Wednesday Giveaway - Four Views on Divine Providence

“in Ronald Maxwell’s film adaptation of Jeffrey Shaara’s historical novel Gods and Generals, a shell- shocked captain in the Confederate army asks Lieutenant General Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson how he could remain so tranquil in battle when the fight was raging all around him. “General,” the young captain asks in an almost reverential tone, “how is it that you can keep so serene and stay so utterly insensible, with a storm of shells and bullets raining about your head?”

Jackson’s response reveals his unshakable confidence in the absolute sovereignty of God over all things, including the seemingly random events that take place on the battlefield. “Captain Smith,” Jackson thoughtfully responds, “my religious belief teaches me to feel as safe in battle as in bed. God has fixed the time for my death; I do not concern myself with that, but to be always ready, whenever it may overtake me. That is the way all men should live; then all men would be equally brave.”

Our understanding of God’s sovereignty can have massive implications for the way we live our lives, even if or most of us that won’t look quite like it did for Stonewall Jackson.

But what does it mean for God to be sovereign?

Does everything, from my salvation to the path of a bullet on a Civil War battlefield, happen according to his preordained will? Does God experience time and choices unfolding along with us? Or does the answer lie somewhere in-between?

Questions like these have preoccupied Christians for generations, and in this week’s giveaway, Four Views on Divine Providence, leading theologians wrestle with those difficult theological and philosophical issues.

The four positions are represented by Paul Helseth (God causes every creaturely event that occurs); William Lane Craig (through his “middle knowledge,” God controls the course of worldly affairs without predetermining any creatures’ free decisions); Ron Highfield (God controls creatures by liberating their decision-making); and Gregory Boyd (human decisions can be free only if God neither determines nor knows what they will be).

To enter the giveaway, simply comment below with your answer to this question: What are the practical implications of our view of God's sovereignty?

Also, a bonus entry is a available if you comment a second time letting us know that you shared a link to this giveaway on Facebook, Twitter, or your blog.

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*If you are reading this via Facebook, email, or RSS, please visit the blog to enter. Two winners will be determined by Random Integer Generator. Giveaway ends Thursday at midnight*

Comments

[Jonathan Ammon]

Our view of sovereignty can either cripple or empower us. God is undeniably sovereign, the role do we have (if any) in His sovereignty will determine our ability to live and minister within His power and nature.

[Andrew Wencl]

Our view of God's sovereignty is going to affect every area of our daily walk. Accidents vs. Providence. Chance vs. Purpose. Is God actively involved or passively permissive? The answers to these questions will affect your outlook on life, what you believe about God's invovlement in "human affairs" and whether or not you believe everything or nothing has a purpose.

[Tim Etherington]

Our theology matters. Views of God's sovereignty affect our hope and our trust on a day-to-day basis. Hard to walk by faith if God's not sure what is coming next for you and really can't offer you any hope that he's unable to work all things together for your good but instead can help you pick up the pieces.

[Tim Etherington]

Aaaaand, I tweeted it too. timetherington

[Cliff VanNostrand]

It determines how we view the things that go on in our lives.

[Cliff VanNostrand]

I tweeted this.

[Sarah G]

Our view of God's sovereignty will, among other things, determine our level of trust in him. Only a God who is in complete control of the present and the future merits our complete trust.

[James]

The people I serve in my line of work, Social Work, are extremely challenging at times. The particular population I serve, ex-cons, the dregs of our society, are as equally eligible for grace as I. His sovereignty is what enables me to trust myself in treating them.

And being alone in a room with a murderer.

[James]

I facebooked this as well.

[Arthur Sido]

First and foremost it addresses our understanding of the nature of God Himself. A faulty view of God's nature will invariably lead to a faulty understanding of all theology.

[Chris]

It can give us great confidence that there is a divine purpose to all that we experience.

[Andrew Ong]

A proper understanding of the sovereignty of God in all things excludes all our human boasting and maximizes the glory of God who wills all things according to His purposes.

[David Langdon]

Our view of God's soverignty defines how we process and respond to what happens to us in the world and our confidence in our salvation and walk.

[Anthony Alonso]

Your understanding of sovereignty will determine how you interpret history, cope with tragedy, and hope for the future. It will also determine (if you are consistent) how you counsel, pray, and evangelize.

[Zach]

Sweet!

[Keith]

It will influence every decision we make.

[Jason]

Perhaps one of the more pressing areas of application is how we respond/react to tragedy. One's view of sovereignty will be put to the test in tragic circumstances.

[Larry]

Tweeted about the giveaway

[Jacob Sweeney]

It changes our understanding of the nature of prayer and evangelism. A view which maintains God's absolute sovereignty sees these things as means by which God accomplishes his eternally established purposes. A view which maintains God determines nothing and willfully limits his foreknowledge means that prayer and evangelism are more like a dance where God responds to the earnestness of his people.

[Jacob Sweeney]

I posted the link to this giveaway on Facebook

[Richard Chong]

God's sovereignty has profound impact in all our life. It has broad application from prayer to evangelism to comfort in times of tragedy.

[chris quinto]

Practically speaking our veiw of God's soverignty is important because when life doesn't seem fair/right, we need to understand that God has control over all.

[chris quinto]

I shared it on facebook

[Robert Stump]

It is self-evident that our beliefs drive our actions. If one believes that bomb shelters are his best protection against cold war nuclear strikes, he will build one. If one believes that studying the Word is important he will so organize his day to accommodate this time. If one believes there is a pearl in a field of unlimited worth, he will sell all that he has to purchase it. If one believes God's sovereignty predetermines every action of creation to the movement quarks and atoms he may respond as General Jackson above; he may respond in antinomian profligacy secure in the knowledge that it is God's predetermined path. If one believes God knows all in past and present but not the future he may carry the General's resolve in battle, or he may respond with antinomian profligacy secure in his hope that God will repent of his ire. . .

[Steven McCarthy]

Our view of Providence will pervasively effect our view of God, and of how we should properly relate to him – pray to, think about, speak about – in the midst of the ups and downs of life.

[Jason Chamberlain]

Our view of sovereignty will practically regulate our level of anxiety. If we see God as good (by definition He must be) and sovereign then we can trust that ultimately He is God and we are not. This allows us to deal with whatever happens.

[Greg Wilson]

Everything

[Greg Wilson]

Facebook also

[Rusty Leonard]

God's sovereignty is so important. It is the thread from which God has woven together the universe. His blessedness, His creativity, His omnipotence, His sovereignty are all part of His nature and character. Diminish any of these and you unravel the fabric of existence. Practically since we are created in His image we experience freedom and we are able to choose. Since we are creatures our understanding is finite and most of the time we hold these two in tension as in free will versus predestination. But it is precisely because God is sovereign that we have free will. God made us sovereign within our creaturely realm which to be in His image requires free will. They are part and parcel the same.

So what does this do for my walk and relationship to Jesus Christ? It drives the nail of love even deeper into the wood of my hard heart. My response to God's choosing me before the foundations of the world is one of joyfully giving up all my freedom to Christ and lovingly choosing Him above all else.

[Scott Currie]

Our view of sovereigty is crucial to how we act. Our view must include a delicate balance between God's causative control and our freedom to act in order to make sense of responsibility. Otherwise, on the one hand, how we act is immaterial because God's got it all covered whereas on the other, we are procuring our own salvation which is tentative at best.

[Paul A. Nierengarten]

Like some of the good sentiments already posted here, I agree that our view of God's sovereignty impacts how we approach not only life's events but it also impacts our doctine of Scripture by way of our perspective on its transmission. This book looks helpful in tracing the impacts of the different views.

[Rusty Leonard]

tweeted and posted to facebook...

[Jason Kuo]

It can impact people in a variety of ways. For some, it gives great comfort, for others, it breeds a fatalistic attitude, for yet others, it brings a challenge. Tough stuff.

[Mike Knox]

it scares parents about their kids' salvation either way

[Zack Ford]

Our view of God's sovereignty will affect all areas of our life. One huge implication of our view of God's sovereignty is how we will view and respond to difficult circumstances in our life. Did it happen by chance? Is God powerful enough to stop what happened but chose not to? If he chose not to, is there a reason? Was it arbitrary or for a purpose? All of these questions and practical responses to bad situations in our life are directly related to our view of God's sovereignty.

[Andrew Compton]

The words of Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 28 sum it up for me:

"That we may be patient in adversity, thankful in prosperity, and for what is future have good confidence in our faithful God and Father, that no creature shall separate us from His love, since all creatures are so in His hand, that without His will they cannot so much as move."

[Andrew Compton]

Just shared this on Facebook, both my personal page and my blog's page.

[Bassmanbrian]

Our view of sovereignty impacts at least 2 things, likely more.

There is the question of how much God will care for us while here on Earth. He promises to meet our needs, though in the West our idea of needs is likely very wrong.

It also impacts our view of the Calvinist vs. Arminian debate. As we view His sovereignty more and more highly, we are more are more likely to be of the Reformed persuasion of Christian faith. The answer to the is it about Him or me question will certainly be impacted by this.

[Michael]

Unfortunately I don't know that God's sovereignty has enough practical implication for my life. All too often I try to live by my own strength rather than relying on the strength of God. His sovereignty means that his strength is (more than) sufficient for anything and everything that I might face in this world. I just need to be more intentional in living my life as if it were true.

[Michael]

Tweeted & Facebooked!

[Brad Kautz]

That we can trust God in all circumstances, sucha s when my son spent seven months in Iraq in 2007, as the medic for a Marine unit. He may be my son by birth, but I was given the task of raising him by a God who has complete knowledge and control of all of the circumstances of my son's life, and mine as well.

[Chris Nyland]

It will effect the way we live out our lives.

[Mark Hanson]

What are the practical implications of our view of God's sovereignty? Abortion and End-Of-Life cae is a big one... if we believe that God is sovereign over every life then whether young or old we have to trust that He granted their life to exist and that should be considered before we decide when life should end...

[Craig Kirkwood]

Our view of God's sovereignty will shape our life and worship. It will determine how we respond to the ups and downs of life. It takes us through the times of testing and rejoicing and brings us at last to the One who has worked all things for the good of his elect.

[Mark Kemp]

Our view of God's sovereignty will determine the depth of our worship of Him and our confidence in Him.

[Daniel Ashworth, Jr.]

Our view of God's sovereignty affects how we approach life's circumstances and how secure we feel about being in God's will and plan for our lives.

[Matt Boutilier]

The issue that I see is that desire for us to understand the goodness of God in the midst of suffering. If He knows and has complete control over all things, how do we reconcile that with His goodness.

[Kevin Corbin]

Our whole faith outlook, our entire worldview is impacted by our view of God's soverignty

[Stephen B. Putney]

We need never fear the doctrine of God's sovereignty, as if we might have a better plan than He does. We must fear Him and live our lives in complete dependence on Him. This involves a lifetime of learning to trust our faithful God.

[chad jowers]

... very selfish most times.