History of the Sovereignty of God

Clement of Rome (AD 30-100)
Clement, a co-elder along with Linus and Cletus, took the reigns of the leadership after apostle Paul in Rome. Paul mentioned Clement with him in Philippians 4:3. Clement affirmed the basic doctrine of God's sovereignty in salvation. As a partner of Paul he surely learned of God's sovereignty from the great apostle himself. Clement stated in writing to the Church at Rome and Corinth, "to them that are called and sanctified by the will of God, through our Lord Jesus Christ..." Clement affirmed that there is a distinction in the calling of God to salvation. "To them that are called . . . by the will of God" reveals that God's will, not man's, is the ultimate determining factor for those who come to the Lord Jesus Christ. 

Also, Clement affirmed that God has chosen people in the world that have yet to experience faith yet. These are the elect unbelievers who have yet to experience the internal call of God. Clement stated, "Day and night ye were anxious for the whole brotherhood, that the number of God's elect might be saved with mercy and a good conscience." In similar vein this sounds like Paul's teaching in 2 Timothy 2:10 whereby Paul said he endured all things for the sake of the elect. Paul, as well as Clement, understood that all around us were people who were possibly of the chosen, the elect, the vessels of mercy chosen before the foundation of the world, who would come to belief if they labored in the word, grace, and truth. Clement advocated holy living so that in this it would aid in bringing the chosen to experience faith in Christ.
 
At the end of his letter Clement affirmed that rule over all of the spirits of the universe. Such an affirmation at the close of the letter reveals how common this teaching was in the early church. The doctrine was mentioned simply is passing. Clement noted, "May God who seeth all things, and who is the Ruler of all spirits and the Lord of all flesh--who chose our Lord Jesus Christ and us through Him to be a peculiar people . . ." Notice the affirmation of Clement, a God who sees all (a reference to his omniscience), and then a double refrence to the omnipotence of God over all oc creation with his statement that God rules all spirits and is Master/Lord/ King of all flesh. This would then mean that God is King and Ruler over the entire human race, whether believers or unbelievers.

Hermas (AD 160)
Much controversy exists as to the exact date of the writings of Hermas. His writings were very popular among the early chruch fathers. Allegorical in nature, and often compared to the the "Pilgrims Progress by John Bunyan," these works were loved and cherished during the second, third, and fourth centuries. Irenaeus erred terribly but even quoted his writings as Scripture. At this time the church was still formulating doctrine and the canon question had yet to be firmly developed. As with all doctrines, the church had to grow into a systematic understanding  of the canon so in that area we will grant some mercy to Irenaeus. Hermas, in his second book, stated that God was the sovereign creator of all things. He stated specifically "First of all, believe that there is one God who created and finished all things, and made all things out of nothing. He alone is able to contain the whole, but Himself cannot be contained." Here we see that Hermas recognized the absolute power of God in bringing about creation and all things pertaining to it. Additionally, we see that he denied the idea that the creation could contain the "largness" of God. God is above and beyond mere man or man's reason.

Theophilus of Antioch (AD 168-181 approx.)
Theophilus defended the Christian faith as an apologist in the early church. Some claim that he was the first to use the term "Triad" when speaking of the Triune nature of God the Father, Son, and Spirit. Theophilus articulated the absolute superiority and sovereignty of God in unmistakable terms. Theophilus advocated a God that truly governs every area of life. He stated this concerning the divine aributes of the almighty God: "He is without a beginning, because He is unbegotten; and He is unchangeable, because He is immortal. And he is called God [theos]on account of His having placed [tethekenai] all things on security afforded by Himself; and on account of [theein], for theein means running, and foreseeing, and governing, and making all things alive. But he is Lord because He rules over the universe; Father, because he is before all things, Fashioner and Maker, because He is creator and maker of the universe; the Highest, because of His being above all; and Almighty, because He Himself rules and embraces all." Theophilus understood the teachings of the prophets and apostles concerning the fact that God rules and governs everything because he is alone the Almighty. Nothing is outside the rule, power and control, of God. God does not limit himself. God does not guess at the future. God does not subject himself to change, nor does God set things in motion and allow the world to run its own course. No, God rules, guides, sustains, and controls everything in history. Man is part of the creation of God and god rules perfectly over his creation as the Father.

In summation of God Theophilus articulated the greatness of God. Even though God is sovereign, absolute ruler over the universe, he is not responsible for sin. God is pure, radiant, and truly the highest being of all beings. He stated, "For in glory He is incomprehensible, in greatness unfathomable, in height inconceivable, in power incomparable, in wisdom unrivalled, in goodness inimitable, in kindness unutterable. For if I say He is Light, I name but His own work; if I call Him Word, I name but His sovereignty; if I call Him Mind, I speak of His offspring; if I call Him Strength, I speak of sway; if I call Him Power, I am mentioning his activity; if Providence, I but mention his goodness . . . . if I call Him Father, I speak of all things as being from Him." Numerous statements flowing from a heart of praise towards the God who rules over man and the affiars of this world. Man is utterly at the mercy of the Father, the ruler, sustainer, and sovereign administrator over everything from life to death. God does not limit his power or sovereignty. Why should he? He knows all and is perfectly wise to establish and govern his universe exactly as he pleases toward the ultimate end he has purposed.


Lactantius (AD 260-330)
This church father has always held a very high place among the Christian Fathers, not only on account of the subject and matter of his writings, but also on account of the varied erudition, the sweetness of expression, and by the grace and elegance of style, by which they are characterized. In a sense he discipled the famous Emperor Constantine through these writings. He wrote several books on the Christian faith. These works were entitled "The Divine Institutes." In Book I, "Of the False Worship of the Gods" we can see that he held to the view of man's total inability to obtain or choose God's truth unless God determined to grant this gift to the person. He also affirms God's sovereign decree in choosing to leave others out of the gospel of grace. We will review many of his quotes as he had much to say concerning the subject of God's sovereign grace. First, he stated, " . . . the truth, that is the secret of the Most High God, who created all things, cannot be attained by our own ability and perceptions. Otherwise there would be no difference between God and man, if human thought could reach the counsels and arrangements of that eternal majesty. And because it was impossible that the divine method of procedure should become known to man by his own efforts, God did not suffer [allow] man any longer to err in the search of the light of wisdom, and to wander through inextricable darkness without any result of his labour, but at length opened his eyes, and made the investigation of truth His own gift, so that he might show the nothingness of human wisdom, and point out to man wandering in error the way of obtaining immortality." From this statement we can see that he affirmed man's inability in reaching God through his own efforts. Also, he states that opened the eyes of the person by His own gift.

Commenting on the absolute soveignty of God over the world, Lactantius affirmed that God rules with power over the creation.  He states, "There is no one, who possess intelligence and uses reflection who does not understand that it is one Being who both created all things and governs them with the same energy by which He created them." Notice that he said that the same power that created the world is the same power or energy that governs the world today, which means his power controls and guides the universe with no exceptions.

Furthermore, he adds how absurd it is to believe that man or anything else can thwart or derail God's rule.  He says: "But he who imagines that so great a magnitude as this cannot be goverened by one Being, is deceived.  For he does not comprehend how great are the might and power of the divine majesty, if he thinks that the one God, who had power to create the universe, is also unable to govern that which he has created."  All Neo-theists, Arminians, and others who believe God does not control the universe, including the will of man, are deceived!  God would not create a will that he does not have the power to control. Such an idea would be illogical. For God to create something he cannot govern would be like him shooting himself in the foot, to use a human analogy. Lactantius realized the absudity of such an idea. God would not make a plan for the world and history, and then create something or someone who would have the ability to disrupt his ultimate plan. Those who reason this way are truly deceived.

Some believe that God has subjected himself to the will of man.  Lactantius argues against such a view.  He states "for if God is a title of the highest power, He must be incorruptible, perfect, incapable of suffering, and subject to no other being." Some want to argue that God has limited his powers due to the freedom of man's will. Again, however this would mean God is subject to man, which Lactantius denies.

Humanism today asserts that man and reason rule the universe.  Lactantius refutes this and argues that "I have, as I think, sufficiently taught by arguments, and confirmed by witnesses, that which is sufficiently plain by itself, that there is one only King of the universe, one Father, one God." God rules the universe by himself. He alone is King, sovereign, ruler, and the Father of the world.

In Book IV of the "The Divine Institutes" we find a strong statement on the sovereignty of God dealing with reprobation!  God sovereignly rules the truth and to whom he gives the truth.  In commenting on why Pythagoras and Plato did not discover the gospel by going to the Jews, who possess the gospel of truth, he said, "But I think they were turned away from them by divine providence, that they might not know the truth, because it was not yet permitted for the religion of the true God and righteousness to become known to men of other nations." This reveals the fact that he affirmed the doctrine of God's sovereignty in election to salvation or election to be left out. He viewed them both as being determined by the sovereign decree of God.