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| Conwy Castle 2001 |
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To be 'sovereign' means 'to rule'-not to reign as a figurehead king-but to actually rule, to control, to have His way, not sometimes and in some place, but all the time in all places. This includes the human world, of course, and we'll get to that presently, but for today, we'll explore God's sovereignty over the non-human parts of His creation.
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The world is full of superhuman powers, powers that can easily destroy you-either quietly, as cancer eats away at your pancreas, or with the mushroom cloud of an atomic bomb.
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Gravity kills people every day as they slip in the bathtub. Momentum kills people when their cars hit embankments. Water drowns people, fire burns people to death, smoke suffocates them, and our arteries are filling up with plaque as I speak. These are all non-human powers, and every one of them threatens each of us and the whole human race.
And then Pastor Phillips mentions the supernatural...
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And then there's another non-human power. Have you guessed which one I'm thinking of? It's not a natural power, like an avalanche or a virus, but it's every bit as deadly; more deadly, in fact. I mean demonic powers. When looking at the world, I have a grain of respect for atheists. But when they tell me they don't believe in the devil, I cannot take them seriously! Evil is real, and while it is connected to human will, it is not limited to it. Talk to a drug addict, and he'll tell you that something's got a hold of him! Something outside of himself is exerting a hateful and destructive power over him. The Bible calls this 'something' the devil and his angels.
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Biblically
Biblically, it can be viewed from the Hebrew Bible and Genesis 1, that God created all material things. God created matter, time and space. Anything material and physical was created by God.
God's sovereignty is demonstrated in the New Testament as well. God as triune, documents the religious history by which Jesus Christ died for the sin (s) of humanity and applies his resurrection and atoning work to those in Jesus Christ. Post-mortem, those outside of this gospel work are everlastingly separated (Revelation 20) from the restored Kingdom of God, the new heaven and new earth (Revelation 21-22).
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In Genesis 1:1, we find Him ruling nothing-by which I do not mean 'not ruling', but ruling the nothing that was before there was something. Christians have always affirmed our belief in- Creatio ex nihilo. That is, God created everything out of nothing. To do this, of course, means He rules the nothing.
Theologically
God is sovereign and demonstrates providence.
I noted on
2010 Theodicy and Practical Theology: PhD thesis, the University of Wales, Trinity Saint David, Lampeter
Soverignty
John Calvin (1539)(1998) writes humanity has nothing on its own, but depends totally on God. Calvin (1539)(1998: Book II, Chapter 1: 2). God bestows on humanity what he wills. Calvin (1539)(1998: Book II, Chapter 1: 2).Arthur Pink (1968) defines God’s sovereignty as meaning that God is the almighty, the possessor of all power in heaven and earth, and no one can defeat his counsels. Pink (1968: 20). Norman Geisler explains the Bible teaches that God is in control of the entire universe, including human events. Geisler (1986: 63).
Providence
Oliver Boulnois (2002) defines providence as the manner by which God governs the world. Boulnois (2002: 444). In other words, providence would be the method that God uses to rule his creation in his sovereignty. It could be understood that providence would be the method by which God has sovereign control over his creation, and as Calvin notes, God’s providence has him work through persons. Calvin (1543)(1996: 36).
Philip Edgcumbe Hughes (1990) explains that through God’s providence the world is dependent, for if God did not maintain it, it would cease to exist. Hughes (1990: 45). In Law of Nature, Edwards (1731-1733)(2006) explains that providence is the means by which God governs the world as the supreme judge of the universe. Edwards (1731-1733)(2006: 553).
End citations
Philosophically/Philosophy of Religion
I agree with the pastor as he in his sermons has (paraphrased) acknowledged God as the infinite, primary, first cause of all things, and in the context of this sermon, this would be non-human creation.
At the same time, the pastor (paraphrased) acknowledges the finite, secondary, second causes within the material, physical realm and the spiritual realm impacting the material, physical realm.
(Human beings serve as secondary causes in the material, physical realm, and arguably through prayer and action can at times impact the spiritual realm.)
These secondary causes include rational entities with nature, desire, will, thought, act and action.
Where desire, will, act and action is not forced or coerced, in other words, where these are significantly embraced, demonic beings (and human beings) have significant moral responsibility by which God can ultimately judge.
Angelic beings can serve as secondary causes, but unlike demonic and human beings are not fallen and are in finite, moral, perfection.
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