Kings tend to think they have supreme authority, that no one is above them. King Solomon wrote, “Where the word of a king is, there is power; And who may say to him, “‘What are you doing?’” (Eccl. 8:4). But only one King has no one above Him. Nebuchadnezzar was king over the mighty Babylonian empire and thought he was above all, but God humbled him and taught him that there is indeed a King of kings (Dan. 4:34; 1 Tim. 6:15). God is the Most High who reigns as king over the kingdom of men (Dan. 4:17; cf. Psa. 7:17).
God’s sovereignty means He works all things according to the counsel of His own will (Eph. 1:11; Dan. 4:35). All are subject to His rule (Psa. 103:19). He is the Creator of all; He does what He pleases (Psa. 115:3; Rev. 4:11). As the omnipotent, reigning King (Rev. 19:6), He could force His will upon us feeble humans who in Him live, move, and have our being (Acts 17:28). Some believe that He does. John Calvin viewed predestination as, “the eternal decree of God, by which he determined with himself whatever he wished to happen with regard to every man. All men are not created on equal terms, but some are preordained to eternal life, others to eternal damnation; and accordingly, as each has been created for one or the other of these ends, we say that he has been predestinated to life or to death.”[1]
Contrary to Calvin, the Bible teaches that God allows humans to have free will. From the beginning—when He gave Adam and Eve the option of obeying Him and living or eating of the forbidden tree and dying (Gen. 2:16, 17)—God has always given man a choice (Deut. 30:19; Josh. 24:15). Jesus said, “If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself” (Jn. 7:17). Man can exercise his will to find out the will of God and know divine doctrine, or he can reject the Lord. Jesus does not, at present, force us to be His servants; instead, He extends the invitation to all to come to Him (Mt. 11:28). The Lord has all authority; however, with that authority He commands the invitation of the gospel to go out to the entire world (Mt. 28:18-20). Every individual has the choice: “whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely” (Rev. 22:17). Many are lost because they reject this offer (Mt. 23:37; Acts 13:46; 2 Thess. 1:8).
God loves every person (Jn. 3:16; Rom. 5:6-8). He desires that all be saved (1 Tim. 2:4; 2 Pet. 3:9). God has not chosen for you whether you will be saved or lost; you must choose. Your will is the deciding factor. God wants you to love Him in return with all your heart, soul, mind and strength (Mk. 12:30). But He will not force you to love Him. Just as Jesus chose to lay down His life (Jn. 10:18) in order to follow God’s determinate plan (Acts 2:23), you must choose whether you will follow the path God has laid down for you to have eternal life. Jesus said, “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it” (Lk. 9:23, 24). You can choose to let God reign as King in your life by doing all things under His authority (Col. 3:17)
-Mark Day
[1] Institutes. III.21.5
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