God's Sovereignty

One of the things I've learned in the past 5-6 years that has humbled me and grown my faith in Christ a lot is coming to understand the Biblical truth of God's Sovereignty in every area of life, and particularly in my own salvation. Looking back at my belief system before my insomnia episode, I think that a very big part of the reason that I didn't think that God was really in tune with me and what I was going through is because I didn't understand His sovereignty in my being saved. I thought of the gospel call as sort of this impersonal offer going out to all people everywhere, and whoever decided to believe it and receive it would have eternal life.

Now, while there's definately truth to that. The thing that I didn't understand back then was that the Bible makes it clear that aside from God's Spirit working in us, none of us would turn to Jesus and receive Him by faith, and so God is very intentional in His grace toward sinners.

"The Lord looks down from heaven on the children of man to see if there are any who understand, who seek after God. They have all turned aside; together they have become corrupt; there is none who does good, not even one." -Psalm 14:2

"And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, but people loved the darkness rather than the light because their deeds were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light lest his deeds should be exposed." - John 3:19-20

There is so much Scripture that speaks of our rebellion, and the fact that none of us would choose to turn to Christ unless a work of grace on God's part takes place first. In the next verse (21) of the John passage I just quoted, John says:

"But whoever does what is true, comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his deeds have been carried out in God."

It was when I began to truly grasp how personal and intentional this was on God's part that my faith in Christ and all His promises has grown, including the promise to bring to completion the salvation that He began in me (Phil 1:6).

This was a very eye-opening experience for me. At first I didn't think it fair on God's part. But as I studied Scripture, I began to see how truly depraved we are as sinners, and that it is God's sheer grace that saves any of us.

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ...even as he chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world."- Eph 1:3-4

"You did not choose me, but I chose you." - John 15:16