When Christians Use The "S" Word

I hate it when Christian’s use the “S” word. By “S” word I mean sovereignty. If any of you thought that my last post on Christian music was taking things a little too far then some of you will probably want to take me outside of the city and stone me after you read this. I’m not purposefully trying to stir up trouble but I feel like the issue of God’s sovereignty is one of the most misunderstood subjects in Christianity.

God’s sovereignty is probably one of the most talked about subjects in churches and among Christians today. I think the reason is because there are so many things that happen in this life that are unexpected and that we didn’t see coming and sometimes it’s hard to handle those things when they come our way. I mean things like sickness and disease, murder, rape, natural catastrophes, etc. More often then not the response you will hear from Christian people will be something like this, “Well, God knows best.” Or, “God is in control.” “It must be God’s will or it wouldn’t have happened that way.” I’m going to have to say that I disagree with these reasons.

Old Testament scripture is what people usually sight as “proof” that everything, good or bad, comes from God. Passages from Job are often quoted. We have to keep in mind that Job did not have a full revelation of who God was as we do now. And also at the end of the book of Job we find Job repenting and admitting that he “uttered what I did not understand.” One very important thing that we need to remember that I believe would change our understanding of these things is this: We must run everything through the cross. It acts like a filter. God did not change; but, His way of dealing with people changed after Jesus died on the cross. This is the good news of the gospel, which by the way, literally means “good news”.

The question we always hear from people is, “Why does God let bad things happen to good people?” You’ve heard that one right? The answer is really simple. God gave Adam and Eve a free will in the garden of Eden. They choose poorly and sinned and as a result we are living with the consequences of that. All the bad stuff that happens in this world is not a result of God not caring or not knowing what’s going on. It’s not a result of God willing or allowing bad things to happen to teach us a lesson, bring us closer to Him or even so that He will get the glory. What God allowed was man to have a choice in the beginning and we’re living with that choice still.

People often say “God can do anything He wants.” But that’s not true either. God cannot and will not break His word. It’s not an option. So if His word tells us that He is a good God and that He is a giver of good gifts then He cannot turn around and give bad things. He has limited Himself by His word. The truth of the matter is that people like to think that everything that happens is God’s will and we don’t have any say in the matter. It somehow is a comfort to them. There’s a feeling that if I can’t do anything about the situation anyway then I’ll just trust that God knows what he’s doing.

At the end of Matthew and Mark right before Jesus ascends back to heaven he gives his disciples authority in this world to go and make disciples, heal the sick, etc. A transfer of power took place in the garden of Eden. Man gave Satan power in this world when they sinned. Jesus came as the perfect sacrifice and atonement for sin and He’s now given the power to back to us. We as Christians need to realize where the bad stuff comes from and use the authority that’s been given us in Christ and stop blaming everything that happens on God’s sovereign will. I don’t think God likes to be blamed for doing something He hasn’t done anymore than the rest of us do.

Jesus tells us in John 10:10,
“The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”
I don’t think it can get any plainer than that. But in case you’re still skeptical try James 1:17 which says, “Every good and perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.”

You can remember it this way. If it’s good, it’s God. If it’s bad, it’s the devil. God is not guilty. Why do we blame God for bad things when the Bible plainly tells us that God is a giver of good things and it’s the devil who is behind the bad stuff? I love how James says it, there’s not even a hint of God changing. I choose to believe that God’s word is true and if it is then the bad things can’t possibly come from Him.

In Matthew 7 Jesus says this:
“Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent? If you then being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!”

I don’t have kids but I have two beautiful nieces and a nephew on the way that I love very much. And I know that as much as I love them it can’t possibly compare to how much God loves us. I wouldn’t cause my nieces and nephew pain just to get their attention, even if they were doing wrong. I want good things for them. I want them to have the least amount of heartache and hurt as possible. And as an Aunt I would never, ever even consider hurting them in anyway just to teach them a lesson. So why do we think God who loves us even more would ever do those things to us?

We are also told in Hebrews chapter 1 that,
“God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in times past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom He also made the worlds; who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person…”

The Bible is telling us that Jesus is the “express image” of God the Father. If that’s the case then everything Jesus said and did was a reflection of what God the Father wants for us. Jesus went around healing people and setting them free not bringing bad things upon them so that they would be taught lessons. Everything Jesus did was good.

Acts 10:38 says
“how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil for God was with Him”

He healed all; not just some. Not just those who deserved it or the ones He felt like healing. He healed them all. And notice it says that it’s the devil who was oppressing them. I think it leaves a bad witness to the world when we as Christians tell unsaved people the reasons bad things are happening to us or to them is because God has caused it or wants it that way.

Why on earth would anyone be remotely interested in a God who wants bad things to happen to us? You’ve got to be kidding! No thank you! Try telling a rape victim or someone who has cancer, “Well God must be trying to teach you something or else this wouldn’t be happening to you. God’s trying to get your attention.” If I was unsaved and a Christian told me that I think I’d run as far in the other direction as I possibly could. Why then are we so surprised when people don’t want to have anything to do with Christianity when this is what we tell them?

I will leave you with this thought. I once heard a preacher say something that I’ll never forget concerning the sovereignty of God. And while it makes me laugh, it’s so true. He said this, “The next time someone starts talking about God being sovereign; slap them. And when they get all mad and ask you why you did it tell them that it must have been God’s will otherwise it couldn’t have happened!”

Think about that next you time you use the “S” word and give God the credit for something. It might not be any of His doing.