THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD [heresey alert]

This week I was asked to vote for or against a document which opened with this affirmation: "The good news of the Gospel is that the triune God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—creates, redeems, sustains, rules, and transforms all things and all people." This opening sentence spoke to me of the sovereignty of God.

I've been out of seminary for quite a long time, so perhaps my ideas on the doctrine of the sovereignty of God are no longer theologically precise. And maybe you feel the same way, so let me run this by you. I've always thought that Matthew 5:45 "for God causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous" spoke to the sovereignty of God. It doesn't matter if you're a saint or a sinner [BTW: all saints are sinners] God's sovereign will and way is over ALL - whether you acknowledge God or not. God is God. God is sovereign over the righteous and the unrighteous.

As our debate ensued, there arose an objection to the document based on the affirmation that: "the triune God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—creates, redeems, sustains, rules, and transforms all things and all people." The objection (I think) expressed a fear that the statement implied a wholesale universalism; eat drink and be merry, because God will fix it all in the morning. But is that what the affirmation says? Or as I read it, is it a bold, broad and deep acknowledgement of the sovereignty of God who creates, redeems, sustains, rules and transforms at His will and within His ways, and not ours? Does it affirm the doctrine of the Sovereignty of God which leads us to the mysteries God and our faith? Are we not willing to be led beyond that of which we can speak? Surely this language leads me beyond what I think or imagine. It's really only a puny attempt at God-sized language.

I do affirm that: "The good news of the Gospel is that the triune God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—creates, redeems, sustains, rules, and transforms all things and all people" not knowing how it's true, only that it is true. I affirm it because of all the ways I have seen it lived and practiced in the Church and the world, and for all the ways I have not seen and yet believe. I don't think it's an expression of cheap grace, but of the sovereignty of God which is always more.

So this is what I believe: The One and only Triune God, Master of the Universe is Sovereign over all things and all people -- those who know His Name and those who do not. That this same God created all and is in the process of redeeming and transforming all, exactly how I only know dimly. But at the very same time, God has given to you and me, on the pages of Holy Scripture, a message of transforming love in the person of Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit, to take to the world. And that when we make this love of God known, transformation and redemption happens, even when we can't see it [one of those mysteries again].

I'm glad for the opportunity to reflect on the sovereignty of God. Perhaps I haven't thought about it often enough. I'm glad glad for the reminder that in those times we have a small agenda, we can lose track of things much more important. And I'm grateful for being brought back to the mysteries of our faith. Our words cannot take us to where God is.

It helps us to remember, especially when things are at the darkest or bleakest-when the way ahead is unknown or known and too much to bear, that our Sovereign God is creating, redeeming, sustaining, ruling and transforming all. May this encourage you in the days ahead. BLESSINGS AND JOY, THE CELTIC MONK

FYI: Fear won, and the vote to accept the document which began with this lofty affirmation of the Sovereignty of God, failed by a narrow margin. The good news is that our little corner of fear is even today being squelched by others, and the document is being accepted across the country by a 3 to 1 margin.