Beth-El Baptist Church

08/13/06

Greg Tomlinson

Is God really in control?

The question of God’s control over this world is one that is brought up by many from time to time. It raises questions regarding how a loving and merciful God could be in control of all things while vicious and malicious crimes continue unpunished. It encounters the question of how much evangelism and outreach is to be done by believers.

1. Does God care about what happens to people?

Matthew 10:28-33

Luke 12:4-9

1 Timothy 2:3-4 cmp 1 Corinthians 2:14

1 Peter 5:6-9

God is interested in what happens to people. He desires for them to trust Jesus with their hurts and cares. He even desires mankind to seek out Jesus, but because man is not naturally spiritually focused not all men will come to know who Jesus. Still God is interested in man.

2. Does God actively control any event?

Exodus 7:1-5

Joshua 6:1-5, 20-21

Judges 7:2, 20-22

1 Kings 22:20-22

Jeremiah 27:8

Daniel 2:20-22

Habakkuk 1:5-12

John 5:16

Romans 9:17-23

2 Peter 2:9

There are many, many events in life that God was directly and actively controlling. He controlled Israel’s departure from Egypt, Joshua’s conquer of Jericho, Israel’s exile in Babylon and many other events. God intervenes in the lives of men continually. Even today, God intervenes in believer’s lives so that they can escape from continually living in sin.

3. Does God actively control every minute detail of every event?

Job 1:7-22 cmp James 1:13-15

Psalm 73:3-19

Romans 6:11-14; 12:1-2

Romans 7:14-21

1 Corinthians 10:13

1 Timothy 6:6-12

2 Timothy 2:4-5

While God is ultimately in control of all things, God did not make his people robots that have no mind and thus no capacity to act. Remember that God does not tempt any man but he does allow the temptation and he also provides a way out from under the temptation so that you do not sin against God. Regardless of what happens in a person’s life, it is God and only God that knows how to make it good and pleasing to the Lord.

4. What control does God control regarding a person’s state of salvation?

Ezekiel 16:8-13

Matthew 11:27

John 6:44

Romans 9:13-16

1 Corinthians 2:14

Ephesians 2:1-4

It is because of God’s intervention in the lives of man that salvation comes. It is God’s divine intervention into the life of a man that salvation comes. Men by nature are not interested in the things of God because they are dead to the things of God. It is God that opens the heart of men and brings about salvation into their lives.

5. What control does God have regarding a person’s continuing state of obedience?

2 Peter 2:9

John 10:27-30

Hebrews 12:6-10

It is God who promised to save the believer so it is God who will most definitely keep his promise to them. In the process of time, God will also provide a way for the believer to live in this present world and escape from sin.

Summary:

God is an infinite and just God. It is God who decrees who rules and who enters into heaven. By nature, man is unjust and selfish. He seeks what he believes he deserves without understanding that what he deserves is eternal death and torment. The judgment of man is reserved to God and nothing in this world escapes the notice nor the hand of God to change things according to his will.