If God Is Not Sovereign, God Is Not God
Do you believe in the sovereignty of God as the Bible teaches it?
We have a special combined resource that shows how God’s complete control of everything is taught from Genesis to Revelation. When you give a gift of any amount this month in support of Ligonier, we’ll send you two teaching series from Dr. Steven Lawson—Foundations of Grace: Old Testament and Foundations of Grace: New Testament. More on that below.
Not every Christian defines sovereignty the same way. Some believe God’s control extends only to major moments in history and the key events in salvation. Other Christians have a fatalistic view of sovereignty, more akin to Islam’s view of God. However, the Bible teaches that God is in control of everything, down to the smallest detail, yet we are responsible moral agents. God’s sovereignty brings assurance for His people, knowing that there is not one “maverick molecule,” as Dr. R.C. Sproul so memorably put it.
Consider Daniel, a young man from India, who recently contacted Ligonier. He told us:
“I was so troubled about my salvation. Understanding the sovereignty of God after watching video series by Dr. Sproul has cleared all my doubts. One year with Ligonier has changed my life more drastically than the other twenty-two years of my existence. Thank you all, and my prayers are with this ministry.”
Perhaps like me, when you were first shown the full extent of God’s sovereignty from the pages of Scripture, your understanding of the world was turned upside down (or better, right side up). God’s comprehensive sovereignty is a bedrock reality of His character, so naturally it is foundational to all we express when we say “Reformed theology,” which the great British preacher C.H. Spurgeon said is simply the theology of the Bible.
Reformed theology changes everything. It takes our focus off ourselves and puts it on God in all His majesty and wisdom. It convinces us not to fear what men can do to us but to stand firm in the knowledge of our Lord’s power, promises, and purpose. It gives us confidence that God really does work all things together for our good and the manifestation of His glory (Rom. 8:28).
Dr. Sproul knew how urgent it was for people to embrace this truth. So, he fixed the vision for Ligonier Ministries to spread Reformed theology to the church throughout the world. By God’s grace, Ligonier remains driven by this vision as we seek to help the nations grasp this precious truth.
Christ in the Great Commission commands us not simply to evangelize by His sovereign grace, but to make disciples (Matt. 28:18–20). We’re thrilled to hear of new believers, but so many lack discipleship resources in their local church to help them more fully understand the holy God who saved them. Pastors from other countries tell me that they want more teaching help from Ligonier so they can address this need, and they want us to hurry. As God sovereignly uses His people in accomplishing the Great Commission, your support may be the answer to their prayers as the Word of God is sent forth.
Reformed theology, when properly understood, is transformative. Dr. Sproul’s unique teaching approach has made Ligonier a singular source of trustworthy resources, resources that can be distributed globally. As the need for understanding God’s sovereignty is so widespread, we see the urgent need to expand Ligonier’s outreach.
Reformed theology, when properly understood, is transformative. Dr. Sproul’s unique teaching approach has made Ligonier a singular source of trustworthy resources, resources that can be distributed globally. As the need for understanding God’s sovereignty is so widespread, we see the urgent need to expand Ligonier’s outreach.
This work is possible only through the support of friends such as you. To illustrate the financial side of our work, translating and launching the Reformation Study Bible into a new language requires more than $1 million, while it costs a little over $20,000 to subsidize one year of a student’s education at Reformation Bible College and $20 for every study Bible distributed to a prison inmate or a believer overseas. With current inflationary pressures, costs are increasing, making your generous support of Ligonier all the more needful.
To thank you for your donation, we’re offering a two-volume study set that thoroughly explores the Bible’s teaching on God’s sovereignty. One of our teaching fellows, Dr. Steven Lawson, teamed with Ligonier to produce two teaching series: Foundations of Grace: Old Testament and Foundations of Grace: New Testament. In thirty-eight messages, Dr. Lawson provides an extensive overview of our Lord’s sovereign grace in salvation, as revealed from Genesis to Revelation, and the comfort this truth provides. Your donation unlocks lifetime digital access to both series and to the digital study guides for each. Plus, you’ll receive the DVD editions when you give a gift of any amount.
Thank you for your faithful and generous support of Ligonier Ministries.