Ask Fred > Faith > Is God in control of our lives?
Select a Category:
Dear Fred
Fred, I really enjoy your website but have been perplexed by your statement on several occasions that God is not in control of every aspect of a person's life. Perhaps I am misstating your belief or misunderstanding it. Just so I could understand could you kindly explain what you believe and why. I really put a lot of weight in what you think about things.
Fred's Response
George, I am happy to clear up my thinking on God's being in control of every aspect of a person's life. Remember, I'm an executive; I'm not a theologian. I simply am interpreting the Scripture as best as I understand it and if I'm interpreting it wrong, the mistake is mine --- not the Scripture's. When you say that God is in control of every aspect of a person's life then it would seem to me that God is responsible for everything that happens to you. If He is in charge of all your decisions, then He is responsible for that decision. I believe that God is in charge of all our circumstances and that the only thing He's left us with, is the freedom to react. I do not believe we have freedom of will to act. I think we have freedom of will to react. I believe God is the initiator. He's the Creator. He's the Originator of everything in life and so He gives me the freedom to react in order to make me a human capable of self-determination in regard to His judgment. I certainly appreciate your respect for my thinking and I don't express my opinions loosely. I try to think through what I believe and try to state it as clearly as I can. I get into quite a few arguments on some of my beliefs but I stick with them until somebody can show me according to the Scripture that I'm wrong. For example, I take a different viewpoint on the verse in Philippians " I can do all things through Christ..." I don't believe that is an open-ended promise that can be applied broadly to all circumstances and all situations. My friend, Bill Glass, the prison evangelist and former all-pro football player who weighs 300 pounds will never be a jockey no matter how hard he prays! If Bill tried, the Lord would have to strengthen the horse, not Bill. I believe it should be interpreted, "I can endure all things through Christ who strengthens me." I think that in context Paul was speaking of endurance. I know that some theologians say that unless God is in charge of everything, He is in charge of nothing. That doesn't seem to me to be a correct statement. I think He has given temporary control of this world to Satan, but He is still God. He limited Himself in taking on the form of Jesus, but He was still God. Please continue to do your studying on this subject. You asked for my thinking and I gladly shared it with you, but I always want you to base your opinions on Scripture and not personal opinion. Bless.
