God's Sovereignty in Relation to Freewill

Dr. Henry C. Thiessen declared: "God . . . can foresee how men will act without efficiently decreeing how they shall act. God is not limited in the carrying out of His plans, except as He has limited Himself by the choices of man . . . God has set certain general bounds within which His universe is to operate. Within these bounds He has given man freedom to act." (Lectures in Systematic Theology, pp. 346, 396)

The learned Dr. C. Wordsworth touched upon it this way: "The display of God's sovereignty to the world is the end which He has in view. The end is always sure; for it is an end fixed by God. The means are left free to man. Men may choose the good, and they may choose the evil; they may obey God, and they may rebel against Him. This is by God's own permission; for He has given them free will. If they obey Him, as God desires and commands and invites them to do by many gracious promises of reward, then His glory is promoted directly by their actions . . . Whether they obey Him or rebel against Him, the end which is His glory, is always attained. His design cannot be frustrated by their sin." (The New Testament in the Original Greek, With Notes and Introductions, "Romans," pp. 195-196)

Illustrations:

Dr. A. H. Strong in his Systematic Theology presented an illustration which is suggestive: "The man who carries a vase of goldfish does not prevent the fish from moving unrestrainedly within the vase." (p. 363) The man, the superior being in this case, keeps for the moment the goldfish bowl in a state of being moved. He may determine, unhindered, whether he will place the bowl on the table, on the window sill, or on the piano; near the light or in the shade; etc. If he is benevolent we may suppose that he will so act as to insure the best conditions for the goldfish. And his will is overruling. The fish themselves, however, within the well-defined limits of their bowl, have a measure of free choice. They may swim one way or another, or they may cease from all swimming and rest on the bottom of the bowl or float near the top of the water. As food is available, they may partake of little or much or none at all. The superior creature, man, does not force the food down their throats nor determine the exact amount which each individual fish will partake of. If the illustration be shifted to pets of a higher order, the man may urgently appeal to their cooperation for their own good and he may desire a degree of fellowship with them, but still, while superior, he does not control their every movement. Yet their apparently free liberty is circumscribed by the very sphere of their existence. In all of this there may be a thought as to how man may have a measure of free choice but not thereby vitiate the sovereignty of God.

Another illustration, this one from the writings of A. W. Tozer, was presented by Professor Robert Lightner. "A. W. Tozer gives this illustration of the relationship between divine sovereignty and human freedom: `An ocean liner leaves New York bound for Liverpool. Its destination has been determined by proper authorities. Nothing can change it . . . On board the liner are several scores of passengers. These are not in chains; neither are their activities determined for them by decree. They are completely free to move about as they will. They eat, sleep, play, lounge about the deck, read, talk, altogether as they please; but all the while the great liner is carrying them steadily onward toward a predetermined port. Both freedom and sovereignty are presented here, and they do not contradict each other. So it is, I believe, with man's freedom and the sovereignty of God. The mighty liner of God's sovereign design keeps its steady course over the sea of history. God moves undisturbed and unhindered toward the fulfillment of those eternal purposes which He purposed in Christ Jesus before the world began.'" (Regular Baptist Press Quarterly, Doctrine of God, Adult Student, pp. 29-30)