How Is God Sovereign Amid Evil?

God is described as the King of glory (Psalm 24:8–10), a great King (Psalm 47:2), and a beautiful King (Isaiah 33:17). How could He be truly sovereign if there is so much evil in this world?

Attributes of God and Evil

God is sovereign over evil in that He is never out of control. If He were, you could not trust Him. However, He is also not blameworthy because of evil. The ultimate answer to the mystery of evil is found in the attributes of God.

• God is omnipotent—He rules by His might forever (Psalm 66:7) and is never out of control.
• God is good—He is not the blameworthy cause of evil.
• God is perfect love—He does not force His way on His creatures but allows them the capacity of choice that is essential to any love relationship.
• God is sovereign—He accomplishes His plan in the midst of evil.
• God is merciful—He offers His comfort (2 Corinthians 1:3), presence (Matthew 28:20), and example (1 Peter 2:21) to all who look to Him.
• God is wise—He can use suffering to enrich one’s life (2 Corinthians 4:17–18), brings spiritual maturity (James 1:2–4), disciplines His own (Hebrews 12), and even awakens unbelievers.
• God is a God of hope—Christ died to deliver us from evil and suffering, and God will one day judge and confine all evil.

Man’s Responsibility

God is sovereign, and man is still responsible. Within the scope of God’s sovereign plan, He has determined to give people the capacity to make responsible choices. Only a truly sovereign God can give man this capacity and still never be out of control. Man’s responsibility does not com- promise the truth of God’s sovereignty, but rather it magnifies the truth of God’s sovereignty! Always allow tensions that you cannot fully understand in your theology in order to stay biblical.

The Bible teaches both the sovereignty of God and the responsibility of man and sometimes in the same verse.

The apostle Paul strongly affirmed God’s sovereignty (Ephesians 1:3–11; Romans 8:28–9:29). We need to follow his doctrine and the responsible life that flowed out of it. He said he was willing to “endure all things for the sake of those who are chosen, so that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus and with it eternal glory” (2 Timo- thy 2:10).

The Bible teaches both the sovereignty of God and the responsibility of man and sometimes in the same verse. For example, Peter the apostle explained Christ’s death this way: “This Man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death” (Acts 2:23).