In soteriological discussions, some say redemption comes by the result of man’s initiative to choose God or else if they were compelled into a relationship with Him, from their perspective, no love towards God on their part would be involved. Furthermore, an illustration is often used that depicts a scenario between two spouses in which it’s pointed out that neither can be forced to love the other. The illustrator goes on to argue that man cannot come to God without finding in himself the capacity to love God. Others will respond by affirming that God brings hardhearted sinners from Satan’s grasp into a redemptive state without their initiative by giving them the gift of faith by which they receive His undeserved merit. In addition, they are brought into His Kingdom and received as His adopted sons and daughters. Also, by His sovereign hand redeemed sinners will persevere through this world and join Him in Paradise for eternity. All of this to show that it is entirely God’s love that efficaciously meets the need for man’s redemption.
Now, the second description of soteriology above is completely God centered. God is what hardhearted sinners need their Redeemer to be: the absolute initiator and perfecter of their faith. Man responds with saving faith and repentance to the new life God has given him. Also, by His judicial act, God completely pardons man of all his sins while imputing His Son, Jesus’s perfect righteousness to him.
We can cite other examples of when God also initiated a relationship with man. For instance, God dwelt with Adam and Eve in the Garden and enjoyed mutual fellowship with them. He also instructed Noah to build the Ark and made the great promises to Abraham, while establishing covenants with both. God spoke to Moses through the burning bush and guided him as he led the Israelites out of captivity and through the wilderness. As planned from eternity past, among the Godhead, God the Son came in the flesh and by obedience fulfilled everything necessary to make Him the perfect sacrificial lamb for our redemption. While these are just a few examples of how God has condescended to man, they exemplify the necessity of God’s initiative with man.
We see God’s initiative going back to the beginning of creation and through time as He’s held all things together while allowing us to see His works of majesty and splendor. Not only that, the psalmist points to God’s hand in the miracle of life by crediting God for carefully knitting us together in the womb as we see in Psalm 139:13.
With all this said, God’s initiative in His sovereignty and works of providence is clearly presented. This is a game changer for our worldview especially when we consider the following scripture which substantiates who God is. The psalmist in Psalm 93 says in verse 3: “Your throne is established from of old; you are from everlasting.” Exodus 15:18 states, “The Lord will reign forever.” In John 16:33 Jesus assures His disciples that He has overcome the world and the writer of Hebrews in the first chapter tells us that upon His ascension, not only does Jesus uphold the universe by His word but He has sat down at the right hand of the Father sitting superior to the angels.
Also, by His initiative and in His reign, Christ carries on His High Priestly role as our intercessor. The writer of Hebrews speaks to Jesus’s role here in Hebrews 4:14-15 with the following, “Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin.” Paul proclaims Jesus’s role as mediator in the New Covenant by declaring in 1 Timothy 2:5 the following: For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,” In John 6:39 Jesus states His commitment to persevere with us: “And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me but raise them up at the last day.”
As we affirmed above, our Lord’s reign is perpetual, He reigns now, He has so since eternity past, and He will do so for eternity. To put it another way, there has never been a time, nor will ever be a time when man or any of God’s creation won’t be at His feet subject to His reign.
Embracing God’s sovereignty means we take on a worldview that from God and through God and to God are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen (Romans 11:36).
In His Image 