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Whatever We Are Doing Is Part of God’s Sovereign Will
Whatever We Are Doing Is Part of God’s Sovereign Will
By Dr. Maxwell Shimba, Shimba Theological Institute
Key Texts:
“But our God is in heaven; He does whatever He pleases.” — Psalm 115:3 (NKJV)
“You can make many plans, but the LORD’s purpose will prevail.” — Proverbs 19:21 (NLT)
Introduction: The Reign of the Sovereign God
The doctrine of God’s sovereignty stands at the very heart of biblical theology. Scripture consistently affirms that God reigns supremely over all creation—history, nations, individuals, and even the unseen spiritual realm. Psalm 115:3 declares without ambiguity that God is in heaven and does whatever He pleases. Proverbs 19:21 complements this truth by acknowledging human planning while asserting that it is ultimately the Lord’s purpose that prevails. Together, these texts establish a theological framework in which all human activity unfolds under God’s sovereign will.
God’s Sovereignty Defined
God’s sovereignty means that He possesses absolute authority, freedom, and power to accomplish His purposes without external constraint. Unlike human rulers, whose authority is limited and often contested, God’s rule is uncontested and eternal. He does not react to circumstances; rather, circumstances unfold within His eternal decree. To say that God “does whatever He pleases” is not to suggest arbitrariness, but perfect wisdom, righteousness, and consistency with His holy nature.
Human Plans and Divine Purpose
Proverbs 19:21 acknowledges a fundamental reality of human existence: we plan. Planning is not sinful; it is part of human responsibility and stewardship. However, Scripture is clear that human plans are not ultimate. The Lord’s purpose prevails. This verse does not negate human agency but places it within a higher divine framework. Our choices are real, our intentions meaningful, yet God’s sovereign will encompasses and transcends them.
This theological tension—between human responsibility and divine sovereignty—does not call for resolution through reductionism but for humble submission. God’s will is not threatened by human decision-making; rather, human decisions are mysteriously woven into the fulfillment of God’s eternal purposes.
Whatever We Are Doing: Within God’s Sovereign Will
To affirm that “whatever we are doing is part of God’s sovereign will” is to recognize that nothing occurs outside God’s knowledge, permission, or ultimate purpose. This does not mean that God morally approves of all human actions. Scripture clearly distinguishes between God’s sovereign (or decretive) will and His moral (or revealed) will. Human sin does not escape God’s sovereignty, yet God remains holy and not the author of evil.
Biblical history testifies to this truth. Joseph could say to his brothers, “You meant evil against me; but God meant it for good” (Genesis 50:20). The crucifixion of Christ—humanity’s greatest injustice—occurred “by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God” (Acts 2:23). Thus, even actions rooted in rebellion can be sovereignly redirected to fulfill God’s redemptive plan.
Pastoral and Practical Implications
The doctrine of God’s sovereignty offers profound comfort and stability. In times of uncertainty, suffering, or apparent chaos, believers can rest in the assurance that God is neither absent nor overwhelmed. Our lives are not random sequences of events but chapters in a divinely authored narrative.
At the same time, God’s sovereignty calls us to humility and obedience. Since His purposes will prevail, wisdom lies not in resisting God’s will but in aligning ourselves with it through prayer, discernment, and faithful living. Trust in God’s sovereignty does not produce passivity; it produces confidence, perseverance, and hope.
Conclusion: Trusting the God Who Reigns
Psalm 115:3 and Proverbs 19:21 together invite us to a deeper trust in the God who reigns from heaven and whose purposes never fail. While we plan, labor, and make decisions, we do so under the sovereign hand of a God whose will is perfect and whose purposes are unstoppable. Whatever we are doing—whether we fully understand it or not—exists within the scope of God’s sovereign will. The call of Scripture, therefore, is clear: trust Him, submit to Him, and find peace in the certainty that the Lord reigns.
— Dr. Maxwell Shimba
Shimba Theological Institute
Do You Love Your Wife—or Control Her?
Do You Love Your Wife—or Control Her?
A Biblical Call to Love, Honor, and Protect Women
By Dr. Maxwell Shimba
Shimba Theological Institute
The measure of a man is revealed not in his strength over others, but in his love toward those entrusted to his care—especially his wife. Scripture is unambiguous: a husband is called to love, not dominate; to serve, not subdue; to protect, not harm.
The Bible frames marriage as a sacred covenant grounded in self-giving love. “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her” (Ephesians 5:25). Christ’s love is not coercive; it is sacrificial. It does not wound; it heals. It does not intimidate; it restores dignity. The apostle Paul goes further: “He who loves his wife loves himself” (Ephesians 5:28). Violence against a wife, therefore, is violence against one’s own body—and a betrayal of Christ’s example.
Scripture consistently elevates women as honored, intelligent, and indispensable partners. In Genesis 2:18, God creates woman as ezer kenegdo—not a subordinate helper, but a powerful counterpart, a strength corresponding to man. The term ezer is often used of God Himself as Israel’s help and deliverer. From the very beginning, God’s design is partnership marked by mutual respect and shared dignity.
The New Testament reinforces this vision. “Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them” (Colossians 3:19). Peter commands husbands to honor their wives as “heirs with you of the grace of life” (1 Peter 3:7). Equality before God is not a modern invention; it is a biblical reality rooted in creation and redemption.
Against this backdrop, any religious system that permits a husband to strike his wife—even under the language of “discipline”—stands in sharp moral contrast to the gospel. Love cannot coexist with sanctioned violence. Control is not care. Fear is not fidelity. When authority is divorced from compassion, it ceases to reflect the heart of God.
True masculinity, according to Scripture, is cruciform—it takes the shape of the cross. A Christian husband is called to lay down his life, not raise his hand. He leads by serving, speaks with gentleness, and exercises strength through restraint. The fruit of the Spirit—love, kindness, patience, self-control—has no room for abuse (Galatians 5:22–23).
This message is not merely theological; it is deeply practical. Homes flourish where wives are cherished, not controlled. Children thrive where love, not fear, sets the tone. Communities are healed when men learn that power is best expressed through compassion.
To women who have been told—by religion or culture—that they are lesser, weak, or disposable: the God of the Bible sees you as precious, strong, and fully equal in worth. You bear His image. You are co-heirs of grace. You are not an object to be managed, but a partner to be honored.
And to husbands: the question remains—do you love your wife, or do you seek to control her? Choose the way of Christ. Choose love that protects, honors, and uplifts. In doing so, you reflect the heart of the Creator who designed marriage not as a hierarchy of fear, but as a covenant of love.
“Let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband” (Ephesians 5:33).
Love builds. Violence destroys. God calls us to love.
THE GOD OF THE BIBLE VS. THE GOD OF ISLAM: A CALL TO DISCERNMENT
THE GOD OF THE BIBLE VS. THE GOD OF ISLAM: A CALL TO DISCERNMENT
A Preaching Article / Sermon
By Dr. Maxwell Shimba
Shimba Theological Institute
Scripture Reading
“Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are from God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.”
— 1 John 4:1
Introduction: The Battle Is Not Emotional, It Is Theological
Beloved, the greatest spiritual battles are not fought with swords, armies, or anger—they are fought with truth and discernment. The Bible commands us not to be silent, not to be naive, and not to confuse tolerance with truth. We are told to test spirits, examine teachings, and measure every claim against God’s revealed Word.
In our generation, one of the most aggressive theological claims is this: “Allah is the same God as the God of the Bible, and Jesus Himself was a Muslim.” This claim is repeated often, confidently, and publicly—but repetition does not make something true. The question is not how loud the claim is, but whether it aligns with divine revelation.
1. You Cannot Redefine God and Still Claim Him
The God of the Bible reveals Himself clearly, consistently, and personally.
He speaks in covenant (Exodus 6:7)
He reveals His name (YHWH)
He enters relationship with His people
He acts in redemptive history
He ultimately reveals Himself in His Son, Jesus Christ
“God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son.”
— Hebrews 1:1–2
Islam denies this final revelation. It denies God’s fatherhood. It denies incarnation. It denies the cross. It denies the resurrection. Yet it still wants to claim identity with the God who revealed Himself through these very acts.
Church, you cannot deny God’s revelation and still claim His identity. A god without covenant, without incarnation, without redemption is not the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—it is a theological substitute.
2. Jesus Cannot Be Rebranded Without Being Rejected
Islam speaks of Jesus, but it does not honor Him. It mentions Him, but it empties Him of His glory.
The Bible declares:
Jesus is the eternal Word (John 1:1)
Jesus is God manifested in flesh (1 Timothy 3:16)
Jesus is crucified, risen, and exalted (Philippians 2:8–11)
Islam denies all of this.
“Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father either.”
— 1 John 2:23
Calling Jesus a “Muslim prophet” is not respect—it is rejection. Any Christ who is not Lord, Savior, and Redeemer is another Jesus, and Scripture warns us strongly about that.
3. Borrowed Language Is Not Shared Revelation
Many Muslims insist that reading the Bible will lead Christians to Islam. But Scripture teaches the opposite:
“The unfolding of Your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple.”
— Psalm 119:130
The Bible is not a fragmented text. It is a unified redemptive narrative—from creation, to covenant, to Christ, to consummation. The Qur’an, by contrast, does not present a continuous salvific story but scattered references, partial retellings, and repeated corrections of biblical theology.
Borrowing biblical figures while rejecting biblical meaning does not establish continuity—it exposes dependence without authority.
4. Moses Warned Against Foreign Conceptions of God
God warned Israel clearly:
“If a prophet arises… and says, ‘Let us go after other gods,’ you shall not listen to him.”
— Deuteronomy 13:1–3
Any god who contradicts prior revelation is not a continuation—it is a replacement. Any theology that rejects God’s redemptive plan while claiming His prophets is engaging in spiritual contradiction.
The issue is not ethnicity, culture, or geography. The issue is faithfulness to revealed truth.
5. True Worship Is Not Ritual Without Relationship
Jesus declared:
“The hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth.”
— John 4:23
Biblical worship flows from regeneration, understanding, and love. It is inward before it is outward. It transforms the heart before it disciplines the body.
Where worship becomes primarily ritual, performance, and legal compliance—without intimacy, assurance, and grace—religion replaces relationship.
Conclusion: Truth Needs No Imitation
The Christian faith does not need to borrow authority, rebrand prophets, or revise revelation. The gospel stands complete, coherent, and confirmed by history, prophecy, and resurrection power.
Islam’s repeated attempts to claim biblical identity while denying biblical truth reveal not confidence, but contradiction. Truth invites examination. Error demands imitation.
Church, we are not called to hate—but we are called to discern. We are not called to insult—but we are called to proclaim. And we are never called to surrender truth for the sake of false unity.
“Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.”
— John 17:17
Final Pastoral Exhortation
Stand firm. Know your Scriptures. Love people—but never compromise truth. For when truth is silenced, deception grows bold. And when Christ is diminished, salvation itself is endangered.
Jesus Christ is Lord. Not a prophet. Not a revision. Not a footnote.
Lord.
Amen.
A Theological and Textual Critique of Islamic Claims Concerning Biblical Faith
A Theological and Textual Critique of Islamic Claims Concerning Biblical Faith
By Dr. Maxwell Shimba
Shimba Theological Institute
Introduction
Islamic theology frequently asserts continuity with the Judeo-Christian tradition by claiming that Allah is identical to the God of the Bible and that Jesus, Moses, and the biblical prophets were fundamentally “Muslims.” This claim is presented as an appeal to shared monotheism. However, upon closer theological, textual, and historical examination, this assertion raises serious doctrinal and logical problems. This paper argues that such claims reflect not genuine theological continuity, but rather an apologetic strategy aimed at resolving internal tensions within Islamic doctrine—particularly concerning Muhammad’s prophetic authority, the nature of revelation, and the content and coherence of the Qur’an itself.
1. The Islamic Claim of Continuity with Biblical Theology
Islam insists that it is not a new religion but a “restoration” of the original faith of Abraham. Consequently, Muslims often argue that Jesus was a Muslim, the Gospel was Islamic in substance, and that the Bible—when “properly understood”—leads to Islam. Yet this claim collapses under scrutiny.
Biblical theology defines God not merely by numerical oneness but by revealed character, covenantal relationship, and self-disclosure in history. The God of the Bible is known by His covenantal name (YHWH), His redemptive acts, His moral consistency, and ultimately His incarnation in Christ (John 1:1–14; Hebrews 1:1–3). Allah, as presented in the Qur’an, lacks covenantal intimacy, denies divine fatherhood, rejects incarnation, and explicitly repudiates the crucifixion and resurrection—the very center of biblical revelation (Qur’an 4:157; 5:72).
Thus, the claim that Allah and the God of the Bible are identical is not a neutral monotheistic statement but a theological redefinition that contradicts core biblical doctrines.
2. Jesus in Islam vs. Jesus in the Bible
Islamic theology attempts to appropriate Jesus while simultaneously stripping Him of His essential identity. In the Bible, Jesus is:
The eternal Word made flesh (John 1:1–3, 14)
The Son who uniquely reveals the Father (Matthew 11:27)
The crucified and risen Lord for the salvation of humanity (1 Corinthians 15:1–4)
In Islam, however, Jesus is reduced to a non-crucified prophet who denies His own divinity and redemptive mission. This portrayal is not derived from historical evidence or early Christian testimony but from later Qur’anic negation. To call this Jesus a “Muslim” is an anachronism that empties the biblical Jesus of His identity and mission.
3. The Qur’an and the Problem of Coherence
A significant theological issue lies in the Qur’an’s structure and content. Unlike the Bible, which presents a progressive, covenantal narrative unfolding across centuries, the Qur’an is characterized by:
Fragmented storytelling
Repetitive yet incomplete narratives
Reliance on extra-Qur’anic traditions (Hadith) to explain essential doctrines
Borrowed elements from Jewish, Christian, and apocryphal sources without narrative continuity
This raises questions about the Qur’an’s claim to be a “clear book” (Qur’an 12:1), since its theological clarity depends heavily on later interpretive traditions. By contrast, biblical revelation interprets itself through a coherent redemptive-historical framework.
4. Moses, Covenant, and the Rejection of Foreign Deities
Biblical theology repeatedly warns Israel against adopting foreign conceptions of God that contradict Yahweh’s revealed nature (Deuteronomy 13; Isaiah 44). The biblical God is not merely a sovereign ruler but a covenant-making, self-giving, morally consistent Redeemer. Any later theological system that denies God’s redemptive self-disclosure, rejects His covenantal promises, and replaces grace with legalism cannot be considered a continuation of biblical faith, regardless of shared terminology.
5. Worship: Spirit and Truth vs. Ritual Formalism
Jesus taught that true worship is rooted in Spirit and truth, emerging from transformed hearts rather than external performance (John 4:23–24). Biblical worship flows from relationship, regeneration, and understanding of God’s character.
Islamic worship, by contrast, is primarily ritualistic and legal in nature, emphasizing outward conformity over inward transformation. While discipline and order are not inherently problematic, when ritual replaces relational knowledge of God, worship becomes performative rather than redemptive.
Conclusion
The Islamic effort to claim the Bible, Jesus, and the God of Scripture as inherently Islamic does not arise from theological continuity but from doctrinal necessity. Islam requires biblical validation while simultaneously denying the Bible’s central message. This internal contradiction exposes a fundamental tension within Islamic theology.
Christian theology, grounded in Scripture, history, and coherent revelation, affirms that the God of the Bible cannot be redefined without losing His identity. Attempts to appropriate biblical figures while rejecting their message ultimately undermine the credibility of such claims.
The Christian faith does not fear comparison or examination; it invites it. Truth withstands scrutiny. Theological imitation without doctrinal consistency, however, only magnifies the very tensions it seeks to conceal.
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