Saturday, April 13, 2019

Hardens

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In my last blog, I began to write on principles that
have defined my theology, and therefore became
the heart of my practice of preaching. By
mentioning my view of Scripture, I intended to
show why I felt that expositional preaching was a
necessary duty in the pulpit.
I want to expand on key issues of my theology,
which must begin with God himself. Essentially
the Bible is the book of the revelation of God.
Even the gospel itself, according to Romans
1:16, 17 is a declaration of the righteousness of
God.
The Bible has so much to say about God. It
begins by showing his work as creator. In
essence it ends this way as well - for Revelation
21:5 has God declaring that he is making all
things new. Throughout the pages of scripture we
encounter God over and over again. We find him
beyond our ability to grasp, yet as the God who
reveals himself. He is invisible. His wisdom is
unsearchable. He knows all things. He never lies,
he only speaks truth. He is good, loving and
merciful. Yet he is jealous and filled with wrath.
He does all things for his glory. He is to be
adored, for his perfections are eternal. His life is
non-derived - he has neither beginning nor end of
days. He is eternal.
Each one of the attributes of God deserve careful
consideration. But for the sake of this blog, I
wish to consider one attribute that many find
offensive. It is the attribute of God's sovereignty.
In essence, sovereignty simply means that God is
King, and that he rules over all. No Christian
questions this. But the idea that his sovereignty
is meticulous - this is more than some can
imagine.
Consider the following statement: "God not only
controls the actions of every quark of every atom,
God is actually a micro-manager. Nothing that
happens, happens without his permission. But
that is not saying enough. Nothing that happens,
happens without his design!"
Is there Biblical evidence for this? Consider the
following. This is but a small sampling of what
we find in the Bible.
1. Amos 3:6
Is a trumpet blown in a city, and
the people are not afraid? Does
disaster come to a city, unless
the Lord has done it?
2. Isaiah 45:7
I form light and create darkness,
I make well-being and create
calamity, I am the Lord, who
does all these things.
3. Lamentations 3:37-38
Who has spoken and it came to
pass, unless the Lord has
commanded it? Is it not from
the mouth of the Most High that
good and bad come?
4. Proverbs 19:21
Many are the plans in the mind
of a man, but it is the purpose of
the Lord that will stand.
5. Jeremiah 10:23
I know, O Lord, that the way of
man is not in himself, that it is
not in man who walks to direct
his steps.
6. Matthew 10:29
Are not two sparrows sold for a
penny? And not one of them will
fall to the ground apart from your
Father.
7. Isaiah 46:9-10
remember the former things of
old; for I am God, and there is
no other; I am God, and there is
none like me, declaring the end
from the beginning and from
ancient times things not yet
done, saying, 'My counsel shall
stand, and I will accomplish all
my purpose,'
8. Job 42:2
"I know that you can do all
things, and that no purpose of
yours can be thwarted.
9. Exodus 4:11
Then the LORD said to him,
“Who has made man’s mouth? Who makes him
mute, or deaf, or seeing, or
blind? Is it not I, the LORD?
10. Proverbs 16:33
The lot is cast into the lap, but
its every decision is from the
Lord.
11. Psalm 115:3
Our God is in the heavens; he
does all that he pleases.
12. Acts 4:27-28 - DON"T MISS THIS
ONE!!!
for truly in this city there were
gathered together against your holy servant Jesus,
whom you anointed, both
Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles
and the peoples of Israel, to
do whatever your hand and your plan had
predestined to take place.
13. John 17:12
I have guarded them, and not one
of them has been lost except the son of
destruction, that the Scripture
might be fulfilled.
14. Romans 9:15-18
For he says to Moses, “I will have
mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have
compassion on whom I have
compassion.” So then it depends not on human
will or exertion, but on God,
who has mercy. For the Scripture says to
Pharaoh, “For this very
purpose I have raised you up, that I might show
my power in you, and that my name
might be proclaimed in all the earth.” So then he
has mercy on whomever he wills,
and he hardens whomever he wills.
Now of course, the implications of these things
are far reaching. Everything from a dice that is
rolled at a board game - to the person who
appeals to God for mercy - to the leaders of Israel
deciding to crucify Christ - is meticulously carried
out by a God that is sovereign.
This matter has formed the starting point in my
preaching. I believe in this God - this
meticulously sovereign - all powerful - fiercely holy
- yet profoundly loving God.
Posted 28th October 2014 by Pastor John Neufeld
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