God is Not Passive

Something that is often heard in church's, whether by preaching or even in the hymn's and modern praise songs is that "Jesus is patiently waiting." Meaning that God has done all that He can do and now it is just up to you.


Now maybe it's just me, but that makes my skin crawl. The presentation of the almighty maker of Heaven and Earth, the Alpha and Omega, the Great I AM, the Word become flesh, as completely helpless, inept and unable to do anything more... now He is just patiently waiting, beckoning the sinner to come home.


Here's my question, is this how the Bible presents God's role in salvation....the patient waiter?


No. God is not passive, God is the God who saves to the fullest! God is the God who knocks people off horses and claims them as His own (Acts 9). God is the God who anoints shepherd boys and makes them kings (1 Samuel 16) God is the God who overthrows armies by the smashing of clay jars and blowing of horns (Judges 7). But is he waiting patiently...hoping that you will accept Him? I don't think so.


God is not passive and He is not impotent. God has from the foundation of the world chosen those whom He will save. Ephesians 1:4-6 tells us:

"4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved."

and verse 11

"In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will"

This is the God who works all things according to the counsel of his will. The God who does whatever He wants with the inhabitants of the earth (Daniel 4:35).

Certainly the Bible describes God as patient (2 Peter 3:9) but this is not patient as in waiting to see if we will come or not, but rather patient to fulfill His promise. God is patiently working out the counsel of His will among the people of this world.

Yes it's true that God is patient....but He is not waiting, He is fulfilling! So let's throw this bad theology out the door and on it's ear that says, Jesus has done all that He can do and He wants you to come to Him but it's just up to you, but he really hopes you will...blah, blah, blah. Instead let us recognize that God is a God who is Sovereign and saves to the fullest. If He wants you, he's gonna get you....and there is nowhere you can hide.

Jesus put it this way:

"All that the Father gives to me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out." (John 6:37)

God is not passive.

Sola Deo Gloria!

- Jacob Allee