A Hijacked Word
Many who accept or reject the sovereignty of God do so based upon a faulty understanding of the word and of the doctrine. The common assumption is that God’s sovereignty means He is irresistible and without limitations in the scope of His power or practice in the affairs of men. But, is this what sovereignty means?
While the word sovereign is NOT a Bible word, it is found twice in The Epistle Dedicatory within the King James Bible, both times speaking of King James: (1) as the most dread Sovereign and (2) as our King and Sovereign. Two other phrases are used in cooperation with Sovereign to shed light on the idea, meaning, or concept being taught: (1) Your Majesty which suggests a position of greatness, grandeur of exalted rank or character and (2) Your Highness which suggests that which is exalted, excellent, or noble. This usage aligns with the etymology of the word; but, as a noun, sovereign speaks of one who is superior, a ruler, or who has power over another, and, as an adjective, it speaks of that which is highest, chief, or principal.
A False Narrative
Historically, a narrative was prominent that pushed people to assume one theological position or another without consideration of a potential middle and more biblical position. As such, men either identified themselves as Calvinistic (technically, Augustinianism) or Arminian. When taken to the fullest extent, Calvinism promoted a secure salvation only available for elect or predestined people, but the proof of election was visible through perseverance. Arminianism suggested a salvation available to all, but one that was to be kept by ongoing faithfulness or holiness on the part of the one who had professed salvation.
As a result of this pressure to fit into one of the two categories with no understanding of an alternate position, well-known believers of the past took opposing views and separated themselves one from another while often struggling to fully and accurately defend their own positions. Groups like Baptists (although Free Will Baptists aligned more with Arminianists), Presbyterians, Anglicans/Episcopalians, and Catholics aligned more closely with Calvinism. Groups like Methodists and Wesleyans aligned more closely with Arminianism.
A Damnable Heresy
While we would ultimately disagree with the positions of both Calvinists and Arminianists, one is more closely identifiable as a damnable heresy. Calvinism’s doctrinal position is commonly summarized in the following acronym:
T—Total depravity
U—Unconditional election
L—Limited atonement
I—Irresistible grace
P—Perseverance of the saints
In order to understand the depths of the error of these points, one must follow the teaching to its conclusions. This teaching indicates that all men are irreparably evil with no opportunity to approach God in response to a convicted conscience. However, in order to save prechosen or preordained people, God handpicked some people for eternal bliss and prehandpicked others for eternal condemnation. Men have no ability to receive or reject either the grace or the condemnation. Ultimately, the proof of one’s choosing will come in whether or not he perseveres to the end. With this in mind, a true Bible-believing Christian will identify himself as a zero-point Calvinist. After all, we believe: While men are evil, God has placed the conscience within and given the measure of faith needed to receive correction and respond in faith and repentance. All men have the opportunity to receive Christ as Saviour, seeing as how Christ died for the sins of the world. Failure to put one’s trust in Christ’s finished work is the only cause for which one will spend eternity in the lake of fire. While we ought to persevere, it is only God’s preservation that will safely land us in His presence for eternal bliss.
Is God Sovereign in the Calvinistic Sense? No!
Is God able to be resisted? Yes, He is!
“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem...how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!” (Matthew 23:37)
“Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.” (Acts 7:51)
“The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9)
Is God limitable? Yes, He is!
“Yea, they turned back and tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel.” (Psalm 78:41)
“And he could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them. And he marvelled because of their unbelief.” (Mark 6:5-6)
Is God actively and directly ruling everything that happens in the world? No, He is not!
“Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me.” (John 14:30)
“In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not.” (2 Corinthians 4:4)
“Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:” (Ephesians 2:2)
“[W]e wrestle...against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” (Ephesians 6:12)
Is God Sovereign in the Historical Sense (i.e., highest, chief, principal, a master or ruler, or one who has power over another)? Yes.
How Is God Sovereign?
God is sovereign in His person!
He is the highest, chief, or principal being! He is the most high (Numbers 24:16; Deuteronomy 32:8; 2 Samuel 22:14; Psalm 9:2; Psalm 21:7; Psalm 46:4; Psalm 50:14; Psalm 56:2; Psalm 73:11; Psalm 77:10; Psalm 78:17; Psalm 82:6; Psalm 83:18; Psalm 91:1, 9; Psalm 92:1, 8; Psalm 107:11; Isaiah 14:14; Lamentations 3:35, 38; Daniel 4:17, 24, 25, 32, 34; Daniel 7:18, 22, 25, 27; Hosea 7:16; Hosea 11:7; Luke 8:28; Acts 7:48), the most high God (Genesis 14:18, 19, 20, 22; Psalm 78:56; Daniel 3:26; Daniel 5:18, 21; Mark 5:7; Acts 16:17; Hebrews 7:1) or God most high (Psalm 57:2), the LORD most high (Psalm 7:17; Psalm 47:2), and the highest (Psalm 18:13; Psalm 87:5; Luke 1:32, 35, 76; Luke 6:35).
He is the ruler or master and, as such, has power over others! He is “greater than all gods” (Exodus 18:11) or “above all gods” (2 Chronicles 2:5; Psalm 135:5) or “a great King above all gods” (Psalm 95:3) or “high above all the earth” and “exalted far above all gods” (Psalm 97:9) or “great…and greatly to be praised” and “to be feared above all gods” (1 Chronicles 16:25; Psalm 96:4) or “God of gods” (Daniel 11:36). He is “high above all the people” (Psalm 99:2) or “high above all nations” (Psalm 113:4). He is “the King of kings, and Lord of lords” (1 Timothy 6:15-16), “exalted…above the heavens” (Psalm 57:5, 11), and “exalted as head above all” (1 Chronicles 29:11). He is “higher than the highest” (Ecclesiastes 5:8), and “exalted above all blessing and praise” (Nehemiah 9:5).
God is sovereign in His practice!
If God is indeed sovereign, all virtues and works stemming from His person would be sovereign (chief or the highest). As such, we believe: God is the giver of sovereign grace (Romans 5:15, 17, 20, 21; Ephesians 1:7; Ephesians 2:7) and source of sovereign love (John 15:13). That being said, many of the groups presently using these phrases do not mean what we mean when we say that.
