Lesson Three
GOD’S SOVEREIGNTY OVER PEOPLE
(Chapter 4)
CENTRAL IDEA
God works in the hearts of people to move them to fulfill His purposes. Any treatment, good or bad, that we receive from another can be seen as part of God’s plan for us.
Examining Trust
We are, from a human point of view, often at the mercy of other people and their decisions or actions. Sometimes those decisions or actions are benevolent and good; sometimes they are wicked or careless. Either way they do affect us, often in a significant way. How are we to respond when we find ourselves seemingly in the hands of someone else, when we desperately need a favorable decision or a favorable action on that person’s part? Can we trust God that He can and will work in the heart of that individual to bring about His plan for us?
Or consider the instance when someone is out to harm us, to ruin our reputation, or to jeopardize our career: Can we trust God to intervene in the heart of that person so that he does not carry out his evil intent? According to the Bible, the answer in both instances is yes.
Perhaps the clearest biblical statement that God does sovereignly influence the decisions of people is found in Proverbs 21:1: “The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD; he directs it like a watercourse wherever he pleases.” The stubborn will of the most powerful monarch on earth is directed by God as easily as the farmer directs the flow of water in his irrigation canals. The argument, then, is from the greater to the lesser—if God controls the king’s heart, surely He controls everyone else’s.
God can and does move in the hearts of people to show favor to us when that favor will accomplish His purpose. Furthermore, when necessary, God restrains people from decisions or actions that would harm us. Of course, God does not always restrain the wicked and harmful actions of others toward His people. We do not know why God sometimes allows our enemies to prevail and sometimes restrains them. It is enough to know that God can and does restrain the harmful acts of others toward us when that is His sovereign will.
You can trust God in all the areas of your life where you are dependent upon the favor or frown of another person. God will move in that person’s heart to carry out His will for you.
The Bible asserts both God’s sovereignty and people’s freedom and moral responsibility, but it never attempts to explain their relationship. For one thing, God is infinite in His ways as well as His being. A finite mind simply cannot comprehend an infinite being beyond what He has expressly revealed to us. Because of this, some things about God will forever remain a mystery to us. The relationship of the sovereign will of God to the freedom and moral responsibility of people is one of those mysteries.
We must also keep in mind that God is never the author of sin. Though people’s sinful intents and actions serve the sovereign purpose of God, we must never conclude that God has induced anyone to sin. God judges people for the very sins that He uses to carry out His purpose.
The Bible consistently portrays people as making real choices of their own will. The choices people make are moral choices; that is, people are held accountable by God for the choices they make. God works without violating or coercing people’s will; rather He works in His mysterious way through their wills to accomplish His purposes.
There are some cautions we need to consider, lest we wrongly use the doctrine of God’s sovereignty over people.
First, we should never use the doctrine as an excuse for our own shortcomings.
Second, we should not allow the doctrine of God’s sovereignty to cause us to respond passively to the actions of other people that affect us. The doctrine of God’s sovereignty should never be used to promote passivity.
Third, we must never use the doctrine of God’s sovereignty to excuse our own sinful actions or decisions that hurt another person.
Developing Trust
1. Examine the following Scriptures for evidence of God’s work in the hearts of believers and unbelievers. Record the key words used to describe His working.
Ezra 1:1, 5; 6:22
Daniel 1:9
2 Corinthians 8:16-17
Deuteronomy 2:30
Joshua 11:20
2. Read Exodus 4:21 and 8:15.
a. Who is given the responsibility for Pharaoh’s hard heart in each of these verses?
b. How do these verses, taken side by side, help us see the relationship between man’s responsibility and God’s work in our hearts?
3. God’s restraining influence on people’s actions and decisions is seen in the following verses. Complete the chart.
Scripture
What action did God prevent?
What emotion did God influence?
Gen 20:1-7
Gen 35:5
Exod 34:23-24
4. According to the following verses, how do the sinful actions of man affect God’s purposes?
Genesis 50:20
Acts 4:27-28
5. Do you agree that a finite mind cannot comprehend an infinite Being beyond what He has expressly revealed? Why or why not?
6. a. God can and does work in the minds and hearts of people to accomplish His will. How should that truth affect your attitude?
b. How should that truth affect the way you pray about your job or other concerns?
7. Why should confidence in God’s sovereignty in the lives of people keep us from becoming resentful and bitter when we are treated unjustly or maliciously by others?
8. a. Describe a time when you were treated unfairly.
b. How did you react?
c. To what extent did your reaction show trust in God?
d. Would you like your response to be different next time? If so, how?
e. What was the end result of the situation?
f. What good, if any, came from this situation?
9. What are some specific things you can pray for in your own life this week, knowing that God can work in people’s hearts?
10. a. Describe a time recently when you were affected by someone else’s decision or action.
b. At the time how did you feel about the situation?
c. How do you feel now about the outcome of the situation?
d. Does your study of God’s sovereignty in the hearts of people affect your perspective on what happened? How?
Trust in Action