Prioritizing God's Sovereignty in Decision Making
Prioritizing God's sovereignty in decision-making involves recognizing God's absolute right to govern all things according to his will [8]. This understanding is rooted in the belief that God's eternal, unchangeable purpose comprehends all events, determining their future [6]. The concept of God's sovereignty is closely linked to his decrees, which are his holy, wise, and sovereign purposes that encompass everything that ever was or will be [6].
Scripture emphasizes God's ultimate authority. For instance, Psalm 75:7 states, "But God is the judge. He puts down one, and lifts up another" [7]. Similarly, Psalm 82:1 declares that "God presides in the great assembly. He judges among the gods" [2]. Matthew Henry interprets this to mean that God's supreme presidency and power are asserted in all councils and courts, with the legislative and executive power of princes being under his eye and hand [9]. This perspective suggests that God is not merely an observer but an active director of events [9].
The doctrine of predestination, or election, is one aspect of God's sovereignty, referring to his plan of salvation [3]. This involves God's choice of individuals for eternal life, a choice grounded in his "good pleasure" [5]. The Greek word for "predestinate" appears in passages like Romans 8:29-30 and Ephesians 1:5, 11, indicating God's "determinate purpose" governs all events [3]. John Gill, commenting on Ephesians 1:4, explains that this choice is not national but refers to individuals chosen by God [12].
For individuals, prioritizing God's sovereignty in decision-making means adopting God's value system, pursuing his purpose, and submitting to his authority [11]. This involves making a serious and deliberate choice to follow "the way of truth," recognizing it as the only true path to happiness [10]. The Bible encourages decisive action in serving God, exhorting individuals to seek God with their whole heart, keep his commandments, and follow him fully [4]. Proverbs 21:3 highlights that "to do righteousness and judgment, Is chosen of Jehovah rather than sacrifice," indicating that ethical conduct aligned with God's will is paramount [1].
Sources
- Proverbs “Proverbs 21:3 (YLT) — To do righteousness and judgment, Is chosen of Jehovah rather than sacrifice.”
- Psalms “God presides in the great assembly. He judges among the gods. -- Psalms 82:1”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Predestination — This word is properly used only with reference to God's plan or purpose of salvation. The Greek word rendered "predestinate" is found only in these six passages, Acts 4:28; Rom. 8:29, 30; 1 Cor. 2:7; Eph. 1:5, 11; and in all of them it has the same meaning. They teach that the eternal, sovereign, immutable, and unconditional decree or "determinate purpose" of God governs all events. This doctrine of predestination or election is beset with many difficulties. It belongs to the "secret things" of God. But if we take the revealed word of God as our guid”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Decision — Necessary to the service of God -- Lu 9:62. Exhortations to -- Jos 24:14,15. Exhibited in Seeking God with the heart. -- 2Ch 15:12. Keeping the commandments of God. -- Ne 10:29. Being on the Lord's side. -- Ex 32:26. Following God fully. -- Nu 14:24; 32:12; Jos 14:8. Serving God. -- Isa 56:6. Loving God perfectly. -- De 6:5. Blessedness of. -- Jos 1:7. Opposed to A divided service. -- Mt 6:24. Double-mindedness. -- Jas 1:8. Halting between two opinions. -- 1Ki 18:21. Turning to the right or left. -- De 5:32. Not setting the heart aright. -- Ps 78:8,37. Exe”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Election of Grace — The Scripture speaks (1) of the election of individuals to office or to honour and privilege, e.g., Abraham, Jacob, Saul, David, Solomon, were all chosen by God for the positions they held; so also were the apostles. (2) There is also an election of nations to special privileges, e.g., the Hebrews (Deut. 7:6; Rom. 9:4). (3) But in addition there is an election of individuals to eternal life (2 Thess. 2:13; Eph. 1:4; 1 Pet. 1:2; John 13:18). The ground of this election to salvation is the good pleasure of God (Eph. 1:5, 11; Matt. 11:25, 26; John 15”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Decrees of God — "The decrees of God are his eternal, unchangeable, holy, wise, and sovereign purpose, comprehending at once all things that ever were or will be in their causes, conditions, successions, and relations, and determining their certain futurition. The several contents of this one eternal purpose are, because of the limitation of our faculties, necessarily conceived of by us in partial aspects, and in logical relations, and are therefore styled Decrees." The decree being the act of an infinite, absolute, eternal, unchangeable, and sovereign Person, compre”
- Psalms “But God is the judge. He puts down one, and lifts up another. -- Psalms 75:7”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Sovereignty — Of God, his absolute right to do all things according to his own good pleasure (Dan. 4:25, 35; Rom. 9:15-23; 1 Tim. 6:15; Rev. 4:11).”
- Psalms (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Psalms 82:1: We have here, I. God's supreme presidency and power in all councils and courts asserted and laid down, as a great truth necessary to be believed both by princes and subjects (Psa 82:1): God stands, as chief director, in the congregation of the mighty, the mighty One, in coetu fortis - in the councils of the prince, the supreme magistrate, and he judges among the gods, the inferior magistrates; both the legislative and the executive power of princes is under his eye and his hand. Observe here, 1. The power and honour of magistrates; they are the mighty. They are so”
- Psalms (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Psalms 119:30: Observe, I. That those who will make anything to purpose of their religion must first make it their serious and deliberate choice; so David did: I have chosen the way of truth. Note, 1. The way of serious godliness is the way of truth; the principles it is founded on are principles of eternal truth, and it is the only true way to happiness. 2. We must choose to walk in this way, not because we know no other way, but because we know no better; nay we know no other safe and good way. Let us choose that way for our way, which we will walk in, though it be narrow. I”
- Luke (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Luke 12:31: 12:31 Seek the Kingdom of God: Adopt God’s value system, pursue his purpose in the world, and submit to his authority.”
- Ephesians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Ephesians 1:4: According as he hath chosen us in him,.... This choice cannot be understood of a national one, as Israel of old were chosen by the Lord; for the persons the apostle writes to were not a nation; nor does he address all the inhabitants of Ephesus, only the saints and faithful in Christ that resided there; nor are they all intended here, if any of them. However, not they only, since the apostle includes himself, and perhaps some others, who did not belong to that place, nor were of that country: nor does this choice regard them as a church; for though the saints at Eph”