Is God In Control OF Everything

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Jun 11, 2020
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#41
I disagree. I believe God calls everyone and only certain people answer that call.
Fair enough. But a scripture or two would have settled it. Maybe we can agree on that scripture that calls all "who has an ear" (Matt.13:9). But there are difficulties with this as they were "dull of hearing" already when the call went out, and mostly it was the "gospel of the KINGDOM" which was ALREADY "sown in their hearts" (Matt.13:19).

It is a most interesting subject.
 

Blade

Well-known member
Nov 19, 2019
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#42
:) Great question. The simple answer we want to say, jump at.. is not the answer. Can God use everything, turn it around for His glory? AMEN! Is God in control? No.

Yet "noo" its not that easy. Well I prayed once where .. well He answered it with in mins. Meaning all that I prayed for was put in to motion before I ever prayed. For in the prayer I said.. you new what I was going to ask before I asked. And you have already set in to motion everything. He was showing me something for .. I have never prayed like that. There was this knowing that I never had before.

Were talking about the great I AM. I want to say NO and YES at the same time. I think if this was a puzzle He would laughing.
 
Jun 15, 2020
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#43
Fair enough. But a scripture or two would have settled it. Maybe we can agree on that scripture that calls all "who has an ear" (Matt.13:9). But there are difficulties with this as they were "dull of hearing" already when the call went out, and mostly it was the "gospel of the KINGDOM" which was ALREADY "sown in their hearts" (Matt.13:19).

It is a most interesting subject.
When I realized God does not know the future is when I realized He is not in control. This is when I realized such a concept of having God in control put me in a state of not being in control. Such thinking caused me to ask for what I should have had based on what He had already designed for me.

So what if He designed nothing for me because He is not in control of my life like if I were a puppet? Then it would have been nothing all those years that I was praying to receive. Realizing such a concept was never true has put me in control of my own spiritual life.
 

tourist

Senior Member
Mar 13, 2014
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#44
Did I read you right? Did you say God is not in control?
If God is not in the pilot chair the plane is going down. Maybe He has a golden parachute or something similar. Passengers are totally screwed.
 
Jun 15, 2020
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#45
If God is not in the pilot chair the plane is going down. Maybe He has a golden parachute or something similar. Passengers are totally screwed.
When I realized God does not know the future is when I realized He is not in control. This is when I realized such a concept of having God in control put me in a state of not being in control. Such thinking caused me to ask for what I should have had based on what He had already designed for me.

So what if He designed nothing for me because He is not in control of my life like if I were a puppet? Then it would have been nothing all those years that I was praying to receive. Realizing such a concept was never true has put me in control of my own spiritual life.
 

tourist

Senior Member
Mar 13, 2014
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#46
When I realized God does not know the future is when I realized He is not in control. This is when I realized such a concept of having God in control put me in a state of not being in control. Such thinking caused me to ask for what I should have had based on what He had already designed for me.

So what if He designed nothing for me because He is not in control of my life like if I were a puppet? Then it would have been nothing all those years that I was praying to receive. Realizing such a concept was never true has put me in control of my own spiritual life.
Jesus claimed that He is the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End. If God does not know the future than prophesy does not exist. The prophets in the OT wrote about the events that were to unfold in the future. The book of Revelation is a book of the future. God always was and always will be. He knows everything about the past and the future.
 

PennEd

Senior Member
Apr 22, 2013
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#47
Yes I don't believe God is in control of my life. The thought was first taught by Augustine in the 4th century. He was a Catholic Bishop.
I think the thought is first from the Lord. Even the inanimate is under His control.

Proverbs 16:33 New King James Version (NKJV)
33 The lot is cast into the lap,
But its every decision is from the Lord.

And here is proof of this:
Acts 1:24-26 New King James Version (NKJV)
24 And they prayed and said, “You, O Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which of these two You have chosen 25 to take part in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place.” 26 And they cast their lots, and the lot fell on Matthias. And he was numbered with the eleven apostles.


How about the animate?

Matthew 10:29-31 New King James Version (NKJV)
29 Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will. 30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.


There are many many more concrete examples of Scriptural Truth that God is in total control. Just ask Jonah!

Or perhaps Paul, er... I mean knocked on his butt Saul.... And on And On...
 

soggykitten

Well-known member
Jul 3, 2020
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#48
Isn't that the very meaning behind Sovereignty?
 
Jul 11, 2020
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#49
Peterlag asks

Is God in control of everything?

Yes. God is in control of everything, with a given boundary of freedom to his creatures.

God created the Universe in a properly and orderly manner with a system in place to maintain law and order. This system includes sets of principles and rules of law and regulations to govern and control the activities of the universe including man. These principles exist:

--- as rods of correction to checkmate the lofty thoughts of man and redirect him to the right path
----to prove and humble man to acknowledge and confess the allness of God, that man cannot live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God
----to bestow blessings and rewards to the righteous
-----to punish acts of wickedness or darkness
-----to fulfill the words of God and manifest his mighty power on earth so that all men shall fear and declare the works of God for they shall wisely consider his doings.

These principles continually work together to maintain a state of equilibrium, harmony and order for the general good of mankind. They are consistent and unchangeable. They do not choose who to favor or not to favor. They play themselves out for all in the same manner. They are interwoven into events that occur in creation or in time and in our every day life.

There is one event to the righteous and to the wicked, to the good and to the sinner (Ecclesiastics 9:2). One event happens to all. It is our individual or collective choice of actions that determines what happens to us. The choice of possibilities is open to man, what he chooses makes or mars him. There is a part that leads to life and another that leads to destruction or death. These paths do not intermingle. We choose which one to follow. The part we choose opens us up to what befalls us in life.

God finished his creation but the system continues to unfold the creation in our everyday life, ensuring that man is accountable for his actions, for as a man sows, so he reaps. This is the divine law.

As the governor of the universe, he is in absolute control but never made us robots. Our boundary of freedom is within the sphere of the word of God.
 
Jun 15, 2020
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#50
I think the thought is first from the Lord. Even the inanimate is under His control.

Proverbs 16:33 New King James Version (NKJV)
33 The lot is cast into the lap,
But its every decision is from the Lord.

And here is proof of this:
Acts 1:24-26 New King James Version (NKJV)
24 And they prayed and said, “You, O Lord, who know the hearts of all, show which of these two You have chosen 25 to take part in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place.” 26 And they cast their lots, and the lot fell on Matthias. And he was numbered with the eleven apostles.


How about the animate?

Matthew 10:29-31 New King James Version (NKJV)
29 Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will. 30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.


There are many many more concrete examples of Scriptural Truth that God is in total control. Just ask Jonah!

Or perhaps Paul, er... I mean knocked on his butt Saul.... And on And On...
Even I can make all the decisions at my job for my employees and I'm not in control of all that happens. Why does it have to be God in control of everything when the whole world from every culture since the beginning of man has spoken about gods, angels, demons, and Satan? Even the Buddha speak about the realm of angry spirits. This the invisible society of spirits do seem to be behind much that occurs in the physical world.

We are often told that people suffer because they deserve it. And we seem to be able to go into great explanations expressing a confidence in God's absolute sovereignty, defined here as control, that seems to provide many believers with a great deal of security. We teach in our churches that everything is under God's control, and thereby everything is proceeding as divinely planned, and that somehow it all fits together.

This concept did not attain the status of a universal explanation for evil until years after a man was born on the planet who was called Augustine. It's indeed historically true that what has constituted the most frequent explanation in the church and in western culture for why people suffer is due to the fact that a man was born on the planet called Augustine.

And so this concept of God being in control of both good and evil is why we often consider a secret "divine blueprint" behind everything that is both good and evil being somehow an extension of God's good (but very mysterious) will. This is the biggest reason why we have trouble accepting the truth concerning the good and evil of the world we experience. A murder is more real to us than devils because the churches do not teach that the world we live in is involved in a state of war that is spiritual.
 
Jun 15, 2020
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#51
Jesus claimed that He is the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End. If God does not know the future than prophesy does not exist. The prophets in the OT wrote about the events that were to unfold in the future. The book of Revelation is a book of the future. God always was and always will be. He knows everything about the past and the future.
Even I can tell my employees what's going to unfold next year and how the company will function in it because I know what I'm planning on doing. I don't need special ability to see into the future to be able to know what I plan on doing.
 

soberxp

Senior Member
May 3, 2018
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#52
1.It's like some of the great figures/man in ancient China. By understanding people's minds or hearts, they can control what will happen in the future.

2.When I was in middle school, I dream of a scene. After that, it really happened. Although I knew all the plots, I was curious to continue it. It was difficult to describe clearly what it was like.at that time I knew that I could turn around and leave at that time, but I didn't do it. So is it because of my curiosity that scene is like this, but truth is we have freewill.

3.There are some things I can't say, I'm afraid to subvert your understanding. but I knew that God can Control OF Everything,
It depends on whether God wants to control or not.

4.About the birth of Jesus Christ, this was planned from the beginning of the creation of the world
 

PennEd

Senior Member
Apr 22, 2013
13,569
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#53
Even I can make all the decisions at my job for my employees and I'm not in control of all that happens. Why does it have to be God in control of everything when the whole world from every culture since the beginning of man has spoken about gods, angels, demons, and Satan? Even the Buddha speak about the realm of angry spirits. This the invisible society of spirits do seem to be behind much that occurs in the physical world.

We are often told that people suffer because they deserve it. And we seem to be able to go into great explanations expressing a confidence in God's absolute sovereignty, defined here as control, that seems to provide many believers with a great deal of security. We teach in our churches that everything is under God's control, and thereby everything is proceeding as divinely planned, and that somehow it all fits together.

This concept did not attain the status of a universal explanation for evil until years after a man was born on the planet who was called Augustine. It's indeed historically true that what has constituted the most frequent explanation in the church and in western culture for why people suffer is due to the fact that a man was born on the planet called Augustine.

And so this concept of God being in control of both good and evil is why we often consider a secret "divine blueprint" behind everything that is both good and evil being somehow an extension of God's good (but very mysterious) will. This is the biggest reason why we have trouble accepting the truth concerning the good and evil of the world we experience. A murder is more real to us than devils because the churches do not teach that the world we live in is involved in a state of war that is spiritual.
Umm... You didn’t address the Scripture at all. Just went right along with how you feel, and what things would be like if you were God.

And why are you bringing up Buddhism? You understand that practice is satanic right?
 

John146

Senior Member
Jan 13, 2016
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#54
Isn't that the very meaning behind Sovereignty?
Sovereign is not found in the Bible so we better take heed how we define it when applying the word to God. There’s the Calvinist definition, then there’s the biblical example.
 
Jun 11, 2020
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#55
When I realized God does not know the future is when I realized He is not in control. This is when I realized such a concept of having God in control put me in a state of not being in control. Such thinking caused me to ask for what I should have had based on what He had already designed for me.

So what if He designed nothing for me because He is not in control of my life like if I were a puppet? Then it would have been nothing all those years that I was praying to receive. Realizing such a concept was never true has put me in control of my own spiritual life.
We all have needs, and you partly attained to yours by a certain understanding. I, on the other hand, understand that God has His needs, and is sovereignty, power and foreknowledge, will attain to His. Even a cursory look at the creation indicates a Creator Who who knew the beginning from the end. From the little atom, with its energy, substance and laws, to the grand arrangement of galaxies, show a Creator Who could not only manufacture this out of nothing, but Who could set things in motion that remain in order over millennia.

But more than this, we are not overly taxed by God's claims. In His Book He makes some claims. If they are true, we must submit as creature, to the Grand Creator. If His claims are untrue, we must wipe all His claims from our minds. For either He is what He says, or He is an imposter.

A small event in history is very enlightening. Isaiah, which contains Chapters 44 and 45, having now been proven to have been written when it was by secular proof, predicted the name of the conquerer of the Babylonian Empire one hundred years before he came to fame - Cyrus. Cyrus was so moved to find a captive nation in Babylon with a book that predicted his very name, that he decreed a release from their captivity. With this amazing record we are faced with one of two choices. (1) Grant God His ability to be so in control that He can do this marvelous thing, or (2) cast away the whole matter as a fable. Point # 2 then logically allows us, nay, compels us, to throw away the very record of the God you hold to in your posting. There is no middle road.
 
P

pottersclay

Guest
#56
Gen 1:1
In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
If you don't believe this read on.
The history of the earth and it's inhabitants are a testamony of Devine influence.
The creation its self is of design and not random.
The proof of complex design and exact measurements indicates and points to a creator.
Not only does this creator create but by him it is held together.
He has set things in the heavens to measure this creation in a frame work we call time.
Time can measure seasons, days, years, and distance.
But time is not infinite for this creator knows the end from the beginning. (Selah).
No where is it written that this creation would last forever. In fact we see it erode away with our vary eyes.
The history of men and nation's as far back as it could be first written shows Devine intervention.
No matter the intentions of men or nation's or there beliefs it seems that the creator has purposed all things for a certain agenda.
Setting boundary's of good and evil written and moral instilled in the hearts of all men we can conclude that the creator will also judge his creation.
Through history we can see that destruction follows when men choose what is evil.
Then again we can see that doing what is right is prosperous to man.
So by knowing the creators written word and doing that which he has declared shall man ever prosper..
 

Prycejosh1987

Well-known member
Jul 19, 2020
1,016
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#57
This seems to call the divine freedom into question, making God a prisoner of His own ability to know what's going on everywhere in the universe at every moment. And if God sees history "all at once" and His actions were not foreseen, then God never foresees any prophets making predictions given by Him.
Let me answer you with a good analogy.
We know what the weather will be like tomorrow, it doesnt change any of our plans. When it rains we equip ourselves with a good coat, when its sunny we wear glasses, it doesnt change plans of going to work and meeting people.
 

tourist

Senior Member
Mar 13, 2014
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#58
Even I can tell my employees what's going to unfold next year and how the company will function in it because I know what I'm planning on doing. I don't need special ability to see into the future to be able to know what I plan on doing.
Apparently, you are able to see into the future but God cannot. Do you still stand behind your claim that God cannot see into the future? Your above claim alone contradicts what you have stated about how God cannot see into the future.

Regarding your ability to predict future events regarding your business matters, you cannot in fact see into the future but rather, at best, can only have an education guess on what may unfold. It may, or may not play out the way that you have planned.

God knows for certain what exactly is going to happen in the future because He is God and has orchestrated or allowed certain things to happen in the events or outcome that is to come.
 

JaumeJ

Senior Member
Jul 2, 2011
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#59
Our Father declares what will be long before it occurs.

Have you never realized that the Almighty knows what His creation will do and how it will behave without consulting its Maker? He also knows what is to be and declares the end before it happens no matter what.

Anyone who claims to believe Him yet does not believe He is All Mighty, is only fooling himself.

In order to receive Faith as a gift from the Father, one must believe He is there to give it.

In order to be heard by Him, also one must believe His is for He will not hear otherwise.
 
Jul 11, 2020
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#60
"Peterlag, posted

Even I can make all the decisions at my job for my employees and I'm not in control of all that happens. Why does it have to be God in control of everything when the whole world from every culture since the beginning of man has spoken about gods, angels, demons, and Satan? Even the Buddha speak about the realm of angry spirits. This the invisible society of spirits do seem to be behind much that occurs in the physical world.

We are often told that people suffer because they deserve it. And we seem to be able to go into great explanations expressing a confidence in God's absolute sovereignty, defined here as control, that seems to provide many believers with a great deal of security. We teach in our churches that everything is under God's control, and thereby everything is proceeding as divinely planned, and that somehow it all fits together.

This concept did not attain the status of a universal explanation for evil until years after a man was born on the planet who was called Augustine. It's indeed historically true that what has constituted the most frequent explanation in the church and in western culture for why people suffer is due to the fact that a man was born on the planet called Augustine.

And so this concept of God being in control of both good and evil is why we often consider a secret "divine blueprint" behind everything that is both good and evil being somehow an extension of God's good (but very mysterious) will. This is the biggest reason why we have trouble accepting the truth concerning the good and evil of the world we experience. A murder is more real to us than devils because the churches do not teach that the world we live in is involved in a state of war that is spiritual..


1. The difference is that God is omniscient and you are not. He declares the end from the beginning and from ancient times, the things that are not yet done, saying my counsel shall stand and I will do all my pleasure (Isaiah 46: 10). He created heaven and earth with his infinite wisdom, understanding and knowledge, therefore, he has complete knowledge and understanding of his creation. There is no secret moves or deals of men that do not come to his knowledge neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight for all things are naked and opened unto him (Hebrew 4:13). Because you are operating in the flesh, you do not have complete knowledge of all events but know only in part, hence, you cannot control all variables both conceivable and non conceivable. God is not man that he can err in judgement. When you cleave to him as a belt cleaves to your waist, he will reveal to you all you need to know to make perfect decisions.

2. There is only but one God and beside him there is none else. We know that there are people who make idols or graven images, worship and serve them and call them their gods. For some, these so called gods have been in the family line or tribe for so long and are inherited from generation to generation. They have become part of their culture or tradition. As Christians, our faith tells us that these so called gods are not God and have nothing in common with the God Almighty, the creator of heaven and earth. ( See Jeremiah 10:4,). It is as a result of these practices among other evils that our Lord Jesus came to redirect our feet to the right path.

3. The scripture talks about the existence of angels, devils and Satan. Angels are God's ministers. (Hebrews 1: 14).
God gave us dominion over Satan and the demons. Because of our lack of understanding of who we are in relation to our God Almighty, Satan uses our ignorance to bamboozle us. We perish for lack of knowledge the bible says. Jesus tells us, I have given you power to tread on serpents and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy (Satan being the greatest enemy) and nothing shall by any means hurt you. He understands Satan as a liar and father of all lies, no truth abides in him (John 8: 44). He fought off Satan's temptations by the iconic word "It is written'' and with that the devil left defeated. In addition, the bible tells us to put on the whole armor of God that we may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil (Ephesians 6:11, 13 - 18). The devil has no power of his own.

If we yield our God given dominion over to the devil and he takes control, we start believing his lies. When we believe in falsehood, our life revolves around it that the only thing we see and take as truth is the lie embedded in that false life which we live that nothing else matters to us. The lie becomes our truth. We cannot blame God for the outcome of our failure. His sovereignty over his creation remains intact , notwithstanding the activities of the devil. We are encouraged to fight the good fight of faith.

4. Thou shall not judge, the bible admonishes. . God judges because he has perfect knowledge of events in his creation and therefore judges right. So, people say somethings out of ignorance. We cannot base the truth on what they say.

5. Yes, all things work together for good to them that love God (Romans 8:28) because our faith comes into play. It is our love for and faith in God that works things out for us through his grace. He tells us in Jeremiah 29:11 (old KJV) For, I know the thoughts that I think towards you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

Of course, if we love him, we dwell under his canopy and we feel safe because we know God is with us. But, this does not demand complacency on our part. We must continue to work out our salvation by remaining in sync with the Lord.

God has revealed to us his plan or program of life on earth and his sovereignty. If we try to explain his sovereignty without realizing the human action in the process, we err.

6. We have to know as Christians that any universal explanation that is in contrary to the word of God does not merit the attention of believers. If as you said, Augustine was the first to understand clearly the Sovereignty of God, then he must have been inspired by the Holy Ghost.

7. We perish for lack of knowledge and not because of our stand on the sovereignty of God.
Some Pastors err in their interpretations of the scripture, that is why, we must study the bible on our own to make ourselves approved.