Is God in Control?

God, Christ, & The Holy Spirit
Post Reply
User avatar
Paidion
Posts: 5452
Joined: Mon Aug 18, 2008 10:22 pm
Location: Back Woods of North-Western Ontario

Is God in Control?

Post by Paidion » Fri Mar 27, 2020 7:32 pm

Frequently I have heard people strongly affirm that God is in control. I have also read writings in which people state that God is in control. My first question is, "What do people mean by stating that God is in control? Secondly, how would things differ if God were not in control?

The world is filled with atrocities that go on and on, never ceasing—such as rapes and tortures, not only of adults, but of little children as well. There are continuing cruelties of women and children. There are deliberate deprivations of the necessities of life. There are many murders. There are countless people killed in wars. Would all these things occur if God were in control? I don't think so. Does God want people to do these things? I don't think so.

Consider an elementary classroom. Suppose that the teacher attempted to instruct the pupils, but they paid no attention, ran around the classroom hitting the weaker pupils and wreaking havoc. Would you say that the teacher was in control? I don't think so.

Would a man be in control of his family if his wife and children just did whatever they wanted whether the man liked it or not? I don't think so.

Then there are natural disasters that harm people: floods, earthquakes, COVID-19 and countless other diseases. Why do these occur if God is in control? Does He want them to happen in order to fulfill a deeper purpose? I don't think so.

I wonder whether people say that God is in control because it provides for them a sense of security.
Paidion

Man judges a person by his past deeds, and administers penalties for his wrongdoing. God judges a person by his present character, and disciplines him that he may become righteous.

Avatar shows me at 75 years old. I am now 83.

steve7150
Posts: 2597
Joined: Mon Aug 25, 2008 7:44 am

Re: Is God in Control?

Post by steve7150 » Tue Mar 31, 2020 7:12 pm

I wonder whether people say that God is in control because it provides for them a sense of security.





It depends how you define control. Does God force people and events to play out precisely according to script or can the actors adlib or can nature just move randomly?
If God exists and if God is omnipotent then God must have allowed man to have dominion of the earth and perhaps all the bad stuff originated from sin?
I think the bible says the first part and implies the second part.

User avatar
Homer
Posts: 2995
Joined: Sat Aug 23, 2008 11:08 pm

Re: Is God in Control?

Post by Homer » Thu Apr 02, 2020 2:26 pm

I believe the scriptures inform us that God knows all that is happening and is very much in control. Jesus' own words say as much:

Matthew 10:29-31 (NASB)
29. Are not two sparrows sold for a cent? And yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. 30. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31. So do not fear; you are more valuable than many sparrows.


Because of sin God, in his sovereignty, has determined the consequences:

Romans 5:12
12. Therefore, just as through one man sin entered into the world, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men, because all sinned—

We are informed God cursed the earth. The implications of that are staggering. We will all die, yet God has given us a great amount of freedom.

Romans 1:18-32 (NASB)
18. For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19. because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. 20. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. 21. For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 22. Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23. and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures.

24. Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, so that their bodies would be dishonored among them. 25. For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

26. For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural, 27. and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error.

28. And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper, 29. being filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice; they are gossips, 30. slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, 31.without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving, unmerciful; 32. and although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them.


It seems to me that those whom "God gave them over" would include all the ungodly and unrighteous mentioned by Paul. And it has always been when calamity strikes good people generally suffer right along with the bad in the community. There were, I'm sure, some good folks who were carried away into Babylonian captivity along with the bad.

God's allowing a great deal of freedom to man; and natural events, good and bad (rain for crops, disease and death), does not detract from His sovereignty in any way. He is still in control and always retains a veto, otherwise why pray?

User avatar
Paidion
Posts: 5452
Joined: Mon Aug 18, 2008 10:22 pm
Location: Back Woods of North-Western Ontario

Re: Is God in Control?

Post by Paidion » Thu Apr 02, 2020 5:22 pm

Steve 7150, you wrote:It depends how you define control.
That's how I see it too, Steve. Those who insist that God is in control in this world, appear to be attaching an unconventional meaning to the phrase "in control." But if they were speaking of an elementary school teacher being in control of the children in his or her classroom, they would employ the phrase in the conventional sense.
Paidion

Man judges a person by his past deeds, and administers penalties for his wrongdoing. God judges a person by his present character, and disciplines him that he may become righteous.

Avatar shows me at 75 years old. I am now 83.

Post Reply

Return to “Theology Proper, Christology, Pneumatology”