The Sovereignty of God and Human Free Will
Part II
The Role and Responsibilities of Mankind
God gave dominion over the earth to mankind, granting both the authority and the responsibility to steward His creation under His ultimate ownership.
Genesis 1:26-28
Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”
* The Hebrew word used behind “earth” in Genesis 1:26-28 is 'ereṣ (אֶרֶץ). It refers to God’s physical creation.
Psalm 115:15-16
May you be blessed by the Lord,
Who made heaven and earth.
The heaven, even the heavens, are the Lord’s;
But the earth He has given to the children of men.
Psalm 8:4-8
What is man that You are mindful of him,
And the son of man that You visit him?
For You have made him a little lower than the angels,
And You have crowned him with glory and honour.
You have made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands;
You have put all things under his feet,
All sheep and oxen—
Even the beasts of the field,
The birds of the air,
And the fish of the sea
That pass through the paths of the seas.
Psalm 24:1
The earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness,
The world and those who dwell therein.
Man disobeyed God by listening to Satan. Adam and Eve rejected God’s Word and submitted to Satan’s deception, bringing sin and death into the human race.
Genesis 3:1-6
Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said to the woman, “Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?”
And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.’ ”
Then the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”
So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate.
Romans 5:12, 19
Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned—
…
For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous.
1 Corinthians 15:21-22
For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive.
Humanity became enslaved to sin and came under Satan’s influence. By yielding to sin, man became corrupted in nature and subject to the power of Satan, who now exercises sway over the world.
Romans 6:16
Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?
John 8:34
Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin.
1 John 5:19
We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one.
* The Greek word used behind “world” in 1 John 5:19 is kosmos (κόσμος). It refers to the ordered system of human society and its ways, which lie under the influence of Satan.
2 Corinthians 4:4
whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.
* The Greek word used behind “age” in 2 Corinthians 4:4 is aiōn (αἰών). It refers to the present era of human history, marked by sin and under Satan’s influence.
Ephesians 2:1-2
And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course [Gr. aion, aeon] of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience,
Luke 4:5-6
Then the devil, taking Him up on a high mountain, showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said to Him, “All this authority I will give You, and their glory; for this has been delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I wish.
Though mankind’s sin brought them and the world under the influence and power of Satan, God upheld the integrity of His Word. He remained faithful to His original declaration of giving mankind dominion over His creation, even though it had become severely compromised.
Numbers 23:19
“God is not a man, that He should lie,
Nor a son of man, that He should repent.
Has He said, and will He not do?
Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?
Psalm 89:34
My covenant I will not break,
Nor alter the word that has gone out of My lips.
Psalm 138:2
I will worship toward Your holy temple,
And praise Your name
For Your lovingkindness and Your truth;
For You have magnified Your word above all Your name.
Titus 1:2
in hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began,
Because God is holy and just, the sin of mankind brought inevitable consequences: separation (death) from God, and corruption and futility to everything under man’s stewardship. The earth and all creation became subject to the bondage of decay, groaning and awaiting the redemption which God Himself purposed in hope.
Genesis 3:17-19
Then to Adam He said, “Because you have heeded the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat of it’:
“Cursed is the ground for your sake;
In toil you shall eat of it
All the days of your life.
Both thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you,
And you shall eat the herb of the field.
In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread
Till you return to the ground,
For out of it you were taken;
For dust you are,
And to dust you shall return.”
Romans 6:23
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:20-21
For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption [decay] into the glorious liberty of the children of God.
Jesus came as the last Adam, fully human yet without sin, to undo the first Adam’s failure. He perfectly obeyed the Father, fulfilled the Law, and proved Himself to be the spotless Lamb, worthy to redeem us and reconcile us to God. At the Cross, He bore our sin and its penalty, offering Himself as the atoning sacrifice for the world. By faith, all who believe in Him are born again, forgiven, and made righteous before God.
Matthew 5:17
“Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfil.
Romans 5:18-19
Therefore, as through one man’s offense judgement came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life. For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous.
Romans 10:4
For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.
Romans 10:9-10
that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
1 Corinthians 15:45-47
And so it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being.” The last Adam became a life-giving spirit.
However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural, and afterward the spiritual. The first man was of the earth, made of dust; the second Man is the Lord from heaven.
2 Corinthians 5:18
Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation,
2 Corinthians 5:21
For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
Colossians 1:13-14
He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.
Hebrews 4:15
For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathise with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.
1 Peter 1:18-19
knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.
1 John 2:2
And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.
Through His death and resurrection, Jesus triumphed over Satan, disarming the forces of darkness and securing judgement against the ruler of this world. He destroyed the power of death and delivered all who trust in Him from bondage to sin and fear. His resurrection declares His victory and guarantees eternal life to all who believe in Him.
Colossians 2:15
Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.
Hebrews 2:14-15
Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.
John 12:31
Now is the judgement of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out.
John 16:11
of judgement, because the ruler of this world is judged.
1 Corinthians 15:20-22
But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive.
God raised Jesus and seated Him at His own right hand. Jesus has been given all authority in Heaven and on Earth.
Matthew 28:18
And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.
Ephesians 1:20-22
which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.
And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church,
Philippians 2:9-11
Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
God Almighty has given His Spirit to dwell in the hearts of all who believe in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour.
John 14:23
Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.
Colossians 1:27
To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
Romans 5:5
Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
Galatians 4:6
And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!”
1 Corinthians 6:19
Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?
Through Jesus, born-again believers have authority over Satan and over all evil works. We now exercise dominion over this earth as ambassadors for Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 1:22-23
And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.
Ephesians 2:6
and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,
1 Corinthians 12:27
Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually.
2 Corinthians 5:20
Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.
God works through His people on the earth, empowering them by His Spirit to fulfil His will and demonstrate Christ’s victory.
Philippians 2:13
for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.
Matthew 28:18-20
And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.
Mark 16:15-18
And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptised will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”
2 Chronicles 16:9
For the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him. In this you have done foolishly; therefore from now on you shall have wars.”
Amos 3:7
Surely the Lord God does nothing,
Unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets.
Matthew 9:37-38
Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the labourers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out labourers into His harvest.”
Matthew 16:19
And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”
Matthew 18:18
“Assuredly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.
John 14:12-14
“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father. And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.
And faith is the key that allows God to work through His people.
Mark 11:22-24
So Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God. For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.
Luke 1:45
Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfilment of those things which were told her from the Lord.”
Acts 3:6-7, 16
Then Peter said, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.” And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.
…
And His name, through faith in His name, has made this man strong, whom you see and know. Yes, the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.
Romans 1:17
For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.”
Hebrews 11:6
But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
James 1:6-8
But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
Galatians 5:6
For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love.
Jesus has defeated Satan. Born-again believers have authority, power, and ultimate victory over evil through faith in Christ. Yet during this present age, Satan still operates as a deceiver and adversary, exerting influence over this fallen world. He comes only to steal, kill, and destroy. Therefore, we are instructed to remain alert, be wise to his schemes and temptations, and to resist him steadfastly, giving him no place in our minds, bodies, or lives.
John 8:44
You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.
John 10:10
The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
2 Corinthians 10:4-5
For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,
2 Corinthians 11:3
But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.
2 Corinthians 11:14-15
And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works.
Ephesians 6:11
Put on the whole armour of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
1 Thessalonians 2:18
Therefore we wanted to come to you—even I, Paul, time and again—but Satan hindered us.
James 1:12-15
Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.
James 4:7
Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
1 Peter 5:8
Be sober [self-controlled], be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.
Revelation 12:9
So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.
Question: Why does God not immediately strike down all the wicked?
The Bible reveals that God’s wrath can indeed come against non-believers today. However, the full wrath of God is being withheld until the Day of Judgement.
Acts 5:5, 10
Lying to the Holy Spirit
Then Ananias, hearing these words, fell down and breathed his last. So great fear came upon all those who heard these things.
…
Then immediately she fell down at his feet and breathed her last. And the young men came in and found her dead, and carrying her out, buried her by her husband.
Acts 12:23
Herod’s Violent Death
Then immediately an angel of the Lord struck him, because he did not give glory to God. And he was eaten by worms and died.
Acts 13:8-11
But Elymas the sorcerer (for so his name is translated) withstood them, seeking to turn the proconsul away from the faith. Then Saul, who also is called Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him and said, “O full of all deceit and all fraud, you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease perverting the straight ways of the Lord? And now, indeed, the hand of the Lord is upon you, and you shall be blind, not seeing the sun for a time.”
And immediately a dark mist fell on him, and he went around seeking someone to lead him by the hand.
Romans 1:18
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,
Ephesians 5:5-6
For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.
Colossians 3:5-6
Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience,
Matthew 13:38-40
The field is the world, the good seeds are the sons of the kingdom, but the tares are the sons of the wicked one. The enemy who sowed them is the devil, the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are the angels. Therefore as the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of this age.
Acts 17:30-31
Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead.”
Romans 2:5-6
But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent [unrepentant] heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgement of God, who “will render to each one according to his deeds”:
The destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD stands as a historical testimony to God’s righteous wrath and judgement against sin and unbelief, fulfilling the warnings given by Jesus.
Luke 19:41-44
Luke 21:20-24
Matthew 23:37-38
Matthew 24:1-2
Non-believers may actually repent and turn to God before they die. Therefore God, in His foreknowledge, may be affording them the time they need to come to Jesus.
2 Peter 3:9
The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.
Romans 8:28-30
And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified.
God, in His foreknowledge, knows who will ultimately reject Him. He may well be using these people to fulfil His will on the earth, which may indeed involve helping those destined for salvation come to Jesus!
Proverbs 16:4
The Lord has made all for Himself,
Yes, even the wicked for the day of doom.
Romans 9:17
For the Scripture says to the Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I may show My power in you, and that My name may be declared in all the earth.”
Romans 11:11-12
Israel’s Rejection Not Final
I say then, have they stumbled that they should fall? Certainly not! But through their fall, to provoke them to jealousy, salvation has come to the Gentiles. Now if their fall is riches for the world, and their failure riches for the Gentiles, how much more their fullness!
Part II Summary:
God created mankind in His image, granting authority and responsibility to steward the earth under His ultimate ownership. Yet through disobedience, humanity fell into sin, came under Satan’s influence, and brought corruption and death into the world. Even so, God is faithful to His Word, and humanity’s dominion over the earth was not revoked, even in its fallen state.
Through His sinless life, atoning sacrifice, and resurrection, Jesus Christ reconciled mankind to God, defeated Satan, and now possesses all authority in Heaven and on Earth. All who believe in Him are forgiven, declared righteous, and have God Almighty and Jesus Christ dwelling within them through the Holy Spirit.
Though Satan’s ultimate defeat is certain, he still wages war and deceives in this age. We are instructed to remain vigilant against the devil’s schemes and to resist him. As God’s ambassadors, we are called to submit to the Lord, live by faith, and enforce Christ’s victory over the works of darkness.
Bible Study Summary:
Is this Bible study comprehensive and infallible? Obviously not. While human understanding is prone to error, the Word of God is perfect, without fault, and unchanging. This study seeks to humbly reflect truths revealed in Scripture.
Gaining a deeper understanding and peace regarding the sovereignty of God and human free will lays a firm foundation for receiving a greater revelation of the love of God. These truths are profoundly interconnected.
As we grow in the knowledge of God’s love, we learn to better trust Him and His goodness, and our faith is strengthened and becomes more effective. Indeed, faith works through love.
Galatians 5:6 (NIV)
… The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.
