way". Then that flows into "God is the owner of all, including man". Under this section the Elder Committee writes, "Another attribute of God beyond the comprehension of finite man is His timelessness. Attributes that man doesn't share in a similar experience are not readily understood, but that does not mean that we know nothing about them, only that our understanding is limited. It is certainly our opportunity and blessing to accept God's declaration of Himself, even when we receive it in, and by, faith. Though we don't know what it is to live outside of time, we can believe that our Heavenly Father does, and that this is part of why God alone is sovereign." I really appreciated being reminded of God's timelessness in this discussion. I think that can really add to our understanding of how God can operate far out of our realm of comprehension.

The next section is titled "God is Eternal (preceding time and existing beyond the end of time)". The Elder Committee writes, "Another attribute of God that we as men do not experience is His Omniscience or the fact that He is all-knowing. This attribute may be related to His existence outside of time, and it too can be believed and accepted through faith as His declaration."

The next section states: "God is absolute in wisdom and knowledge". Here the elders state that "...when we speak of the sovereign will of God, we speak of all that has occurred and will occur..." They lay out how that is different from God's moral will. "Scriptures are clear that it is the will of God for all men to be saved (1 Tim 2:4), and yet His sovereign will is that all men will be able to exercise their free moral will. This allows some to reject His moral will and be lost in the confines of His sovereign will."

The next section is: "God's knowledge and sovereign will extend to and include all men". In this section they quote Tertullian as saying, "Some things seem to indicate the will of God, seeing that they are allowed by Him. However, it does not necessarily follow that everything that is permitted proceeds out of the unqualified and absolute will of Him who permits it." This statement, while I tentatively agree with it, seems to leave room for argument. I'm no student of Tertullian, so I don't know how he supports that claim.

"God's knowledge includes foreknowledge". In this section the committee gets into the questions about election and the choice man has in salvation. They quote several sources here starting with Vines: "God's foreknowledge involves His electing grace, but this does not preclude human will. He foreknows the exercise of faith which brings salvation." Then they quote Clement of Alexandria from the Ante-Nicene Fathers. "Choice depends on the man as being free. But the gift depended on the God as Lord. And He gives to those who are willing, are exceedingly earnest, and who ask. So their salvation becomes their own. For God does not compel." Lastly they quote Tertullian again. "...I find that man was established by God as a free being, possessed of the power of choice; for just in this do I observe in him the image and likeness of God, that he is characterized by this condition. ... For a low would only be established for one who had the power of choosing the obedience demanded by the law; and the threat of death would only be attached to transgression if man were endowed with freedom to defy the law. Thus in the Creators latter laws you may discover him "setting before man good and evil, life and death." And the whole scheme of man's discipline through God's rules, with God's calls and threats and exhortations, assumes that man is free to choose obedience of defiance." It is Tertullians argument that I find particularly compelling. "For a law would only be established for one who had the power of choosing the obedience demanded by the law..." That is one thing I could never understand about taking man's will completely 100% out of the picture. It seems that would negate obedience.

The paper goes on to talk about foreknowledge, determine, predestination, etc... It spends some time talking about how God's foreknowledge doesn't preclude the fact that man is a responsible and moral being. The paper also outlines some scenarios in the Scriptures that point to multiple causes of sin such as when David numbered the people. It is in 2 Samuel 24:1-10 and in 1 Chronicles 21:1-17. It points to David, Satan, and the Lord as all being the "cause" of David's sin. If we take the scriptures at "...face value, we have to assume that all acted with moral responsibility, with God, sovereign over all." I really like that conclusion. I believe it does great justice to the text while not striving to stuff it into our finite minds.

They go on to talk about Nehemiah's Motivation in Ne 2:18-20 and Nebuchadnezzar's Choice in Daniel 4:27-28.

They wrap it up with this statement: "Though the Bible, from beginning to end speaks of a God who is sovereign, it also presents man as a responsible, moral being. The free exercise of man's will exists very comfortably with God's sovereignty from His perspective. Our obedience to what God calls us to does not diminish or preclude His sovereignty and the sovereign nature of God does not in any way excuse us from the fact that we are morally responsible beings..."

This was a quick summary of an 8 page report that had many more scripture references and quotes from others than I wanted to include here. The full report is supposed to be ready in August. If you'd like to see a draft of the report or want to discuss it further, your church elder should have access to a copy. Also, I hope my readers feel free to initiate further discussion with me on this topic.

God Bless.

God's Sovereignty vs. Our Will

The following is an article I read recently regarding God's sovereignty. While I agree with what's written, I think the author chooses to not acknowledge some key scriptures that could support an alternate view. I'll continue with my thoughts after the article.

I'm continually amazed at the number of people who argue with the idea that God has a detailed master plan that governs our lives. They picture God as passively watching and waiting for us to make our choices as free human agents and then adjusting His plan to fit our preferences.

Do we really believe God would surrender control of His creation to the whims of His creatures? Is it plausible that a universe so intricate in design is run by Someone whose motto is "The best ability is flexibility" when it come to planning?

My former pastor Dr. W.A. Criswell once observed:

Before a stone was laid in the construction of St. Paul's Cathedral in London, the idea was born in the mind of Sir Christopher Wren. He saw it in his mind and purposed it in his heart. Before he struck a chisel against the heavy rock marble, Michelangelo saw the mighty Moses in his mind and purposed it in his heart. ...Why should it surprise us then that God, the designer and architect of the universe, should have a plan and purpose for His creation? The greater the project, the more necessary the plan.

God has a detailed plan for the universe that governs everything that happens in His creation. The apostle Paul described that plan when he wrote,

"Also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will" (Ephesians 1:11, emphasis added).

"All things" fall within God's intricate design for His creation. "All things" also encompasses everything that might affect your life.

Your circumstances. The decisions of governmental leaders (Proverbs 21:1), the outcome of the rolled dice in a Las Vegas casino (Proverbs 16:33), and the change of seasons (Daniel 2:21, NIV) are just some of the external circumstances that God directs. Obviously, each of these forces has the power to impact your life.

Your physical and emotional makeup. "All things" also includes the smallest details of your life. The color of your eyes, the number of hairs on your head, and even the bent of your emotions were all designed by God. The psalmist expressed that truth this way:

For You formed my inward parts;
You wove me in my mother's womb.
I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Wonderful are Your works,
And my soul knows it very well (Psalm 139:13-14).

Your choices. God's design for your life not only includes those circumstances beyond your control but also those parts of your life that you assume are under your control. You may think you’re in charge of how you spend your time, the route you drive to work, the items you purchase at the supermarket, or even whether you finish reading this book. But consider what the writer of Proverbs claims

Man's steps are ordained by the LORD,
How then can man understand his way? (Proverbs 20:24)

Every step we take has been planned by God? I agree with the writer that such a thought is beyond comprehension. Yet it only makes sense that God would exercise control over the most minute details of our lives if His overall plan is to be accomplished.

One Thursday afternoon a few years ago, I left work a few minutes early for a haircut. On the way to the barbershop, I passed through an intersection and within a few seconds heard a screeching of brakes. I glanced in my rearview mirror and saw the car behind me decimated by another vehicle running a red light. I pulled off to the side of the road and dialed 911, but it was too late.

The driver was dead.

Later that evening I couldn't help but reflect on what had happened. What if I'd left work only a few seconds later? What if the pressure I'd applied to the accelerator had been just a little bit lighter? What if the driver who ran the red light had been applying a little more pressure to his accelerator?

My life could have been snuffed out in an instant that day.

No, I'm not implying that God loved me more than He did the victim of the accident. What I am suggesting is that since the day of my birth and the day of my death are written on God's calendar, He must have a detailed plan that includes every aspect of my life, including my choices.

Your failures. If all your steps are directed by God, wouldn’t that include your missteps and stumbles? That only makes sense. The story line of your life — already written by the Divine Author — includes all your choices, not just the good ones. Since the psalmist used our birth as an example of God's intricate plan for every aspect of our lives, let's continue using that analogy for a moment.

What if your conception was the result of the premarital liaison of two hormonally charged teenagers, an extramarital affair, or even a rape? Such conceptions occur every hour of every day.

After reading Psalm 139, could you really say your birth was an accident?

Somehow God was able to use the moral failure of others to accomplish His plan for you. If God can use other people’s mistakes for good, why are we surprised that He can also use our mistakes to achieve His purpose? It's a mind-boggling thought! But one that offers hope to anyone who has failed.

I think the scripture also teaches, in conjunction with what this article says, that we have a free will. I'm thinking of scriptures such as:

1 Corinthians 3:13 - Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. (emphasis added)

Ephesians 4:19 - Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness. (emphasis added)

Philippians 2:12 - Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.(emphasis added)

1 Thessalonians 1:3 - Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father; (emphasis added)

Now, I'm sure a lot could be discussed about the specifics of "our work" vs "God's work", but the point is, I'm fairly convinced that they both exist. I'm also fairly convinced that they both exist simultaneously for the same works.

Do I understand it logically or rationally? No.
Do I believe that God can make to counter logical things true simultaneously? Yes.

So I have a free will and God is completely sovereign over EVERY action in my life at the exact same time.

I'm glad I serve a God who's that big. I'm glad that my Creator God is so magnificent that I'll never be able to understand. I'm thankful that I can rest easy in the arms of that God.

I'd love to hear your thoughts.