Sovereignty of God & Responsibility of Man

Sovereignty of God

Joseph

Genesis 50:15–21 NASB95

When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “What if Joseph bears a grudge against us and pays us back in full for all the wrong which we did to him!” So they sent a message to Joseph, saying, “Your father charged before he died, saying, ‘Thus you shall say to Joseph, “Please forgive, I beg you, the transgression of your brothers and their sin, for they did you wrong.” ’ And now, please forgive the transgression of the servants of the God of your father.” And Joseph wept when they spoke to him. Then his brothers also came and fell down before him and said, “Behold, we are your servants.” But Joseph said to them, “Do not be afraid, for am I in God’s place? “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive. “So therefore, do not be afraid; I will provide for you and your little ones.” So he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.

Joseph was Jacob’s Favorite Son as demonstrated by the coat of many colors

Joseph told brothers they would bow down to him

Joseph Brothers sold him into slavery.

Slave traders sold him to Potiphor. Potiphors wife falsely accused Joseph of taking advantage of her.

Potipher throws Joseph into Pharaoh's prison.

Joseph meets the baker and cup bearer and interpreted their dreams

The cupbearer forgot about Joseph until Pharaoh had a dream.

Joseph interpreted Pharaohs dream.

Pharaoh made Joseph prime minister

Joseph saved the world by storing food

Brothers bowed down to Joseph in pursuit of food.

Jacob dies and the brothers fear for their life.

Joseph said what you meant for evil, God meant it for good.

God’s divine plan of sovereignty was displayed in Joseph’s life. He saved the world.

His brothers could have said that they were just fulfilling God’s plan by selling him into slavery.

Joseph corrected the and let them know that they meant it for evil. It did not excuse their actions.

God does not make people do evil. They choose to do so. So God holds us accountable for our evil deeds.

So if God knows all of this why does he hold us accountable?

Romans 9:14–24 NASB95

What shall we say then? There is no injustice with God, is there? May it never be! For He says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” So then it does not depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy. For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I raised you up, to demonstrate My power in you, and that My name might be proclaimed throughout the whole earth.” So then He has mercy on whom He desires, and He hardens whom He desires. You will say to me then, “Why does He still find fault? For who resists His will?” On the contrary, who are you, O man, who answers back to God? The thing molded will not say to the molder, “Why did you make me like this,” will it? Or does not the potter have a right over the clay, to make from the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for common use? What if God, although willing to demonstrate His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction? And He did so to make known the riches of His glory upon vessels of mercy, which He prepared beforehand for glory, even us, whom He also called, not from among Jews only, but also from among Gentiles.

God’s Sovereignty and Our Responsibility run parallel.

If God is Sovereign, then can man truly have free will?

YES! Just because we cannot harmonize or understand it doesn’t make it any less true. It just demonstrates that we are not God and that He is infinitely wiser than us.

Ephesians 2:8–9 NASB95

For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.

Matthew 11:26–30 NASB95

“Yes, Father, for this way was well-pleasing in Your sight. “All things have been handed over to Me by My Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father; nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal Him. “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. “For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

How can we come unless He is revealed? It is by Jesus will!

Jesus

Jesus was crucified. Pharisees turned him in, Pilate sentenced him to death, roman soldiers crucified him. All of this was God’s plan but these people are held responsible for their actions.

Why can’t we harmonize the sovereignty of God and the responsibility of man?

Isaiah 55:8–9 NASB95

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways And My thoughts than your thoughts.