Only God Can Prevent Forest Fires part 2

“Only you can prevent forest fires.” –Smokey the Bear

Smokey was wrong. I could do everything within my might to prevent forest fires and yet they could still occur. Try as I might, I cannot prevent lightning from striking in the middle of the forest, or any other “natural” beginning points to forest fires. Neither can I control whether or not someone else carelessly or even intentionally starts a fire. I wasn’t there when Terry Barton started the Hayman fire. There is no way I could have prevented that forest fire unless God had redirected my path to cross with the hers that day. This is why the sovereignty of God is so important. Despite all of my efforts, I cannot control what happens in this universe, but there is Someone who does! To know that nothing occurs by random happenstance but that everything is a part of His glorious plan is the cornerstone of Christianity. To know that everything that enters my life is from the loving hand of God is the core of trusting God. To know that what other people intend for evil only comes about when God intends it for good is the backbone of faith. "But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good.” (Gen 50:20)

But is this what Smokey meant? Was he implying that each of us is almighty and that we all have the power, like God, to prevent forest fires? Obviously not. Was Smokey saying that we are supposed to be running our fool heads off trying to find anyone being careless with fire? Again, no. Should each and every one of us be out there spending all of our waking hours watching for lightning strikes in the middle of the forest? I think not. I believe what Smokey was saying was, “You are responsible, as much as lies within your power, to keep from starting forest fires.”

What Smokey was saying is that each of us is responsible for not starting a forest fire. We are to follow the rules of the land and the law of God so that our actions are not the cause of a forest fire. Now if this is what Smokey really meant, was he right? Since only God can prevent forest fires are we really accountable for any of our actions in the process of fulfilling His sovereign decree? Will God judge Terry Barton for wrongdoing since He did not prevent her from starting the fire? Absolutely, because within the parameters of divine sovereignty lies human responsibility. Divine sovereignty and human responsibility are like two sides of a coin. You cannot have one without the other. The Bible teaches both with equal ultimacy. Though from all eternity God decrees all things that come to pass, we are still accountable for the choices we make. We are obligated before God to do what He commands, and are responsible for those choices. Could God change those choices? Of course He could. Could He change our desires? Again, yes. (Phil 2:13; ; Prov 16:33; 19:21; 21:1; 2 Chron 30:12; Rev 17:17; Ezra 6:22) Yet the fact remains that we still act on our desires, we still choose from our heart to act in the way we do. The fact that it fulfills God’s eternal decree does not release us from our duty to obey Gods commands. Man is still responsible because He is still acting on his desires.

The arsonist of the Hayman fire is accountable and responsible for every choice she made that day. She acted according to her desires and thoughts and sinned, both against God and against the civil authorities and against everyone else who was affected by the fire. She disobeyed the civil authorities[1] and, therefore, disobeyed God that day. “Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves.” (Rom 13:1-3)

We must understand that God did not make the arsonists choices for her. In the same way, God does not make our choices for us. “Let no one say when he is tempted, ‘I am tempted by God’; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone.” (James 1:13) "Therefore listen to me, you men of understanding: far be it from God to do wickedness, and from the Almighty to commit iniquity.” (Job 34:10)

When we sin God simply allows us to act out our own sinful desires. We are the ones acting. We are the ones choosing according to the thoughts and intents of our hearts. Therefore we are responsible. The fact that God determines the course of all things so that our choices are in accordance with His sovereign decree does not at all diminish our responsibility for making those choices. Let me say that again. The fact that God determines the course of all things so that our choices are in accordance with His sovereign decree does not at all diminish our responsibility for making those choices.“In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will.” (Eph 1:11) The LORD of hosts has sworn, saying, "Surely, as I have thought, so it shall come to pass, and as I have purposed, so it shall stand.” (Isa 14:24) We are not accountable for determining the course of all things, but we are accountable for the choices we make in our own lives. Therefore we are not accountable for knowing Gods sovereign decree but we are accountable for knowing and obeying His revealed will: the law of God and the gospel of God. By this standard we will be judged. “So speak and so do as those who will be judged by the law of liberty.” (James 2:12) “In flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (2 Thes 1:8) “For as many as have sinned without law will also perish without law, and as many as have sinned in the law will be judged by the law.” (Rom 2:12) “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.” (2 Cor 5:10)

Therefore, each of us is responsible for not starting forest fires insofar as it is within our power, and each of us will be held responsible by God for our individual obedience, or lack thereof, in this realm. The same is true of every area of jurisdiction that God has placed us over. Whether it is our own personal prayer and study life, our obedience to the civil magistrate, our stewardship of finances, the spiritual leading of our families, our preaching of the gospel, or any other of the myriad of responsibilities God has given us, we are held responsible for our obedience to all that He has called us to.God is sovereign over all things and we are responsible for all of our actions. This is the truth of Scripture and therefore what we must believe. Conscious of this truth, we must now realize that we will be judged by how we respond to it.

There are really only two responses to the truth of divine sovereignty and human responsibility:1) We can worship God for Who He is and obey His Word …or 2) We can despise Him for being sovereign and rebel against His authority.Worship and obedience is the only true and biblical response to the sovereignty of God. This is Gods call to us whenever we have greater revelation of Who He is.

“All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him. ‘Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.’” (Matt 11:27-29)

“The kings of the earth took their stand, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord and against His Christ.' For truly against Your holy Servant Jesus, whom You anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together to do whatever Your hand and Your purpose determined before to be done. Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word,”(Acts 4:26-29)

“So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy. For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, "For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I may show My power in you, and that My name may be declared in all the earth." Therefore He has mercy on whom He wills, and whom He wills He hardens. You will say to me then, "Why does He still find fault? For who has resisted His will?" But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? Will the thing formed say to him who formed it, "Why have you made me like this?" Does not the potter have power over the clay, from the same lump to make one vessel for honor and another for dishonor?… if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved…For the Scripture says, "Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame."… I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” (Rom 9:16-21; 10:8,9,11; 12:1-2)

So what will my response to the sovereignty of God be? Will I hate Him for being Almighty? Will I rebel against the whole counsel of His Word? Will I despise His authority and thereby reject the King of the universe? Or will I praise and worship Him for His greatness? Will I obey Him because He is worthy to be obeyed? Will I present my body as a living sacrifice in light of His might?

I pray that each and every one of us will respond to God in the same way Nebuchadnezzar did when Gods sovereignty was revealed to Him:“And at the end of the time I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my understanding returned to me; and I blessed the Most High and praised and honored Him who lives forever: for His dominion is an everlasting dominion, and His kingdom is from generation to generation. All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing; he does according to His will in the army of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth. No one can restrain His hand or say to Him, ‘What have You done?’”(Dan 4:34-35)

[1] We are to obey the civil magistrate “in the Lord”, which means that insofar as they do not violate the law or commands of God we are to obey them.. But if the civil magistrate oversteps its jurisdiction and makes laws that violate the commands of Scripture, we are to follow God.