God is Sovereign, man will be held accountable

God is sovereign over all and man is responsible. Two seemingly contradictory truths to finite minds. Like oil and water how could they go together? Many have tried to figure it out and in the process overemphasized one to the exclusion of the other. What results is error of some kind. It is what happens when finite man meets infinite God and tries to explain the infinite in finite terms. We often end up going further than the bible does and misconstruing both the biblical teaching as well as God's intent. If we overemphasize God's sovereignty we make men into puppets. If we overemphasize man's responsibility we make God into one. While both errors are harmful, the second is worse since it essentially puts man in the driver's seat. Both errors diminish a true knowledge of God as they deny certain biblical truths.

The first is a great doctrinal truth that stands as the capstone and pinnacle of all great biblical truths. The other is a fact of life. A biblical truth that causes us to take an honest look at our condition before God and our response to Him. We will beheld accountable for our thoughts, words and actions. Let's take a quick look at both.

1. God's sovereignty. What can we say to begin except amen and amen? Without this great doctrine everything falls down. It would be helpful to define exactly what God is sovereign over. That is easy. Everything. If not, he is not sovereign. He rules as king over all. Nothing and no one is above him. No one gives him orders. Rom. 11, job, etc. No one can tell God what to do or be in charge of Him. He is all powerful, all knowing, all present. He is great and awesome and inspires shock and awe from his subjects. There is none greater. The one true God of the Bible is great. And he is also good, allowing in mercy, grace and his great wisdom, in his design of the universe, for his human subjects to think, act and operate in the world he created, in such a way that they can blame no one for their actions. We call it...

2. Man's responsibility. Another way to put it is accountability. What exactly is man responsible for? Or what will God hold man accountable for? His sin, his response to God, his thoughts, words and actions. For all these things our just and holy God will hold him accountable. Man is not responsible to choose himself to be saved, or to give himself life, or to do any of God's things. He will be held accountable by God for the things God expects from him. Rom. 3:19 says that all the world is accountable to God. Those who reject Christ condemn themselves. They were marked out for destruction and by their own admission they confirm it. No one can blame God or any person for his own actions and choices.

The discussion of man's responsibility often falls into error when the discussion turns to free will. The balance tips precariously towards a view that makes man entirely independent of God, essentially portraying man as greater and stronger than God. But who can resist God's will? He will draw all he has chosen to himself. It is for their good, not their harm. Any discussion of man's free will must have the safety net, the protective fencing if you will, of God's overriding sovereignty, and it must be guarded by the question: What is the will free to choose? Apart from Christ the will is enslaved, not free to choose what is good. Regenerated in Christ the will can choose what is good, right and true, for God's glory and other's good.