Dec 22, 2012

So How Does Sovereignty Relate To Predestination?

Common Sense Commentary: The "sovereignty" of God has no relationship to predestination except it flow through the "foreknowledge" of God.

The word "sovereignty" is not in the Bible (KJV), and is therefore not a Biblical word in either Hebrew or Greek. Now it could, perhaps, have a Biblical counterpart which means something similar, such as power, authority, privilege, dominion, Master, Judge or King.  Soverign is a human word shared by men, in meaning, of both earthly kings and God. Neither are the words "trinity" or "rapture" in the Bible (KJV), except by their definitions, and they are used strictly in reference to the spiritual meanings, unlike "sovereign".   Trinity means "three in one" and that is in the Bible.  "For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one." 1Jn.5:7.   Rapture means, "caught up" and that is in the Bible.  "Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord" 1 Thess.4:17.  But nobody can do a proper Biblical, word study, in Hebrew or Greek, of a word which is not clearly used in the Bible.  Sovereign is such a word.

The English word "sovereign", as a noun, is from the Middle English word "soverain" which came from the Old French word soverain, an adjective.   The English word "sovereign", as an adjective, also dates back to that same Old French word "soverain", which in turn, originated from the Vulgar (common) Latin word "superanus", which means "over or above".  Any ruler or other human can be "over or above" other people and still have a higher power over him.  It is an expressive word, when applied to kings and rulers, and is used, though weakly, applied to God. It was used by the English and French in reference to Kings, Queens, Royal Families, their Royal Money and Royal Government, more than to God, if to God at all.  We hear the word every day on the news ..."Sovereign debt" meaning government debt.  "Sovereign currency" is government currency. Sovereign wealth is tax payer's poverty. It has always related to human governments. However, Calvinists (not a Scriptural title either) have added diety to the word, over the last 500 years, which was not attached to it's original definition. Sovereign's original, root, Latin word, "superanus", mentioned above, had obvious "human" overtones.  Most modern dictionaries have added diety as one of it's definitions and several modern versions of the bible substitute the word "sovereign" for the word "God" several hundred times.  Nevertheless, it is not in the Bible.  Sovereign is a word born in the Latin trenches but wound up on the throne.

When studying God's word, the Bible, I feel much more secure and accurate using strictly Biblical words so I can use an Analytical Concordance and Lexicon of Bible words with Hebrew and Greek meanings in all of their Scriptural usages.  So, to better understand what our Christian, Calvinist friends mean when they so often refer to the "sovereignty of God", maybe you can help me find a strictly Bible word which has the closest meaning to "sovereignty". 

A much better and more exact Biblical word, which references one of God's titles, as its only possessor, is "Almighty".  This word means exactly what it says and is found 48 times in the Old Testament as "Shaddai" (Heb), and 10 times in the New Testament as "Pantokrator" (Gk).  Nine of those 10 times in the N.T., it is translated "Almighty" and once as "omnipotent".  The word is capitalized (proper name noun) in all 58 Biblical uses except the one time it is translated "omnipotent". In that one time, it is used as a descriptive adjective rather than a noun name.  That one time is in Rev.19:6  ..."And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of many thunderings, saying, Alleluja: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth."
So here we have two extremely strong, Biblical words which cannot be applied to earthly kings, queens, their children or their kingdom's monarchical money, or to anything or anyone else. It doesn't seem proper to me to use any title of God which can be equally applied to humans or things.

I think "Almighty", Shaddai, Pantokrator, is the word I am looking for.  It does not  reflect "sovereignty" but omniscience, omnipotence and omnipresence.  Also, it says nothing in reference to predestination or election ... but then, neither does sovereignty.  "Foreknowledge", which is "omniscience", says it all about predestination or election, and is a Biblical word.   "For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren." Rom.8:29.  Also ... "Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied." 1 Pet.1:2.

God's Foreknowledge IS predestination and election. Think it through. RB




1 comment:

Ron Blair said...

Amen.