The Sovereignty of God and Moral Absolutes

The sovereignty of God refers to God's absolute right to govern all things according to his own will and pleasure ^[3]. This concept is deeply intertwined with the idea of moral absolutes, as God's character is understood to be the ultimate standard for what is good, righteous, and true ^{[2, 5, 6]}.

Biblical texts frequently affirm God's sovereignty. Daniel 4:25 and 4:35 declare that God "does according to his will in the army of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth," and that "none can stay his hand or say to him, 'What are you doing?'" ^[3]. Romans 9:15-23 further emphasizes this, illustrating God's prerogative to show mercy or harden hearts as he chooses, and to fashion vessels for honor or dishonor ^[3]. Similarly, 1 Timothy 6:15 refers to God as "the blessed and only Sovereign," and Revelation 4:11 proclaims, "You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; for you created all things, and by your will they exist and were created" ^[3]. This absolute right extends to all aspects of creation and history, reflecting his infinite knowledge and foreknowledge ^[1].

Central to understanding moral absolutes in relation to God's sovereignty is the recognition that God's character is inherently righteous and holy. The psalmist declares, "Righteous are you, O Lord, and upright are your judgments" (Psalm 119:137) ^[7]. This righteousness is not merely an attribute God possesses, but an intrinsic aspect of his being; he is "what he should be, and in every thing acts as becomes him" ^[7]. His will is considered "the eternal rule of equity" ^[7]. The holiness of God is also emphasized, with 1 Samuel 2:2 stating, "There is none holy as the Lord" ^[9]. This holiness is described as essential, original, independent, perfect, and immutable ^[9].

God's moral attributes are consistently presented as absolute and unchanging. His righteousness is described as very high, abundant, beyond computation, everlasting, and enduring forever, forming the "habitation of his throne" (Psalm 97:2) ^[2]. His justice is declared to be plenteous, incomparable, incorruptible, impartial, unfailing, and undeviating, also forming the "habitation of his throne" (Psalm 89:14) ^[5]. The truth of God is another absolute attribute, described as great, plenteous, abundant, inviolable, and enduring to all generations ^[6]. These attributes are not arbitrary but are inherent to who God is.

The moral law, therefore, is not an external imposition upon God, but an expression of his own nature. Matthew Henry, commenting on Psalm 119:142, notes that "God's word is righteousness, and it is an everlasting righteousness," serving as "the rule of God's judgment" and consonant with his eternal counsels ^[11]. The divine commandments are seen as righteous (Deuteronomy 4:8; Psalm 119:172), and his judgments are upright (Psalm 19:9; 119:7, 62) ^[2]. This means that moral absolutes are not subject to change or human interpretation, but are grounded in the unchangeable character of God.

The implications of God's sovereignty for human morality are profound. If God's eye is "always upon the children of men," discerning all and inspecting everything, then human actions are always observed and judged against his perfect standard ^[10]. This omnipresence and omniscience mean that nothing can be concealed from him ^[10]. The recognition of God's absolute moral authority provides the "true principle of moral purity" ^[8]. For instance, Joseph's refusal to sin against Potiphar's wife was rooted in the question, "How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?" (Genesis 39:9) ^[8]. This illustrates that sin is fundamentally an offense against God, whose moral standards are absolute.

The love of God, while sovereign and irrespective of merit, is also an absolute attribute ^[4]. It is described as great, abiding, unfailing, unalienable, constraining, and everlasting ^[4]. This love is manifested towards perishing sinners, his saints, and the destitute, and is exhibited in redemption and the giving of Christ ^[4]. Even in his mercy, God's truth and justice are united, as seen in redemption where "mercy and truth have met together" (Psalm 85:10) ^{[13, 6]}. This demonstrates that God's attributes, including his love, operate in perfect harmony with his absolute righteousness and justice.

The concept of moral absolutes, therefore, is inextricably linked to the sovereignty of God. His absolute right to govern is exercised in accordance with his absolute character, which is perfectly holy, righteous, just, and true ^{[2, 5, 6, 9]}. The "whole duty of man" is to "fear God, and keep his commandments" (Ecclesiastes 12:13), recognizing that this is the full ideal for humanity, realized in Christ and partially by believers ^[14]. This fear is not one of terror, but of reverence and awe before a God who is both great and good ^{[12, 13]}.

Sources

Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Foreknowledge of God — Acts 2:23; Rom. 8:29; 11:2; 1 Pet. 1:2), one of those high attributes essentially appertaining to him the full import of which we cannot comprehend. In the most absolute sense his knowledge is infinite (1 Sam. 23:9-13; Jer. 38:17-23; 42:9-22, Matt. 11:21, 23; Acts 15:18).”
Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Righteousness of God, The — Is part of his character -- Ps 7:9; 116:5; 119:137. Described as Very high. -- Ps 71:19. Abundant. -- Ps 48:10. Beyond computation. -- Ps 71:15. Everlasting. -- Ps 119:142. Enduring for ever. -- Ps 111:3. The habitation of his throne. -- Ps 97:2. Christ acknowledged -- Joh 17:25. Christ committed his cause to -- 1Pe 2:23. Angels acknowledge -- Re 16:5. Exhibited in His testimonies. -- Ps 119:138,144. His commandments. -- De 4:8; Ps 119:172. His judgments. -- Ps 19:9; 119:7,62. His word. -- Ps 119:123. His ways. -- Ps 145:17. His acts. -- J”
Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Sovereignty — Of God, his absolute right to do all things according to his own good pleasure (Dan. 4:25, 35; Rom. 9:15-23; 1 Tim. 6:15; Rev. 4:11).”
Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Love of God, The — Is a part of his character -- 2Co 13:11; 1Jo 4:8. Christ, the especial object of -- Joh 15:9; 17:26. Christ abides in -- Joh 15:10. Described as Sovereign. -- De 7:8; 10:15. Great. -- Eph 2:4. Abiding. -- Zep 3:17. Unfailing. -- Isa 49:15,16. Unalienable. -- Ro 8:39. Constraining. -- Ho 11:4. Everlasting. -- Jer 31:3. Irrespective of merit -- De 7:7; Job 7:17. Manifested towards Perishing sinners. -- Joh 3:16; Tit 3:4. His saints. -- Joh 16:27; 17:23; 2Th 2:16; 1Jo 4:16. The destitute. -- De 10:18. The cheerful giver. -- 2Co 9:7. Exhibited in The g”
Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Justice of God, The — Is a part of his character -- De 32:4; Isa 45:21. Declared to be Plenteous. -- Job 37:23. Incomparable. -- Job 4:1. Incorruptible. -- De 10:17; 2Ch 19:7. Impartial. -- 2Ch 19:7; Jer 32:19. Unfailing. -- Zep 3:5. Undeviating. -- Job 8:3; 34:12. Without respect of persons. -- Ro 2:11; Col 3:25; 1Pe 1:17. The habitation of his throne. -- Ps 89:14. Not to be sinned against -- Jer 50:7. Denied by the ungodly -- Eze 33:17,20. Exhibited in Forgiving sins. -- 1Jo 1:9. Redemption. -- Ro 3:26. His government. -- Ps 9:4; Jer 9:24. His judgments. -- Ge 18:2”
Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Truth of God, The — Is one of his attributes -- De 32:4; Isa 65:16. Always goes before his face -- Ps 89:14. He keeps, for ever -- Ps 146:6. Described as Great. -- Ps 57:10. Plenteous. -- Ps 86:15. Abundant. -- Ex 34:6. Inviolable. -- Nu 23:19; Tit 1:2. Reaching to the clouds. -- Ps 57:10. Enduring to all generations. -- Ps 100:5. United with mercy in redemption -- Ps 85:10. Exhibited in his Counsels of old. -- Isa 25:1. Ways. -- Re 15:3. Works. -- Ps 33:4; 11:7; Da 4:37. Judicial statutes. -- Ps 19:9. Administration of justice. -- Ps 96:13. Word. -- Ps 119:160; Joh ”
Psalms (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Psalms 119:137: Here is, 1. The righteousness of God, the infinite rectitude and perfection of his nature. As he is what he is, so he is what he should be, and in every thing acts as becomes him; there is nothing wanting, nothing amiss, in God; his will is the eternal rule of equity, and he is righteous, for he does all according to it. 2. The righteousness of his government. He rules the world by his providence, according to the principles of justice, and never did, nor ever can do, any wrong to any of his creatures: Upright are thy judgments, the promises and threatenings an”
Genesis (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Genesis 39:9: How then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?--This remonstrance, when all inferior arguments had failed, embodied the true principle of moral purity--a principle always sufficient where it exists, and alone sufficient.”
1 Samuel (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on 1 Samuel 2:2: There is none holy as the Lord,.... From the consideration of what the Lord had done for her, which had filled her heart and mouth with joy and praise, she is led to celebrate the perfections of God, and begins with his holiness, in which he is glorious, and which appears in all his ways and works; he is essentially, originally, independently, perfectly, and immutably holy, as others are not. Angels are holy, but not of themselves; their holiness is from the Lord; nor is it perfect in comparison of his, and therefore they cover their faces while they celebrate that p”
Proverbs (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Proverbs 15:3: The great truths of divinity are of great use to enforce the precepts of morality, and none more than this - That the eye of God is always upon the children of men. 1. An eye to discern all, not only from which nothing can be concealed, but by which every thing is actually inspected, and nothing overlooked or looked slightly upon: The eyes of the Lord are in every place; for he not only sees all from on high (Psa 33:13), but he is every where present. Angels are full of eyes (Rev 4:8), but God is all eye. It denotes not only his omniscience, that he sees all, bu”
Psalms (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Psalms 119:142: Observe, 1. That God's word is righteousness, and it is an everlasting righteousness. It is the rule of God's judgment, and it is consonant to his counsels from eternity and will direct his sentence for eternity. The word of God will judge us, it will judge us in righteousness, and by it our everlasting state will be determined. This should possess us with a very great reverence for the word of God that it is righteousness itself, the standard of righteousness, and it is everlasting in its rewards and punishments. 2. That God's word is a law, and that law is tr”
Psalms (Nonconformist/Puritan) “Matthew Henry on Psalms 135:5: The psalmist had suggested to us the goodness of God, as the proper matter of our cheerful praises; here he suggests to us the greatness of God as the proper matter of our awful praises; and on this he is most copious, because this we are less forward to consider. I. He asserts the doctrine of God's greatness (Psa 135:5): The Lord is great, great indeed, who knows no limits of time or place. He asserts it with assurance, "I know that he is so; know it not only by observation of the proofs of it, but by belief of the revelation of it. I know it; I am sure of it; I”
Psalms (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Psalms 89:1: I will sing of the mercies of the Lord for ever,.... Both temporal and spiritual, especially the latter, in which there is a large display of the rich and abundant mercy of God, from whence they are so called; as in the choice of men to everlasting life, who are said to be vessels of mercy; in the covenant of grace made with them, the blessings of which are the sure mercies of David; in the mission of Christ, whose coming, as the dayspring from on high, is owing to the tender mercy of our God; in redemption by him, in which mercy and truth have met together; in regene”
Ecclesiastes (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Ecclesiastes 12:13: The grand inference of the whole book. Fear God--The antidote to following creature idols, and "vanities," whether self-righteousness (Ecc 7:16, Ecc 7:18), or wicked oppression and other evils (Ecc 8:12-13), or mad mirth (Ecc 2:2; Ecc 7:2-5), or self-mortifying avarice (Ecc 8:13, Ecc 8:17), or youth spent without God (Ecc 11:9; Ecc 12:1). this is the whole duty of man--literally, "this is the whole man," the full ideal of man, as originally contemplated, realized wholly by Jesus Christ alone; and, through Him, by saints now in part, hereafte”

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