Regularly, we recite the Heidelbeg Catechism as a congregation. In response to the question, “What is your only comfort in life and death?’ we say, “That I with body and soul, both in life and death, am not my own but belong to my faithful Savior Jesus Christ; who, with His precious blood, has fully satisfied for all my sins, and delivered me from all the power of the devil; and so preserves me that without the will of my heavenly Father, not a hair can fall from my head; yea, that all things must be subservient to my salvation, and therefore, by His Holy Spirit, He also assures me of eternal life, and makes me sincerely willing and ready, henceforth, to live for Him.”

We live in a troubled world. One of the great spiritual truths that stabilize our minds is “God is sovereign.” We affirm that the Bible says that God knows and numbers the hairs on our head, the sands in the beaches of the world, the viruses, and fault lines of the earth. We also affirm that the Bible says that God is involved in His creation. He is not just watching from a distance. He is participating.

These truths are affirmed in many Biblical texts such as…

Exodus 4: 11 “Who gave man his mouth? Who makes him deaf or mute? Who gives him sight or makes him blind? Is it not I, the Lord?”

Isaiah 45: 7 “I form the light and create darkness, I bring prosperity and create disaster. I, the Lord, do all these things.”

We who argue with God over this concept that He is sovereign in the face of undesirable experiences get this for an answer from Him, “Woe to him who quarrels with His Maker, to him who is but a potsherd among the potsherds on the ground.” (Isaiah 49: 9) While at times we battle with Him over who gets to “drive the car” we must, in the end be grateful that He does not give up the wheel. After all, He says, “I say: My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please.” (Isaiah 46: 10)

This truth raises several issues for us, not the least of which relates to our responsibility in light of God’s sovereignty. For instance, if God is sovereign:

-Does it make any difference if I choose to wear a seatbelt?

-Is a married couple rebelling against God’s plan for their lives when they use contraceptives?

-Does it matter that I watch my diet and exercise?

-Should I be considering cosmetic surgery to address birth defects or the effects of aging?

-Is it ok for a person who has the desire to be married to actively pursue “E-Harmony”?

-Is prayer really necessary?

-Will those predestined to be adopted as His sons come to faith whether we evangelize or not?

-Should those who could be helped to live a normal life with medication use it?

If God is sovereign as we affirm the Bible does teach, then how do we understand personal responsibility?

There are several things to keep in mind:

1. In thinking about topics such as God’s sovereignty and human responsibility, we must acknowledge that there is antinomy in Biblical revelation. According to The Shorter Oxford Dictionary, antinomy is ‘a contradiction between conclusions which seem equally logically reasonable or necessary.’ James Packer, in commenting on this goes on to say, “this definition is not quite accurate; the opening words should read ‘an appearance of contradiction. For the whole point of an antinomy- in theology, at any rate- is that it is not a real contradiction, though it looks like one. It is an apparent incompatibility between two apparent truths.”

Certainly, the Bible affirms that God is sovereign over all things and all situations. The Bible also affirms our responsibility for our own lives. People die for their own sin (Ezekiel 18), people respond to the Gospel because someone made the effort to share that Gospel with them (Romans 10), and Christian people become more righteous than when they were first saved because they make the effort to become more holy (Philippians 2: 12; Colossians 3: 5-10; I Peter 1: 15).

Clearly the fact that the Bible teaches God’s sovereignty and that human beings are responsible for their own lives is an antinomy, an apparent but not a real contradiction.

2. We must make a distinction between playing God and using what God has made available as a gift for our protection, quality of life, and freedom to build His kingdom. This seems to make perfect sense when we are talking about wearing a seatbelt, personal grooming, medication for mental illness, reconstructive cosmetic surgery or having knee replacement surgery. In these cases, we are not playing God but simply being a good steward.

This becomes a more difficult distinction when we ask questions about the surgery to repair one vital organ knowing there are two other things that are not able to be repaired. Is it a good idea to go to the expense considering the other problems? Factor in age and that complicates things further.

Mollie Hemingway has written, “A pastor friend of mine once told me, “The Lutheran answer to every question is, “Why do you want to know?” She goes on to quote Hans Madueme of the Center for Bioethics and Human Dignity, “If only things were so easy…the world is bursting with ethical and moral complexity.”

The use of enhancements such as perfume, makeup, hair coloring, and shaving are not playing God. These things simply make the world a better place… as a steward, we are responsible to take good care of what we own!

While affirming the fact that God is sovereign over all things, we must acknowledge that He holds us both responsible and accountable for how we live our lives and what we do with our time, our bodies, our possessions and our money. We are under His authority and ultimately His care. While we learn to trust Him no matter what we must also learn to serve Him in all situations and with all that we have for the sake of His glory.

What is your only comfort in life and death? “That I with body and soul, both in life and death, am not my own but belong to my faithful Savior Jesus Christ.”