Important Note To Students And Teachers
People promote some horrible views of God. For decades natural disasters such as earthquakes, volcanic activity, hurricanes, and other destructive forms of nature were referred to as "acts of God." When bad things happen to loved ones, it is common to hear one of two questions: (1) "Why did God permit this?" Or, "Why didn't God stop this?" The inference: "Any bad happening is the result of God (a) refusing to use His power or (b) using His power in terrible ways."
Incredibly, if it is undesirable, "God did it!" If it is desirable, "Something else did it!" People typically ask, "Why?" when the undesirable happens. Typically people direct that "why" at God.
The writer's basic concept: if people are to make significant changes in (a) the way they view life and (b) the way they use life, they must change their view of God. Change the person's view of God, and his or her perspective on existence changes, his or her perspective on values changes, and his or her perspective on acceptable behavior changes. The most significant changes in attitude are produced by changing one's view of God. The most significant changes in motives are produced by changing one's view of God. The most significant changes in emotions are produced by changing one's view of God. The most significant changes in morals and ethics are produced by changing one's view of God.
We easily can say, "God is sovereign!" What does that mean? How should that affect my understanding of God? Does it mean "I do as I am told" without understanding and without questioning? Does that mean righteous existence is based on following the "proper check list" in my behavior? Can humans use "God's rules" to "bind God"? If God is sovereign, what does that declare about "my" human significance?
Many Christians fear such questions. Many Christians do not want an in-depth understanding of God's sovereignty. Most Christians prefer their spiritual responsibility be reduced to a check list that (a) may be performed in a routine manner, (b) requires little thought, and (c) is accepted rather than understood.
This quarter's study focuses on God's sovereignty. Scripture is clear about this truth: God rules because He is sovereign. Instead of attempting to make scripture assume a predetermined form that is molded by our spiritual concepts, we shall try to allow scripture to form our spiritual insights. The objective: to build faith in God's revelation of Himself instead of sculpting God to "fit" the image produced by predetermined convictions.
We must provide God the opportunity to tell us Who He is and the significance of His sovereignty. We must not be like the apostle Peter in Acts 10:9-16. God wanted the apostle Peter to do something unthinkable for a Jewish Christian: go into the home of a person who was neither Jewish nor a convert to Judaism, teach him about Jesus Christ, and baptism him. God prepared Peter mentally and spiritually in many ways! God's preparation began with a vision Peter saw three times. Three times God told Peter to act in a specific way, and all three times Peter refused God's instruction. Why? "I cannot do something that violates Your past instructions!" God said, "What God has cleansed, no longer consider unholy." We must not take the position of doing what we assume God wants. We must allow the sovereign God to speak for Himself. What God said about Himself must determine our concepts of God.
