Does God Control Everything?
Overview
In Does God Control Everything?, R. C. Sproul explores and explains the Christian doctrine of providence—the teaching that God is the sovereign ruler of the universe. He then deals with some of the philosophical and theological questions and objections the doctrine raises. His teaching challenges popular assumptions about the universe and exalts God as the sovereign ruler and sustainer of all things.
Top Highlights
“He ordained that His creatures should have the capacity for evil. He did not force them to exercise that capacity, but He knew that they would exercise it.” (Pages 49–50)
“The word providence has a prefix, pro-, which means ‘before’ or ‘in front of.’ The root comes from the Latin verb videre, which means ‘to see’; it is from this word that we get our English word video. So, the word providence literally means ‘to see beforehand.’ The providence of God refers to His seeing something beforehand with respect to time.” (Page 9)
“But God, for reasons known only to Himself, made the decision to let it happen. God did not sanction it, but He did not stop it. In choosing not to stop it, He ordained it.” (Page 50)
“So, does God ordain evil? There is only one biblical answer to that question: yes. If God did not ordain evil, there would be no evil, because God is sovereign.” (Page 49)
“The basic concept here is that what God creates, He sustains” (Page 15)
- Title: Does God Control Everything?
- Author: R. C. Sproul
- Edition: First edition
- Series: The Crucial Questions Series
- Volume: 14
- Publisher: Reformation Trust
- Print Publication Date: 2012
- Logos Release Date: 2014
- Language: English
- Resources: 1
- Format: Digital › Logos Research Edition
- Subject: Providence and government of God › Christianity
- ISBNs: 9781567692976, 1567692974
- Resource ID: LLS:DSGDCNTRVRYTHNG
- Resource Type: Monograph
- Metadata Last Updated: 2022-09-29T23:23:44Z
R. C. Sproul (1939– 2017) was a respected teacher, theologian, pastor. He was the founder and chairman of Ligonier Ministries where he served as executive editor of Tabletalk magazine.
Sproul held degrees from Westminster College, Pittsburgh-Xenia Theological Seminary, Free University of Amsterdam, and Whitefield Theological Seminary. He taught at several colleges and seminaries including Reformed Theological Seminary and Knox Theological Seminary. He served as senior minister of preaching and teaching at Saint Andrew’s Chapel, in Sanford, Florida. Sproul’s teaching can be heard daily on the ‘Renewing Your Mind’ radio broadcast which plays in over 40 countries.
Sproul wrote over 70 books and articles including the classic The Holiness of God and several theological articles in Tabletalk magazine.
