Who is the Boss?

Rom. 3:3-4 For what? If some did not believe, will not their unbelief nullify the faith of God? Let it not be! But let God be true, and every man a liar; as it is written, "That You might be justified in Your sayings, and will overcome when You are judged."

Does our perception of reality affect the existence of reality? If I shut my eyes and believe the road to be clear and walk across a street does my belief prevent me from being hit? I think most of us would acknowledge that whether we are hit or not is dependent upon the traffic which is there, whether we choose to perceive it or not. Man does not create reality, he lives within it. God is the creator of reality.

The first generation of Israelites failed to believe that God would take them into Canaan, did their unbelief thwart God’s promise. No, it only invalidated their part in it. Instead, their children went in. They were by-passed by God.

“God I refuse to accept that the spiritual gifts are for today.” Fine, God will raise up others. Your unbelief will not make the faith of God to be of no effect. If it could then you would have greater power than God.

When the nation of Israel was lying in unbelief, the Word of the Lord bypassed the rest of the Nation and came to John (Luk. 3:2). God has called whom He will, and still calls whom He will. He does not, and will not answer to any of His creation concerning the one He uses or how He speaks to them.

If our God can only speak to us through our finite understanding of the Word, which is fallible, then we have a fallible guidance. Yes, God most often guides us through Scripture, and He must open our minds to it and remind us of it or we will fail. Also, no matter how Sola Scriptura you claim to be, I think you would admit that God guides by circumstances and also by godly counsel, are these against Sola Scriptura, no, because these are found in Scripture. However, so are dreams, etc… and most importantly is found the conscience which by its ease or disquiet tells us much concerning our choices.

Let’s look at a few Scriptures, since as a believer I cannot bind your conscience to my own beliefs, but only to Scripture :
Psa 32:8-9 I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go; I will counsel you, My eye shall be on you. Be not like the horse, or like the mule, who have no understanding, whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, so that they do not come near you.

God can direct us by circumstances, but that is not His desire. At times God must direct us by circumstances because we are Mule-headed (I have been very much so at times). However, that is not His will, He desires willing listening and looking for the slightest signals He sends. If we refuse to listen to His gentle promptings, because we believe He does not so act, then we are choosing to be exactly what He tells us not to be in this verse. Lest I be seen as a partizan commentator allow me to quote Spurgeon’s commentary on the Psalm:

Here the Lord is the speaker, and gives the Psalmist an answer to his prayer. Our Saviour is our instructor. The Lord himself deigns to teach his children to walk in the way of integrity, his holy word and the monitions of the Holy Spirit are the directors of the believer's daily conversation. We are not pardoned that we may henceforth live after our own lusts, but that we may be educated in holiness and trained for perfection. A heavenly training is one of the covenant blessings which adoption seals to us: “All thy children shall be taught by the Lord.” Practical teaching is the very best of instruction, and they are thrice happy who, although they never sat at the feet of Gamaliel, and are ignorant of Aristotle, and the ethics of the schools, have nevertheless learned to follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. “I will guide thee with mine eye.” As servants take their cue from the master's eye, and a nod or a wink is all that they require, so should we obey the slightest hints of our Master, not needing thunderbolts to startle our incorrigible sluggishness, but being controlled by whispers and love-touches. The Lord is the great overseer, whose eye in providence overlooks everything. It is well for us to be the sheep of his pasture, following the guidance of his wisdom. (emphasis added)


Pro. 26:3 A whip is for the horse, a bridle is for the donkey, and a rod is for the backs of fools.

What you are determines the method of your guidance, if you are submissive you do not require any of these.

Col. 3:15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.

One main way by which God guides us is His peace. When we determine a course of action and do not feel peace we should reconsider. His peace should rule in our hearts, if we are truly convinced the course is right, are heart should be united in it. That is sincerity, an integral whole sympathetic ringing of the heart with what is being said and done.

Now let us have ears to hear that we might hear the heart cry of God through His Word.

Num 11:29 And Moses said unto him, Enviest thou for my sake? would God that all the LORD'S people were prophets, and that the LORD would put his spirit upon them!

Jer 31:33-34 But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people. And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the LORD: for they shall all know me, from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the LORD: for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.

Joh 14:21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.

Num 14:21 But as truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the LORD.

This last verse is a fitting close since it refers back to our beginning, having been spoken to the first generation of the children of Israel, who could not make the faith of God of no effect by their unbelief.