One of the chief arguments against Gods sovereignty is blame.

Many people believe that if God intervenes in our lives, then we are free from any blame that could be attributed to the act that we then perform. And if taken on the surface of the argument, it certainly sounds like we have a logical case against God.

They problem though is that people misunderstand God. As was mentioned in the last post, whilst God is sovereign, He also retains His other attributes. He never acts in a way that contradicts His nature. We know God is loving, merciful, gracious and just. We know God never changes (Hebrews 13:8).

So when we claim that God has dealt with us unjustly, then we are instantly claiming what God cannot do. He cannot be unjust – because He is just. He cannot be ungracious – because he always shows grace. He cannot be unmerciful – because He always shows mercy.

So the problem then is not God, but an obviously faulty application of logic (which God gave us!). So let’s examine this one a bit deeper.

The first argument Paul puts forward to us is this – God is God. And God will do what is right, regardless of what we think on the matter.

Digging deeper, I think one of the things we often mistake is that we deserve grace. We deserve salvation. We deserve mercy. Surely God loves us right?

Romans 3:23

For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God

But since we have all sinned, and since God is also always just, then we also deserve justice. It is only through Jesus Christ fulfilling the just requirements of the law that we are then able to receive grace and mercy. (Romans 8:4)

God doesn’t just take over our lives, cause us to sin, and they say ‘busted!’. God is always working for His good, He is always working for His kingdom. He is also always just, merciful and loving. God is never going outside of His unchangeable nature, and since we are all born in sin, destined for eternal judgement, He is never making us do anything outside of our nature.

If we go back to the story of Pharaoh that we talked about yesterday, consider this. Pharaoh had already set his heart against God, and His people. He had already decided to not let the Israelites go – he just made their life harder to prove how powerful he was (Exodus 5:6-9). In the end, God just strengthened Pharaohs resolve to continue doing what he already planned to do. God didn’t take a loving, worshipping, holy person and turn him into a sinner. He just allowed him to do what his heart already wanted to do, and gave him the resolve to go through with it.

James 1:13-15 (ESV)

Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.

God is never unjust. God never tempts us. But God is still God.

Prayer

Thank you Lord that You are sovereign. Thank you that you do intervene in the lives of men, that we might be drawn towards You, made holy before You, and that Your name would be glorified. Thank you for sending your Son Jesus to meet the just requirements of the law, that we might come before you, rather than face eternal judgement for our sins. Help us to see your grace in our lives, and guide us to do Your will and work. In Jesus Name. Amen.

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