Bible Quote by Arthur W. Pink
““The main difficulty encountered is to define the relationship between God’s sovereignty and man’s responsibility. Many have summarily disposed of the difficulty by denying its existence. A certain class of theologians, in their anxiety to maintain man’s responsibility, have magnified it beyond all due proportions, until God’s sovereignty has been lost sight of, and in not a few instances flatly denied. Others have acknowledged that the Scriptures present both the sovereignty of God and the responsibility of man, but affirm that in our present finite condition and with our limited knowledge it is impossible to reconcile the two truths, though it is the bounden duty of the believer to receive both. The present writer believes that it has been too readily assumed that the Scriptures themselves do not reveal the several points which show the conciliation of God’s sovereignty and man’s responsibility. While perhaps the Word of God does not clear up all the mystery (and this is said with reserve), it does throw much light upon the problem, and it seems to us more honoring to God and His Word to prayerfully search the Scriptures for the complete solution of the difficulty, and even though others have thus far searched in vain, that ought only to drive us more and more to our knees.””
About This Quote
Source Book: The Sovereignty of God and Man’s Responsibility, 1914
The tension between divine control and human accountability can be explored through Scripture, acknowledging both truths while seeking harmony.
In simple terms: Both God’s control and human duty exist together.
Seek balance between divine sovereignty and personal responsibility.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- church teaching
- personal prayer
- theological debate
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- What does Scripture say about this balance?
- How does this tension affect daily decisions?
Reconciling may remain partially mysterious.