The Kingdom of God Is Not a Democracy

R.C. Sproul

Let’s take a moment to look at this dimension of the character of God that is most clearly communicated by the title Adonai. The word sovereignty. That’s a word that’s become almost an obscenity to American people. One of my favorite illustrations of this goes back a few years when the episcopalian minister whose name is John Guest came to this country from England, from Liverpool. And when he came to the United States, his initial place of residence was in Philadelphia. He landed in Philadelphia and was having his virgin exposure to the culture of the United States. And the first week that he was here, he visited the historic sites in Philadelphia, Independence Hall, and the Liberty Bell and all of that. And then spent some time visiting the antique stores that specialized in revolutionary war memorabilia. Now, remember, he’s an Englishman trying to adjust to the new world, to the enemies of King George.

The Painful Path to Spiritual Growth

The Doctrine of Suffering 

Life in a broken world brings pain in many varieties. Our human experience can involve physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual distress. Suffering entered the world when Adam and Eve fell into sin, and sin’s curse corrupted the natural world, including the people of earth. Some suffering is the direct result of personal or societal sin. Much pain, however, represents the natural consequences of sin’s broad damage. Life on planet Earth includes natural disasters, aging bodies, global pandemics, and strained relationships. Grief and anguish regularly invade human lives. Like Elijah, even God’s faithful servants suffer.