THE SOVEREIGNTY OF MAN
What we are about to say should not be taken in any way that would detract from the Godhead or Lordship of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit nor should it be taken to endorse the Mormon view of us all becoming gods after death. God is God, and there is none else. Still, in the sense, which Webster and the scriptures allow, i.e., one having supreme dominion or jurisdiction, a sovereign, a supreme authority (there be gods many).
And the God of gods
For the LORD your God is God of gods, and Lord of lords, a great God, a mighty, and a terrible, which regardeth not persons, nor taketh reward: -- Deut. 10:17
The LORD God of gods, the LORD God of gods, he knoweth, and Israel he shall know; if it be in rebellion, or if in transgression against the LORD . . . -- Josh. 22:22
For thou, LORD, art high above all the earth: thou art exalted far above all gods. -- Psa. 97:9
O give thanks unto the God of gods: for his mercy endureth for ever. -- Psa. 136:2
For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many) -- 1 Cor. 8:5
The God of gods, who is above all gods, real or imagined, must be distinguished from the other Gods that we find in the scriptures, whether leaders, judges, demons, the God of this world, Adam and Eve, or the children of God as follows. God, indeed, is sovereign, but all these entities, even man and nations, are all sovereign.
Adam
For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be AS GODS, knowing good and evil. -- Gen. 3:5
Show the things that are to come hereafter, that we may know that ye are gods: yea, do good, or do evil, that we may be dismayed, and behold it together. -- Isa. 41:23
The only requirements for god-ship seem to be doing good or evil or telling the future, so one may be a good god or an evil god but not THE God. Once Adam and Eve sinned, they became AS GODS, knowing good and evil. Though cursed, they became sovereign entities. They were given dominion over this earth and its creatures (Gen. 1:26, 28). Sovereigns do not impose their will on other sovereigns unless they conquer them. Sovereign entities must surrender their sovereignty and submit to another in order for another to become their master or they must be conquered and be captured by another in order to get their submission. This involves a sovereign choice. Sovereign man must choose to serve the Sovereign LORD or be conquered into submission, as those, whose unsaved knees shall one day also bow.
Devil gods
In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. -- 2 Cor. 4:4
They sacrificed unto devils, not to God; to gods whom they knew not, to new gods that came newly up, whom your fathers feared not. -- Deut. 32:17
And the king said unto her, Be not afraid: for what sawest thou? And the woman said unto Saul, I saw gods ascending out of the earth. -- 1 Sam. 28:13
What the witch saw is not entirely clear, but she thought she saw gods coming out of the earth, when she saw Samuel or an apparition of Samuel. If it was not Samuel, it was a demon god; If it was Samuel, it was a man god, who tells the future. The devil is also a god, who is sovereign but more powerful than man. Since Adam surrendered his service and submission to this devil god, mankind is taken captive at his will. He is the prince of the power of the air and demands his demon emissary gods to be served. Every man still has the sovereign choice of serving God or the devil and his mammon. They also choose the degree to which they obey and serve them.
Leaders Are Gods
Thou shalt not revile the gods, nor curse the ruler of thy people. -- Exo. 22:28
A Psalm of David. I will praise thee with my whole heart: before the gods will I sing praise unto thee. -- Psa. 138:1
The judges and leaders of Israel were considered to be gods in the sense of ones, who were in sovereign authority.
Children of God are gods or sons of God
Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods? If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken . . . -- John 10:34,35
A Psalm of Asaph. God standeth in the congregation of the mighty; he judgeth among the gods. -- Psa. 82:1
I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High. -- Psa. 82:6
If ordinary sinners can be considered as sovereign gods, how much more the children of God? Jesus quotes the Psalmist here in response to the complaints that Jesus was making Himself to be God. Jesus pointed out that he met the least requirements of scripture. He claimed to be the Son of God and told the future and did good and much more. Yes, it is a play on words but a valid play on words. Naturally, Jesus also met the most stringent requirements of scripture to be found the God of Gods and the LORD of lords.
The point that we are making is that many will teach the Sovereignty of God, while ignoring or gainsaying the sovereignty of man. After all the instruments of God come to bear on a sinner, - the Holy Spirit conviction, being reproved of sin, righteousness, judgment, the goodness of God, and an invitation from God Himself, man must still relinquish his sovereign will to receive the Lordship of Jesus Christ.
Instead of teaching unconditional election, some should be teaching unconditional surrender. Notions about not having a free will or a free choice are ludicrous in the light of God's explicit invitations and demand to choose. If a sovereign God offers sovereign man a choice and a chance to escape hell on the basis of what His Son did, how can man take credit for his own salvation? If the scriptures teach that man is a sovereign god with a free will, why should we do otherwise?
-- by Herb Evans
Flaming Torch - Oct/Nov/Dec 2002, p. 19