God's plan never fails?

[Neostarwcc]

In scripture we read that God's plan never fails. How does this tie into his sovereignty over us? In other words are all of our actions predetermined by God so that his plan for our lives never fail? I'm asking because if it's left to mankind's free will wouldn't there be a chance that God's plan could fail? Because, when seemingly left to ourselves we fall into sin and cannot please God. I hope I'm making sense if not, I apologize and withdraw my question.

 

[miamited]

Hi @Neostarwcc

It ties in, in that it doesn't tie in. Nowhere in the Scriptures do we ever find that it is God's plan to control the lives of the people that He created. You probably should make yourself familiar with what actually God's plan is.

God's plan, in a nutshell: Create an existence of life. Watch over that existence. Provide for the one's that He made in His image a way out of their sin. Draw it all to a close and reap from all the people who have ever lived a royal priesthood of believers. Take those people to be with Him to live in a life where they will, of their own free will and volition, live as He asks all of us to live.

That's the plan! It starts in Genesis 1 and continues through to Revelation 22. All the stuff in the middle is the working out of getting from point A to point B. Just as Jesus told us, "My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I, too, am working." God has been working out His plan since the beginning and is continuing to work out that plan. But the plan is not that all people in this age are going to live by God's standard or desires. That comes in the next age.

God bless,
Ted

 

[Trusting in Him]

I don't think that God ever has, or needs a plan B. His plans cannot fail. He knows the end from the beginning. Nothing ever comes as a surprise to Him. You can always trust God, He's the one who never fails!

 

[angelsaroundme]

"And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns." - Philippians 1:6

 

[trophy33]

The will is free in the meaning that we are not forced to make a specific decision.

The will is not free in the meaning that its random and unpredictable.

 

[sandman]

The will is free in the meaning that we are not forced to make a specific decision.

The will is not free in the meaning that its random and unpredictable.

???

 

[trophy33]

???

Yes.

 

[Halbhh]

In scripture we read that God's plan never fails.

Wait a moment. That's not quite the wording I remember, if you mean every little plan always works out as compared to the very different God's ultimate plans will be accomplished (2 different things). (ergo, God would as needed change plans, but will surely succeed). It's a notable difference. Let's look at some verses about His plans, to see.

What Does the Bible Say About Gods Plan?
What Does the Bible Say About God Never Fails?
Nothing to indicate that every time we only do solely what God intended first, rather verses that instead fit that God will make it work out to accomplish what He intended....

Let's see some key passages:
5 The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time. 6 The Lord regretted that he had made human beings on the earth, and his heart was deeply troubled. 7 So the Lord said, “I will wipe from the face of the earth the human race I have created—and with them the animals, the birds and the creatures that move along the ground—for I regret that I have made them.”
(Gen 6)

8“Remember this, keep it in mind,
take it to heart, you rebels.
9Remember the former things, those of long ago;
I am God, and there is no other;
I am God, and there is none like me.
10I make known the end from the beginning,
from ancient times, what is still to come.
I say, ‘My purpose will stand,
and I will do all that I please.’
11From the east I summon a bird of prey;
from a far-off land, a man to fulfill my purpose.
What I have said, that I will bring about;
what I have planned, that I will do."
(Isaiah 46 NIV)

See the key thing: He will accomplish His intended outcome, and bring about the ultimate things He planned...no matter what we do. He will
"summon a bird of prey;
from a far-off land, a man to fulfill my purpose."
And thus alter the situation, and cause what He wanted to happen, despite what we have done.

So, that doesn't suggest at all that He made us predictable. Rather than predictable, He made us more than just robots. He made us in some essential ways like Himself:
John 10:34 Jesus replied, "Is it not written in your Law: 'I have said you are gods'?
Genesis 1:27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.

 

[Halbhh]

In scripture we read that God's plan never fails. How does this tie into his sovereignty over us? In other words are all of our actions predetermined by God so that his plan for our lives never fail? I'm asking because if it's left to mankind's free will wouldn't there be a chance that God's plan could fail? Because, when seemingly left to ourselves we fall into sin and cannot please God. I hope I'm making sense if not, I apologize and withdraw my question.

Also, read Deuteronomy 28 NIV

By the time you finish reading all of that chapter, there's no possibility to think it's only an after-the-fact decorative rhetoric, about what will happen if we choose to follow His way, or what will happen if we choose to go against His way.


1 If you fully obey the Lord your God and carefully follow all his commands I give you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations on earth. 2 All these blessings will come on you and accompany you if you obey the Lord your God:

3 You will be blessed in the city and blessed in the country.

4 The fruit of your womb will be blessed, and the crops of your land and the young of your livestock—the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks.

5 Your basket and your kneading trough will be blessed.

6 You will be blessed when you come in and blessed when you go out.

7 The Lord will grant that the enemies who rise up against you will be defeated before you. They will come at you from one direction but flee from you in seven.

8 The Lord will send a blessing on your barns and on everything you put your hand to....
(and much more, interesting to read!)

....
15 However, if you do not obey the Lord your God and do not carefully follow all his commands and decrees I am giving you today, all these curses will come on you and overtake you:

16 You will be cursed in the city and cursed in the country.

17 Your basket and your kneading trough will be cursed.

18 The fruit of your womb will be cursed, and the crops of your land, and the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks.

19 You will be cursed when you come in and cursed when you go out.

20 The Lord will send on you curses, confusion and rebuke in everything you put your hand to, until you are destroyed and come to sudden ruin because of the evil you have done in forsaking him. ...
(and much more)

 

[sandman]

Yes.

Not sure I understand …..

Free will, is free will…. how do you draw a distinction and where is the line of demarcation?

 

[trophy33]

Not sure I understand …..

Free will, is free will…. how do you draw a distinction and where is the line of demarcation?

Free means "not being forced".

Free does not mean "random", "unpredictable" or "unlimited".

There is the line.

If I will give food to a hungry dog, its certain he will eat. I can predict what he will certainly do, but he stays free in his choice to eat. For God, our choices are clear and He can predetermine them without taking our freedom away.

 

[bling]

In scripture we read that God's plan never fails. How does this tie into his sovereignty over us? In other words are all of our actions predetermined by God so that his plan for our lives never fail? I'm asking because if it's left to mankind's free will wouldn't there be a chance that God's plan could fail? Because, when seemingly left to ourselves we fall into sin and cannot please God. I hope I'm making sense if not, I apologize and withdraw my question.

Simple: It is God's plan to give man the free will choice to accept or reject His Love. The "choice" we make is our choice, but either way it is part of His plan.

 

[disciple Clint]

In scripture we read that God's plan never fails. How does this tie into his sovereignty over us? In other words are all of our actions predetermined by God so that his plan for our lives never fail? I'm asking because if it's left to mankind's free will wouldn't there be a chance that God's plan could fail? Because, when seemingly left to ourselves we fall into sin and cannot please God. I hope I'm making sense if not, I apologize and withdraw my question.

foreknowledge is not predetermination. God knows what will happen, He also knows what He wants to have happen and He has unlimited resources, He can allow man to have free will and still achieve the plans He has made.

 

[com7fy8]

In other words are all of our actions predetermined by God so that his plan for our lives never fail?

yes

Genesis 37-50 gives one sample of this.

Also, God's word is guaranteed to accomplish all that God Himself means by His word >

"'So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth;
. It shall not return to Me void,
. But it shall accomplish what I please,
. And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.'"
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (Isaiah 55:11)

I'm asking because if it's left to mankind's free will wouldn't there be a chance that God's plan could fail?

Only with God are we able to do His will . . . thanks to God working in us >

"for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure." (Philippians 2:13)

"without Me you can do nothing," Jesus says in John 15:5.

"With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." (in Matthew 19:26)

God "works all things according to the counsel of His will," we have in Ephesians 1:11, and this with how >

"all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose," in Romans 8:28; and Genesis 37-50 is one sample of how this can work . . . how, in spite of evil men, God used their evil for His good outcome.

And "God resists the proud," we have in James 4:6 and also in 1 Peter 5:5. God does not respect and honor the will of the proud, then, but He "resists".

Because, when seemingly left to ourselves we fall into sin and cannot please God.

true >

But if we are children of God, we have Jesus praying for us according to His faith > like happened with Peter . . . in spite of Peter > Romans 8:34. Before Peter denied Jesus three times, Jesus had already prayed for Peter. I see how it was not Peter's own will which took him the right way, but the prayer of Jesus was there for him > Luke 22:31-32.

And a child of God has our Heavenly Father's correction which changes our character so we live and love like Jesus > Hebrews 12:4-14.

 

[sandman]

Free means "not being forced".

Free does not mean "random", "unpredictable" or "unlimited".

There is the line.

If I will give food to a hungry dog, its certain he will eat. I can predict what he will certainly do, but he stays free in his choice to eat. For God, our choices are clear and He can predetermine them without taking our freedom away.

Not trying to be difficult just trying to understand ….the line….. I mean, I make unpredictable and random choices all the time.

While I understand your analogy… and it is a good one at making your point …but we are talking about a dog …who has no reasoning….. only instinct.

As humanoids we have cognitive intelligence which enables us to learn, remember, reason, solve problems, and make sound or unsound judgments…. In addition to that, we deal with emotions….. which can be totally random or unpredictable.

My understanding of free will is unfettered…I don’t believe God controls that in any way.

 

[trophy33]

I mean, I make unpredictable and random choices all the time.

You dont. It may seem random to you, because you are not aware of all the neurons that fire in your brain, but technically its not random, you just do not realize all the reasons for your choices.

Even subconcious reason is a reason. And God knows everything.

 

[sandman]

What you say may very well be true...I can't dispute it, nor can I prove it.... by scripture.
So, thanks for putting up with me

 

[trophy33]

I can't dispute it, nor can I prove it.... by scripture.

I can (prove it):
For whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything.
1 J 3:20

Declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose
Is 46:10

Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you;
Jer 1:5

For a man's ways are before the eyes of the Lord, and he ponders all his paths.
Prov 5:21

...and many others. Its also logically necessary, considering who God is and that we exist in Him.