That God alone is sovereign may come as quite a surprise to many, including some professing Christians, who seem to think man, not God, is sovereign. Since the word sovereign denotes one who has the highest authority, and one over whom no other has any control, God alone is sovereign. God’s sovereignty is clearly set forth in Scripture. “And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?” (Dan. 4:35). Psalm 115:3 further states “But our God is in the heavens: he hath done whatsoever he hath pleased.” Only of the God of heaven can such statements be made. The same cannot be said of any man.

Yet vain man would limit God’s sovereignty over him and assume to himself rights and powers he does not have. For example, God is made a prisoner of man’s so-called free will. God, we are told, would like to do many things for man, but man will not let Him? If man can limit God, then man, not God, is the one who is sovereign. But Scripture says otherwise. Since God alone is sovereign, then He, not man, does as He wills, even to the changing of man’s will. God’s choice, not man’s, is supreme in all things, including salvation.

“But God cannot save a sinner against his will” someone will protest. True, but He can change the sinner’s will, and He does in the new birth. Will, in any being and creature, is determined by nature. The sinner cannot change his nature by any decision of his will; rather, his will changes when his nature is changed. Only when the sinner is born again does he will to repent of his sin and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. His new birth is the result of God’s will alone, not of his will nor of the combined wills of God and himself (John 1:13; Jas. 1:18).