Fate, Destiny, and God’s Sovereignty

Many often refuse to act when they should, with a resignation that what will be, must be. To such people, whatever happens, is the act of God, or fate. That is absolute determinism, which is fatalism, and it is not scriptural. On the other extreme are those who believe that there is no invisible being (God) that can or should be attracted into the affairs of man through a system of relationship. To them, there is absolute freewill, and nothing is hinged on any master plan of any God. That also is not scriptural.

Often, when the Bible speaks of destiny, it’s in reference to a destiny people have brought upon themselves, through the choices they make. Look at the following bible verses: “Many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their destiny is destruction” (Philippians 3:18-19). “This is the fate of those who trust in themselves” (Psalm 49:13). “A man who commits adultery lacks judgment; whoever does so destroys himself” (Proverbs 6:32). “Each person was judged according to what he had done” (Revelation 20:13). Scripture also teaches that we choose to have faith. The oft-repeated command in Scripture to believe implies that we do have a choice in the matter. “Be not faithless, but believing” (John 20:27; see also Acts 16:31; 19:4).So if the freewill content of our human nature is not subject to, or governed by a divine “order” the outcome of some of our choices and actions can be desructive.

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Interestingly, many people who choose to sin are annoyed by the negative consequences of their sin. many even go blaming God for the evil they actually brought on themselves “A man’s own folly ruins his life, yet his heart rages against the LORD” (Proverbs 19:3). Isnt this insightful?

Now, let’s note this: While we can relatively influence our destiny by our choices, we are not the sovereign masters of our fate. Only God is sovereign. His sovereign control is called “providence.” He has chosen to give us a free will, and He has created a moral universe in which the law of cause-and-effect is a reality. But God is God alone, and there are no “accidents” in the universe.

An all-wise, all-powerful God must have a plan, so it should be no surprise that the Bible speaks of a divine plan. God’s plan, since it belongs to God, is holy, wise, and benevolent. The providence of God is working to bring about His original plan for creation.

God speaks in Isaiah 48:3, “I foretold the former things long ago, my mouth announced them and I made them known; then suddenly I acted, and they came to pass.” What God announces, He does (and He may announce it centuries ahead of time!).

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Fighting against the plan of God is pointless. “There is no wisdom, no insight, no plan that can succeed against the LORD” (Proverbs 21:30). This is why the Tower of Babel was never completed (Genesis 11:1-9), why Daniel’s detractors were thrown to the lions (Daniel 6:24), why Jonah spent time inside a fish (Jonah 1:17), and why we get in trouble when we sin.

Even what we would normally call “chance” or “fate” is under God’s control. “The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD” (Proverbs 16:33). In other words, God does not take a “hands-off” approach to running the world. That is why we should not give up just because it didnt turn out as we expected; or take undue glory as if the success was all by our making.

Everything that happens in the world is made to work out according to God’s purpose. Evil exists, but it is not allowed to thwart God’s providence. God uses even sinful men for His purposes. “The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD; he directs it like a watercourse wherever he pleases” (Proverbs 21:1). God worked in the hearts of the Egyptians (Exodus 12:36) and King Artaxerxes (Ezra 7:27) to bring about His purpose. Even when Man’s intent is purely evil, God can still bring about His will, as in the case of those who crucified Jesus (Acts 2:23; 4:27-28). not knowing their action was simply going to bring about God’s divine plan for man.

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