If God is sovereign (that is, acting in sovereignty—not “could be sovereign but God is so good He doesn’t act on His sovereignty”—which is nowhere taught in scripture)…

If God is acting as king and meticulously ruling over all things, then many ask, “How can man be accountable for his actions?” Commonly, it is thought that if God is truly sovereign even over evil, then He would necessarily be the author of evil.

Perhaps, instead of trying to work out in our finite minds the mind of the infinite God, why not just look at what scripture reveals and see if this is in fact a “necessary” consequence?

1) JOSEPH

Joseph is the favorite son of his father, and his brothers hate him for it. So much so, that when they get him alone, they rough him up, throw him in a pit, consider killing him, but instead decide “just” to sell him as a slave to an Egyptian caravan. Undeniable evil. But years later Joseph says to his brothers, “I am your brother, Joseph, whom YOU sold into Egypt. And now do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because YOU sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life… So it was not you who sent me here, but God.” (Gen 45) Does that mean what his brothers did is morally good or neutral because God willed it? Clearly, no. Principle: God can ordain it, and the brothers are still held morally responsible.

2) JOB

God has a conversation with Satan and asks Satan if he has considered His servant Job and his blameless, God-honoring life. Satan says, “Sure, sure I have—but only honors you because you have given him everything and made his life so great. If you took that away he would surely curse you!” God responds (blowing a gaping hole in prosperity gospel theory), “Ok, do what you want to all that he has but spare his life.” And Satan destroys his fields, flocks, cattle, servants, and children. This happens with God’s permission, and Job says, “The LORD gives and the LORD takes away, blessed be the name of the LORD.” In saying this, scripture says, Job does not sin with his lips. Since the Lord gives Satan permission, Job rightly attributes all that happens to him to the hand of God and receives it as such—yet Satan’s actions are clearly evil and wicked and he is culpable for them. God rules over all, including evil, without being either tainted by it or the author of it. And God’s rule does not negate the evil of the bad actor.

3) PHARAOH

Pharaoh, 10 times, refuses to let the people of Israel go. Each time God sends a plague through Moses. And in the end, God decimates the might of Pharaoh. Scripture states Pharaoh hardens his heart and God hardens his heart. It is not as if men are good at heart and God has to create evil in them—no! “None is righteous! No Not One!” Pharaoh is no exception. He is a pursuer of evil like all of us. God hardens his heart so that he will not let the people go until He has fully demonstrated His power and His wrath. In fact, Romans 9 says that “it is for this very reason” Pharaoh was raised up—that is, created and given the seat of power in Egypt. He was raised up so that “God’s power might be shown” and so that “His name might be proclaimed throughout the whole earth.”

This is still happening as The Prince of Egypt and Charlton Heston movies 3500 years later show. But, Romans 9 asks, “Why does God still find fault? For who can resist His will?” The response is not, “No, you don’t understand—I’m not really saying God willed that Pharaoh resist Him” and it is not “Exactly—God forced Pharaoh in his evil deeds so he is not guilty.” God rules as king and raises up Pharaoh for His purposes of showing His power and wrath and to glorify His name by His triumph and Pharaoh is JUSTLY condemned. Our response? Romans 9 answers, “Who are you, O man who answers back to God? Will the thing molded say to the molder, ‘Why did you make me like this?’”

4) JESUS

Why was Jesus crucified? Was that in the plan of God?

Isaiah 53 says, “It was the will of God to crush Him.”

Acts 2:23 says, “This Jesus was delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God…”

Acts 4:27 says, “For truly in this city there were gathered together against Your holy servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do whatever Your hand and Your plan predestined to occur.”

Revelation 13:8 refers to Jesus as the one “slain before the foundation of the world.”

Clearly, the crucifixion of the Messiah was always in the plan of God. Equally clear—the crucifying of Jesus was the greatest sin that can be conceived. Does predestination make God the author of evil? The Bible says no.

James 1:13: “Let no one say when he is tempted, ‘I am being tempted by God,’ for God cannot be tempted with evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone.”

I John 1:5: “God is light and in Him there is no darkness at all.”

Well if God predestined the greatest sin of all time and remains not the author of evil, surely the men responsible cannot be held guilty, right?

Acts 2 says, “You with wicked hands have crucified and slain…”

So divine ordination of even bad things does not, according to scripture, negate the culpability of the wicked.

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Some Implications:

1. “God’s ways are not our ways, and His thoughts are not our thoughts.” It should not be surprising that we would not be able to neatly fit everything about the person of God into our expectations of how things should work. We do well to take what scripture says and submit to it, even if we do not have full comprehension.
2. Romans does suggest a reason in part. Consider this.

THOUGHT: Why did God create a world He knew would fall? YES much must be left to His secret counsel.

BUT What if God wanted to display all of His attributes—all that He is—His Righteousness, His Power, His Holiness, His Anger at Sin, the horrific betrayal of Sin—and He wanted to display His Generous Mercy, His never-ending Love, His Outlandish Grace, His heart to lay down His Life for His enemies.

HOW COULD WE KNOW HE WOULD GIVE HIMSELF FOR SINNERS IF THERE WAS NEVER ANY SIN TO BE RESCUED FROM?

God desires to reveal to us all that He is so that we can delight in, revel in, and be satisfied in all that He is. So… What if… God, in desiring to make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, endured with much long-suffering the vessels of wrath fitted for destruction.

Knowing God, as He is—This is our highest need and greatest good. It is what we are made for. God in His wisdom has displayed His just judgement and wrath as the dark backdrop to display the bright majesty of His divine grace.

God’s glorifying of Himself is not only morally right, but the display of His glory alone is able to satisfy the hearts of His people.

Do I just accept this as true but horrible news? That would be better than not accepting it but let me suggest some positive applications.

• Humbling: This is meant to cause you to shut your mouth, lower your head and say like Job, “Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer thee? I will lay mine hand upon my mouth.” (Job 40:4) and Isaiah 6:5, “Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.” This is actually a great delight—”I am not in control—you, O Lord, are. I am not good (or the definer of it)—you, O Lord, are!”
• Hope-Giving: Perhaps you sitting on the throne is not the best solution after all. When we lay down our perceived rights and demands to how we would do it and look with humble hearts to God—What we find is He is in fact mighty to save and willing to save! The vilest are made clean! The darkness gloom overcome! The most stubborn heart is able, by His sovereign grace, to be made pliable and warm. Romans 9:25-26: “As indeed he says in Hosea, ‘Those who were not my people I will call ‘my people,’ and her who was not beloved I will call ‘beloved.’ And in the very place where it was said to them, ‘You are not my people,’ there they will be called ‘sons of the living God.’”
• Trust this Good God: Romans 9 concludes in verse 33 with, “whosoever believes on him will not be put to shame.” Will you lay down your armor? Your fear? Your desire to be in charge and control? Your sin and your shame? Your doubts of the goodness of God? And will you surrender yourself to the goodness of your Father? Will you surrender your loved ones to His sovereign hands and tell them unabashedly of His grace to you? “Whoever believes on him shall NOT be ashamed.”

God will have mercy on whom He will have mercy—Good News—He delights to show mercy!