Question 20: So God has complete control over everything then why does he allow people to sin?
Question 20: So God has complete control over everything then why does he allow people to sin? R.C. Sproll Sr. says that God, Jesus, Holy Spirit create people to either go to hell or to go to heaven. That God makes that decision when he creates the person.
That’s a good question because it touches on two subjects that Christians have discussed for centuries: God’s sovereignty and man’s responsibility.
I think part of the confusion comes from assuming that if God is completely sovereign, then human choices must not matter. The Bible, however, presents both truths side by side. God is sovereign, and man is responsible. Rather than denying one truth in favor of the other, Scripture teaches both.
Let’s begin with what we know.
The Bible clearly teaches that God is sovereign. Nothing occurs outside His knowledge, authority, or ultimate control. Satan remains under God’s authority. The nations remain under God’s authority. History itself unfolds according to God’s purposes.
At the same time, the Bible consistently holds people responsible for their actions.
Consider Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. God knew they would sin, yet He still held them accountable for their disobedience. Consider Judas Iscariot. His betrayal fulfilled prophecy, yet Judas remained responsible for the choice he made. Throughout Scripture, God never excuses sin by saying, “You had no responsibility.”
That should cause us to ask an important question:
If God is sovereign and man is responsible, does that mean God causes people to sin?
The Bible answers that question directly.
James 1:13 says:
“Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man.”
That verse is one of the clearest safeguards in Scripture. God is holy. He is not the author of sin. He does not entice people to do evil.
Now let’s think about what that means.
God may permit sin.
God may limit sin.
God may overrule sin for His purposes.
God may judge sin.
But Scripture never presents God as the source of sin.
Charles Ryrie frequently emphasized that God’s sovereignty and man’s responsibility are both taught in Scripture, even when we cannot fully explain every aspect of their relationship. The Bible does not ask us to choose one truth over the other. It asks us to believe both because God has revealed both.
The second part of the question concerns the idea that God creates some people for heaven and others for hell.
Before we answer that, let’s ask another question:
What does the Bible say about God’s desire toward sinners?
First Timothy 2:4 says that God:
“will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.”
Second Peter 3:9 says that the Lord is:
“not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”
Those verses reveal God’s heart toward lost people. They present a God who calls sinners to repentance and offers salvation through Jesus Christ.
The Bible certainly teaches election, but it never presents people standing before God on the Day of Judgment saying, “I wanted Christ, but God would not let me come.” Instead, Scripture consistently places responsibility for unbelief upon the unbeliever.
Have you noticed how often the Bible calls people to respond?
· Repent.
· Believe.
· Come.
· Receive.
· Trust.
Those invitations appear throughout Scripture because human responsibility is real.
So what conclusion should we draw?
God is sovereign over all things, but His sovereignty does not make Him the author of sin. People sin because they choose to sin, and they are accountable for those choices. Likewise, people who reject Christ are responsible for their unbelief. At the same time, salvation is entirely a work of God’s grace made possible through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
One of the most important truths to remember is that the Bible never presents God’s sovereignty and man’s responsibility as enemies. Both truths point us to the greatness of God. God’s sovereignty gives believers confidence that He is in control. Human responsibility reminds us that our response to God matters. Holding both truths together helps us avoid errors on either side and keeps us anchored in the teaching of Scripture.
Key Scriptures: James 1:13; John 3:16-18; Romans 3:23; 1 Timothy 2:4; 2 Peter 3:9.
