Questions to research: 1. Do the secret and the revealed will of God ever conflict?
2. Does God’s Omnipotence imply that he can do everything?
3. Give Instances in which the Bible Identifies God and His attributes. Jer 23:6; Hebrews 12 :29; 1 John 1 :5; 4:16
Resume of Notes from Summary of Christian Doctrine by Louis Berkhof.
To learn by Heart
Eph 1:11 in whom also we have been chosen to an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His own will,
Rev 4:11 O Lord, You are worthy to receive glory and honour and power, because You created all things, and for Your will they are and were created.
The Sovereignty of God.
This may be considered from two different points of view, namely, His Sovereign Will, and His Sovereign Power.
The Sovereign Will of God,
is represented in Scripture as the Final Cause of all things. See Eph 1:11; and Rev 4:11 above.
It is customary to distinguish between the Secret Will and the revealed Will of God according to
Deut 29:29 The secret things belong to Jehovah our God, but the revealed things belong to us and to our sons forever, so that we may do all the words of this Law.
The former is the Will of God’s Decree, which is hidden in God, and can only be known from its effects, and the second is the Will of His Precepts which is revealed in the law and in the Gospel. God’s Will concerning His Creatures is absolutely free.
Job 11:10 If He passes through and shuts up, or gathers together, then who can turn Him back?
Psa 115:3 But our God is in Heaven; He has done all that He has pleased.
Pro 21:1 As streams of waters, the king's heart is in the hand of Jehovah; He turns it wherever He desires.
Mat 20:15 Have I not a right to do what I choose with my own property? Or are you envious because I am generous?'
Rom 9:15 No, indeed; the solution is found in His words to Moses, "WHEREVER I SHOW MERCY IT SHALL BE NOTHING BUT MERCY, AND WHEREVER I SHOW COMPASSION IT SHALL BE SIMPLY COMPASSION."
Rom 9:16 And from this we learn that everything is dependent not on man's will or endeavour, but upon God who has mercy. For the Scripture said to Pharaoh,
Rom 9:17 "IT IS FOR THIS VERY PURPOSE THAT I HAVE LIFTED YOU SO HIGH--THAT I MAY MAKE MANIFEST IN YOU MY POWER, AND THAT MY NAME MAY BE PROCLAIMED FAR AND WIDE IN ALL THE EARTH."
Rom 9:18 This is a proof that wherever He chooses He shows mercy, and wherever he chooses He hardens the heart.
The sinful deeds of man are also under the control of His Sovereign Will.
Joseph said to His brothers Gen 50:20 But as for you, you thought evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save a great many people alive.
Act 2:22 Men, Israelites, hear these words. Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by powerful works, and wonders and miracles, which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know,
Act 2:23 this One given to you by the before-determined counsel and foreknowledge of God, you have taken and by lawless hands, crucifying Him, you put Him to death;
Act 2:24 whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it.
God’s Omnipotence.[His Sovereign Power]
God’s power to execute His Will is called His Omnipotence (All Power) This does not mean that God can do everything. There are some things that God cannot do. He cannot lie, sin, deny Himself.
Num 23:19 God is not a man that He should lie, neither the son of man that He should repent. Has He said, and shall He not do it? Or has He spoken, and shall He not make it good?
1Sa 15:28 And Samuel said to him, Jehovah has torn the kingdom of Israel from you this day, and has given it to a neighbor of yours who is better than you.
1Sa 15:29 And also the Glory of Israel will not lie nor repent, for He is not a man that He should repent.
Heb 6:17 In this way desiring to declare more fully to the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, God interposed by an oath,
Heb 6:18 so that by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us,
Jas 1:13 Let no one being tempted say, I am tempted from God. For God is not tempted by evils, and He tempts no one.
Jas 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness nor shadow of turning.
God's Sovereign Power or Omnipotence means, by the mere exercise of His Will, He can bring to pass anything that he has decided to accomplish, and that, if He so desired, He could do even more than that.
Gen 18:14 Is anything too hard for Jehovah? At the time appointed I will return again, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.
Jer 32:27 Behold, I am Jehovah, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for Me?
Mat 3:7 But seeing many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said to them, O generation of vipers, who has warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
Mat 3:8 Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance;
Mat 3:9 and do not think to say within yourselves, We have Abraham as our father. For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones.
Mat 26:53 Do you think that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He shall presently give Me more than twelve legions of angels?
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