God's Sovereignty and Human Responsibility in Evil's Purpose

The biblical narrative presents a complex interplay between God's sovereignty and human responsibility, particularly in the context of evil's purpose. According to Easton's Bible Dictionary, "The decrees of God are his eternal, unchangeable, holy, wise, and sovereign purpose, comprehending at once all things that ever were or will be in their causes, conditions, successions, and relations, and determining their certain futurition" ^[6]. This understanding of God's decrees underscores His sovereignty over all events, including those involving evil.

The fall of humanity into sin is attributed to both human disobedience and the temptation by the devil ^[4]. Torrey's Topical Textbook notes that the fall occurred "by the disobedience of Adam" and "through temptation of the devil" ^[3]. This dual causality highlights the intricate relationship between human agency and divine sovereignty. The biblical account in Genesis 3 records the facts underlying the whole system of revealed truth, emphasizing the literal interpretation of the fall ^[4].

In the context of evil, God's sovereignty is not limited by human actions. Job 20:29 states, "This is a wicked human being’s portion from God and the inheritance of his decree from God" ^[1]. This verse suggests that even the consequences of wicked actions are part of God's decree. Similarly, Ecclesiastes 8:6 notes that "there is a time and judgment to every purpose, in this the evil of man is great upon him" ^[2], indicating that human evil is subject to God's judgment.

The New Testament further elucidates the relationship between God's sovereignty and human responsibility. I John 3:8 states that "the sinner is a child of the Evil One; for the Evil One has been a sinner from the first" ^[5]. This verse highlights the spiritual dimension of evil, attributing its origin to the devil. The Son of God was manifested to "put an end to the works of the Evil One" ^[5], demonstrating God's sovereignty over evil.

The apostle Paul's writings in Romans provide additional insight into this complex issue. Romans 1:18 reveals "the wrath of God... against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men" ^[7]. According to Adam Clarke, this wrath is a response to the universal corruption of mankind, which necessitates the Gospel of Christ ^[10]. Jamieson, Fausset & Brown interpret "the wrath of God" as "His holy displeasure and righteous vengeance against sin" ^[11], underscoring God's sovereignty in judging evil.

The interplay between God's sovereignty and human responsibility is also evident in the context of repentance and judgment. Jonah 3:10 describes how God repented of the evil He had threatened against Nineveh when they repented, illustrating God's responsiveness to human actions within the framework of His sovereignty ^[12].

In theological terms, the relationship between God's sovereignty and human responsibility is understood differently across various traditions. The Presbyterian interpretation, as seen in Jamieson, Fausset & Brown's commentary on Job, emphasizes God's omnipotence and justice in His dealings with humanity ^[9]. The Nonconformist/Puritan tradition, represented by Matthew Henry's commentary on Romans, highlights God's absolute sovereignty in disposing of the children of men with reference to their eternal state ^[13].

The Protestant academic perspective, as reflected in Tyndale House's commentary on Ephesians, notes that human sin results from being governed by the devil, while also acknowledging God's sovereignty over the powers of evil ^[8]. The Methodist/Wesleyan tradition, represented by Adam Clarke's commentary on Romans, emphasizes the universal corruption of mankind and the need for the Gospel ^[10].

Sources

Job “Job 20:29 (LEB) — This is a wicked human being’s portion from God and the inheritance of his decree from God.””
Ecclesiastes “Ecclesiastes 8:6 (LITV) — Because there is a time and judgment to every purpose, in this the evil of man is great upon him.”
Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Fall of Man, The — By the disobedience of Adam -- Ge 3:6,11,12; Ro 5:12,15,19. Through temptation of the devil -- Ge 3:1-5; 2Co 11:3; 1Ti 2:14. Man in consequence of Made in the image of Adam. -- Ge 5:3; 1Co 15:48,49. Born in sin. -- Job 15:14; 25:4; Ps 51:5; Isa 48:8; Joh 3:6. A child of wrath. -- Eph 2:3. Evil in heart. -- Ge 6:5; 8:21; Jer 16:12; Mt 15:19. Blinded in heart. -- Eph 4:18. Corrupt and perverse in his ways. -- Ge 6:12; Ps 10:5; Ro 3:12-16. Depraved in mind. -- Ro 8:5-7; Eph 4:17; Col 1:21; Tit 1:15. Without understanding. -- Ps 14:2,3; Ro 3:11; 1:31. ”
Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Fall of man — An expression probably borrowed from the Apocryphal Book of Wisdom, to express the fact of the revolt of our first parents from God, and the consequent sin and misery in which they and all their posterity were involved. The history of the Fall is recorded in Gen. 2 and 3. That history is to be literally interpreted. It records facts which underlie the whole system of revealed truth. It is referred to by our Lord and his apostles not only as being true, but as furnishing the ground of all God's subsequent dispensations and dealings with the children of m”
I John “I John 3:8 (BBE) — The sinner is a child of the Evil One; for the Evil One has been a sinner from the first. And the Son of God was seen on earth so that he might put an end to the works of the Evil One.”
Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Decrees of God — "The decrees of God are his eternal, unchangeable, holy, wise, and sovereign purpose, comprehending at once all things that ever were or will be in their causes, conditions, successions, and relations, and determining their certain futurition. The several contents of this one eternal purpose are, because of the limitation of our faculties, necessarily conceived of by us in partial aspects, and in logical relations, and are therefore styled Decrees." The decree being the act of an infinite, absolute, eternal, unchangeable, and sovereign Person, compre”
Romans “Romans 1:18 (Geneva1599) — For the wrath of God is reueiled from heauen against all vngodlinesse, and vnrighteousnesse of men, which withhold the trueth in vnrighteousnesse.”
Ephesians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Ephesians 2:2: 2:2 Human sin results from our being governed by the devil, the spirit who rules both the powers of evil in the spiritual realm (see 1:21; 6:11-12; cp. Col 1:13) and human beings who refuse to obey God (2 Cor 4:4; contrast Rom 8:2-14; Gal 5:22-23).”
Job (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Job 42 (introduction): JOB'S PENITENT REPLY. (Job 42:1-6) In the first clause he owns God to be omnipotent over nature, as contrasted with his own feebleness, which God had proved (Job 40:15; Job 41:34); in the second, that God is supremely just (which, in order to be governor of the world, He must needs be) in all His dealings, as contrasted with his own vileness (Job 42:6), and incompetence to deal with the wicked as a just judge (Job 40:8-14). thought--"purpose," as in Job 17:11; but it is usually applied to evil devices (Job 21:27; Psa 10:2): the ambiguous w”
Romans (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Romans 1:18: For the wrath of God is revealed - The apostle has now finished his preface, and comes to the grand subject of the epistle; namely, to show the absolute need of the Gospel of Christ, because of the universal corruption of mankind; which was so great as to incense the justice of God, and call aloud for the punishment of the world 1. He shows that all the heathen nations were utterly corrupt, and deserved this threatened punishment. And this is the subject of the first chapter, from Rom 1:18 to the end (Rom 1:18-32). 2. He shows that the Jews, notwithstanding the grea”
Romans (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Romans 1:18: WHY THIS DIVINELY PROVIDED RIGHTEOUSNESS IS NEEDED BY ALL MEN. (Rom 1:18) For the wrath of God--His holy displeasure and righteous vengeance against sin. is revealed from heaven--in the consciences of men, and attested by innumerable outward evidences of a moral government. against all ungodliness--that is, their whole irreligiousness, or their living without any conscious reference to God, and proper feelings towards Him. and unrighteousness of men--that is, all their deviations from moral rectitude in heart, speech, and behavior. (So these ter”
Jonah (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Jonah 3:10: God repented of the evil--When the message was sent to them, they were so ripe for judgment that a purpose of destruction to take effect in forty days was the only word God's righteous abhorrence of sin admitted of as to them. But when they repented, the position in which they stood towards God's righteousness was altered. So God's mode of dealing with them must alter accordingly, if God is not to be inconsistent with His own immutable character of dealing with men according to their works and state of heart, taking vengeance at last on the hardened imp”
Romans (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Romans 9:14: The apostle, having asserted the true meaning of the promise, comes here to maintain and prove the absolute sovereignty of God, in disposing of the children of men, with reference to their eternal state. And herein God is to be considered, not as a rector and governor, distributing rewards and punishments according to his revealed laws and covenants, but as an owner and benefactor, giving to the children of men such grace and favour as he has determined in and by his secret and eternal will and counsel: both the favour of visible church-membership and privileges, ”

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