(85) What does it mean to say that God is sovereign?

What does it mean when we say that God is sovereign? The word sovereign sums up what scripture teaches about God’s rule and control. Scripture teaches us that God alone is the autonomous, free, independent ruler of all creation, exercising absolute control and direction over all creation. Let me break this down for you.

• God rules. When you say this, you have said nothing more than that God is in fact, God. He is King. With His all-seeing eyes and all-knowing mind, His perfect wisdom, goodness, righteousness and justice, God rules over all He created. That is, He rules over all existence outside Himself, from the dawn of creation to eternity. God rules over it all.

• God is an autonomous ruler. Autonomous comes from the Greek. It means self-law. It describes God as being self-governing, subject only to Himself and free of any other law or constraint.

• God is a free ruler. This further emphasizes God’s ability to act without external restraint. There is nothing and no one that exists that God is obligated to obey. There is no force of nature or humanity that diectates, constrains, or restrains His rule.

• God is an independent ruler. This emphasizes the truth that God is without obligation to any other person or ruler. Not only is God free to act, He is not obligated to act in anyway by some moral code outside Himself. God does not owe anyone anything He must be obliged to pay back..

• God exercises absolute control and direction. Scripture clearly teaches that there is nothing whether within Himself or in all of creation that is outside God’s control and direction. God exercises control and direction over all creation without qualification or exception.

• God rules and exercises absolute control and direction over all creation.  This includes all existence, past, present and future, in heaven and on earth. His sovereign rule and control of creation is complete and without exception to the most minute, sub-atomic detail. As theologian R.C. Sproul puts it, “There is not one stray molecule in all the universe.”

For I know that the LORD is great And that our Lord is above all gods. Whatever the LORD pleases, He does, In heaven and in earth, in the seas and in all deeps. (Psalm 135:5-6)

All the peoples of the earth are regarded as nothing. He does as he pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth. No one can hold back his hand or say to him: "What have you done?" (Daniel 4:35 )

The LORD has established his throne in heaven, and his kingdom rules over all. (Psalm 103:19)

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