One 16th-century creed claims that “it does not happen in this world without [God’s] arrangement”. Every Reformed confession claims this or something similar. “ God’s sovereignty” – His freedom from external management – “ is the core of doctrinal Calvinism”.

But is God’s sovereignty absolute? Does God control everything? And if so, how should God’s absolute rule affect the way we live?

What does Scripture teach about God’s sovereignty?

God’s sovereignty is manifested in His providence, which is His complete rule over creation. This is how God describes His reign:

„ I form light and create darkness, I work well-being and create misery; I am the Lord who does all this.“ (Isaiah 45:7)

„ The king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord like streams of water, it leads him wherever he wants.“ (Proverbs 21:1)

Jesus claims that if God controls even seemingly insignificant things, such as the hair that falls from our bodies every day (Matthew 10:30), then He indeed controls significant historical events as well. Nothing escapes God’s attention or His control:

„But our God is in heaven, He does everything He likes.“ (Psalms 115:3)

If we lived in a world without sin, accepting God’s sovereign providence would be a straightforward matter. But what if things are going against us? Scripture teaches that God so restrains Satan and all our enemies that they cannot harm us without His permission. But sometimes it happens and God wants it (Job 1:12, 2:6):

„With a trumpet blowing in the city, that the people would not be frightened? Will something bad happen in the city that the Lord would not cause it?“ (Amos 3:6)

Sovereignty is a complex concept, so it is essential to understand the purpose of God’s rule over good and evil. If God’s providences seem reprehensible to us, it is because we forget that God is carrying out his good plan and has enough patience. When Joseph’s brothers sold Joseph into slavery, no one but God saw the intended end: The Lord sent Joseph to Egypt to keep many people alive with his far-sighted guidance (1. Moses 50:20). The providential medicine in Joseph’s life brought a sweet salvation, even if it tasted bitter.

God’s sovereign providence will never fail to fulfill its good will.

God’s sovereignty and the evil actions of men meet most shockingly in the death of Jesus. God used the “hands of ungodly people” to carry out His “finite plan” and sacrifice His precious Son as payment for our sins (Acts 2:23, 4:28). God does everything according to his holy will. It is always suitable for believers (Ephesians 1:11, Romans 8:28).

What does a faithful response to God’s sovereignty look like?

Sovereignty may not seem to require any reaction on our part, but it does. After all, “God in his usual providence uses means”. For example, God promised that no one would die on Paul’s ship, doomed to shipwreck (Acts 27:24). At the same time, however, it required passengers to remain on board (Acts 27:31). So, what does a faithful response to God’s sovereignty look like?

Respect

Particularly difficult providences tempt us to curse heaven. Job’s wife sensed God’s hand in their tragedy, but could not honor His sovereign activity. Her husband asked a critical question: “ Do we receive good things from God, and shouldn’t we receive bad things?” (Job 2:10). Every providence requires obedience (Job 1:20).

A sovereign God who values his children always has full power (Matthew 10:31, Psalms 121:3-4). If you know Christ as Savior, the Spirit as Comforter, and God as Father, then you can trust God’s providence. The Holy God will never reject his children. No challenging circumstances can distract you from God’s loving plan for your life (Romans 8:38-39). God sometimes troubles His children “ to raise them to a closer and more constant dependence on Him alone”.

Humility

Young children believe that the doctor is cruel when he gives them an injection. Adult Christians examine God’s providence more closely. Once confident, Job realized his ignorance of God’s ways: “I talked about what I didn’t understand…” (Job 42:3, see also Psalms 77:19). As students of Christ, we should claim to know only what He has revealed to us and admit our lack of understanding in hidden things.

Adoration

Proper grasping of God’s sovereignty breeds worship. God’s wealth, wisdom, and knowledge are deep, His judgments unexplained, and His ways inscrutable. We know little about His thinking except what He revealed to us in His Word. Do we not have to worship Him to whom glory belongs forever (Romans 11:33-36)?

Before the English pilgrims set out on their journey to America, their Calvinist pastor John Robinson uttered this blessing: “The one who created the heavens and the earth, the sea and all the rivers of the waters, and whose providence is over all his works, especially all his lovely children for good…, guides and protects you in your ways, as inwardly by his spirit, the, so also on the outside with the hand of your power.” Based on the pilgrims’ challenging first year, a critic could argue that the prayer failed. But those who God’s Spirit inwardly guides understand it better. God’s sovereign providence will never fail to fulfill His good will.