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Acts 2:23 – Sovereignty and Sin
Does God in His sovereignty cause people to sin to accomplish His purposes? Involved in this question are deep theological issues beyond our inadequate ability to completely fathom and understand. Providence, predestination, foreknowledge, and free will, are intricately woven within this complex issue. Let’s look at three Biblical situations, one guiding truth, ending with an analogy with the hope of gaining some biblical perspective.
Joseph’s summation of God’s providence has him concluding regarding his brothers’ sin, “You planned evil against me; God planned it for good to bring about the present result….” (Gen.50.20). Does God force Joseph’s siblings to sell him and lie to Jacob? Scripture says God hardens Pharaoh’s heart and that the king hardens his own heart (Ex.8:15; 10:1) resulting in sin (9:34). Does God control Pharaoh, making him sin? Here is Peter’s inspired assessment of Christ’ crucifixion – Acts 2:23 (HCSB) “Though He was delivered up according to God’s determined plan and foreknowledge, you used lawless people to nail Him to a cross and kill Him.” If God is responsible for sin, why does Peter tell the people to seek God through repentance and baptism (Acts 2:38)?
The one guiding scriptural truth is James 1:13-14 – (NASB) Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. (14) But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. James focuses on God’s purity. All of God’s attributes work harmoniously, never in contradistinction. God cannot tempt people to sin, let alone force people to sin because His sovereignty and holiness work concurrently. So what is the solution? Here is the analogy that helps me better understand – God is not a puppet master, but the great chess master.
Manipulating a puppet is as simple as pulling a string. The puppet master is in complete control and responsible for each action – no free will for the puppet. God is not a puppet master or else He is the one tempting us to sin. A great chess master, on the other hand, can be in complete control of self while not dominating complete control over the other – retaining free will. Regardless of what moves the opponent makes, he is able to manage the board to his advantage. He succeeds, not because he moves his challengers hand to move his pieces. He wins because in his wisdom (i.e., foresight) and skill, he is master of the board, controlling the end result, by seeing more than his opponent sees, by foreseeing moves and strategies. God controlling history without violating free will is more impressive and more powerful, than God making each individual a puppet. God is a master at being the Sovereign Master.
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