When Christians from certain traditions are confronted with an undeniable promise from God of something pleasant, like healing, or answers to prayer, or the gifts of the Spirit, they say, “Yes, but remember God is sovereign.” All of God’s promises are meaningless to them, because whatever God’s word says, God can always do something different, even something directly opposite.

However, these people never apply this to the promise of salvation. They do not say, “Yes, God promised to save all those who have faith in Christ, but remember now, God is sovereign. So someone might have full faith in Christ, more faith than Paul, Peter, and John combined, and still burn in hell.” They never say this. They would condemn this as “hyper” this or that. But they are hyper-hypocrites.

Then, these people never apply this to the promise of judgment. They never say, “Yes, God promised to judge all those who reject the gospel, but remember now, God is sovereign. So someone might definitely and repeatedly reject Jesus Christ, and still be exalted to the highest place in heaven. In fact, he could even replace Jesus Christ, because you know, God is sovereign.”

No, they would say that if God promised to save all those who have faith in Christ, then all those who have faith in Christ will be saved. They would say that God promised to damn all those who do not have faith in Christ, and he will surely damn them just like he said. But when it comes to something pleasant other than salvation, suddenly “God is sovereign” and we never know what will happen regardless of what he has promised and regardless of whether we have faith.

They exploit the doctrine of divine sovereignty to neutralize biblical promises that expose their lack of faith, their lack of intelligence, and their inferior spiritual condition. But once they do this, they cannot stop it from being done with everything in God’s word, including promises that they wish to keep, threats that they wish to enforce, and doctrines that they wish to affirm.

If “God is sovereign” can do away with something good that God said, then it can also do away with something bad that God said. It can do away with everything that God said. We must believe in Christ? Fine! But God is sovereign. There is a hell to punish sinners? Great! But God is sovereign. Abortion is wrong? OK! But God is sovereign. Everything would be decided on a case-by-case basis, and we can no longer tell anyone what is true or false, right or wrong. Because God is sovereign.

All doctrinal controversies have become meaningless. Why argue about water baptism, when “God is sovereign”? So you believe in infant baptism? Good for you, but John Smith is exempt, because God is sovereign. You don’t believe in infant baptism? Mary Jane is doing it anyway, because God is sovereign. You believe that a homosexual female penguin cannot be a church elder? We don’t care, because God is sovereign. That penguin is getting “lawfully ordained” and serving your magic crackers next Sunday.

There is no other kind of theology more satanic than this.