Chip Ingram, well-known author with a ThM from Dallas Theological Seminary, says this at Christianity.com:
"What does the phrase “God is sovereign” really mean? ... Nothing is too difficult for Him, and He orchestrates and determines everything that is going to happen in your life, in my life, in America, and throughout the world."
Thunderbirds Are Go!Is God really the divine puppet master that predetermines all things? Is this even remotely close to what the Bible teaches? To accomplish this misinterpretation, scripture must be stretched way past the breaking point. In this same article Chip says this:
Even Satan himself has to ask God’s permission before he can act (Psalm 103:19).
I wonder how many actually look the scripture up?
19The LORD has established his throne in heaven, and his kingdom rules over all.
While it is certainly possible that this is a mistaken scriptural reference, one has to wonder. My long experience with religious articles has taught me one thing, never trust that the scripture quoted actually says what the author says it says. Look it up.
Possibly Job 1 is what Chip had in mind:
9“Does Job fear God for nothing?” Satan replied. 10“Have you not put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has? You have blessed the work of his hands, so that his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land. 11But now stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse you to your face.”
While I personally look at Job as a story that is designed to make the point that it is God’s world and God’s rules, the idea here is not that God controls Satan. It is that God had protected Job. The implication is that there are others whom he has not protected. People actually think that God and Satan had some sort of contest where God kills (remember that God controls/causes every event) Job’s entire family, just to prove a point. Is this really the way the world works?
I will on occasion download a podcast from various religious podcasters. One that I listened to caused me to laugh. After a long spiel about how God controls everything, he told the story of the local atheist who claimed to be more moral than many Christians because he was faithful to his wife. The podcaster said that no, he was not moral, because he had rejected God. But if the previous statements of the podcaster were accurate then the atheist had not rejected God, but God had rejected him since before the foundation of the world, God had chosen this person to be an atheist. If so, then how could the atheist be responsible for his actions?
There are just too many scriptures that make no sense if God is the master puppeteer--including the entire book of Jonah, and most of the stories in Genesis.
My friend Eric Anderson blogs at Universe of Lies, usually on economic issues. But on a private religious forum he said this:
Exit Babylon Now!God is not responsible for individual choices. God is responsible for giving the ability to make those choices, which choices have consequences. Is God responsible for all those consequences? This is difficult. On a higher level, yes. Specifically and directly, no.
I agree with Eric.
If you are a fatalist then you will never leave Babylon. God wants you to leave, but it must be your decision. He will not force you.