In thinking about God's sovereignty in people's lives, I think we can sometimes focus exclusively on individuals. This implies specific plans for specific people. But in the same way that a king is the sovereign over his country, God is sovereign over his kingdom. So, he will have specific plans for individuals which fit into his larger plan for the entire "country." If I see myself as a part of the larger county then I will work to fill my role as it will impact the larger plan. But I might also think that the king's plans for me are for me alone disconnected from the country. So my job is for me alone, not for the benefit of the larger country or anyone else other than me. My money is for me alone, not for the benefit of the larger country. My time is mine alone and not for the benefit of the larger country. If I think this way, it leads to a variety of practices that are outside of sovereignty as it touches me which is meant to be applied to the "country." I may live extravagantly, using the money I have sovereignly received only for myself. I may see my time as something meant to be spent exclusively on myself. I am not sure the phrase, "I need some me-time" is generally a very good thing.
Part of this provision I think is meant for me to share, and if I do share it is because I choose to share it in order to further the kingdom. But if I am forced to share by some government or other group having power over me, that is not the same thing. I am to be wise in how I use God's sovereign provision in my life. Helping can hurt if helpers are not careful. People can become dependent on help when they have the ability to use God's provision of abilities in their own life and act responsibly taking on responsibilities for themselves as agents of what they have been provided. This in not socialism that I am describing here. This is the understanding of how what I have received according to God's sovereignty is to be managed well BY ME in obedience to Him. Part of the problem with government entitlement programs is that I feel that I have no responsibility toward my neighbor because I pay taxes or that i am entitled to be served rather than serve. Why is it unreasonable to expect me to use my lfe for others rather than just for myself? It doesn't matter whether I have or have not, my life as a Christian is not exclusively my own.
This idea grows out of a perception of God's sovereignty being part of a general "country wide" plan versus just for me alone.
McNair
fES
Part of this provision I think is meant for me to share, and if I do share it is because I choose to share it in order to further the kingdom. But if I am forced to share by some government or other group having power over me, that is not the same thing. I am to be wise in how I use God's sovereign provision in my life. Helping can hurt if helpers are not careful. People can become dependent on help when they have the ability to use God's provision of abilities in their own life and act responsibly taking on responsibilities for themselves as agents of what they have been provided. This in not socialism that I am describing here. This is the understanding of how what I have received according to God's sovereignty is to be managed well BY ME in obedience to Him. Part of the problem with government entitlement programs is that I feel that I have no responsibility toward my neighbor because I pay taxes or that i am entitled to be served rather than serve. Why is it unreasonable to expect me to use my lfe for others rather than just for myself? It doesn't matter whether I have or have not, my life as a Christian is not exclusively my own.
This idea grows out of a perception of God's sovereignty being part of a general "country wide" plan versus just for me alone.
McNair
fES
Posts
4 comments:
This blog post leaves a lot of food for thought especially for the Christian. The metaphor about the kingdom is perfect. It is a reminder that every person does indeed hold a specific purpose that no one else can fulfill. In fact, the Lord created each person for a specific purpose in His kingdom. As a result, a core element of the Christian doctrine is the fact that no one is an accident, not even the disabled person that our society so very much marginalizes. Furthermore, as Americans, the population is socialized from a young age that independence from other people is dignified and ideal, but as Christians, the Bible calls us to do the exact opposite. The Bible calls us to depend on the Lord for everything and anything, all the days of our lives. If one really thinks about it, no one is fully dependent upon himself or herself, not even the Atheist. At the center of it all, I can say that the Lord calls us to use our different talents and gifts to help others and not solely ourselves. And, as Christians, we are to serve all whom we can serve, not just the specific groups of people that our society so very much drills into our minds.
As previously mentioned in the comment before mine, the concept of God's sovereignty leaves much open for debate. As Christians, we are taught to embrace God's plan for us, and live daily for what He has in store for our existence. In the overall picture of all humanity, I believe that each and everyone of us must live to better the Lords kingdom. By living for ourselves, and no one else, even if we are fulfilling God's plan for us, we lose sight of the grace that Christianity tells us is crucial to embody. Additionally, I believe that in times of need, it is imperative to help others when we are in abundance. For there may come a time when we find ourselves in poverty, and in need of anothers grace. God send his only to die on the cross so that humanity would be provided salvation. As such, shouldn't we as Christian's utilize God's sovereignty over our lives to provide salvation for other, whether it be monetary or spiritually. If we are truly embodying God's plan for us, we must adhere strict scrutiny when the scripture calls us to go forth and better his kingdom. We must set aside societal pressures for independence, and think largely about the Kingdom of God's sons and daughters that he envisioned. Only then will we truly set personal gratification aside, and live for Christ as he envisioned.
I could not agree more with this! I really think that as Christians we are no longer just an individual, but rather a body of Christ who is held accountable to other members of the body. I remember reading a book in one of my former classes entitled "When the Church was a family" and this book talked about Christians in the New Testament and shared about how in biblical times, Christians had a very strong sense of family. Every time they made a decision they thought about how that decision was going to affect their family. For example, if their family was going through financial struggles then they would marry someone who could resolve those problems for them. They didn't think about how that marriage was going to affect them personally, but rather how this marriage was going to benefit the family. As a Christian our life is not exclusively our own, we now belong to the Kingdom of the Sovereign God.
What god has planned for you is your own. Not one person has been given the same thing as you. God has blessed us with something so specific that it makes us unique. It makes us who we are. I like how you said your money is your money and your time is your time and it is not for the benefit of the country because that is so true. We work hard to live in this world, but we don’t have to be a part of. As Christians we are to be not of this world, and by giving our time and money to benefit this world, we are giving in to something that we shouldn’t.
I also like how you mentioned that if you decide to give something that you are doing it to further the kingdom of God. That if the government made you doing, it wouldn’t be out of the kindness of your heart. I feel like I would be the same way. Because when people try to tell me how to live my life or how to do things, I don’t react to that very well. Because if I am going and willing to do something, I am going to do it out of the kindness of my heart. I just have to remember God is in control and his sovereignty rules everything.
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