O LORD, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps.
Here we have one of the major prophets of the Old Testament writing that he knows the way of man is not in himself. And he then continues in the same thought in order to clarify it for us. It is not in us to direct our own steps. Well, if the way of man is not in himself, who is it in? If man doesn’t direct his own steps, does everything happen by chance?
Absolutely not! There is NOTHING that happens by chance. God orchestrates and directs every event in our lives and every step we take, both His Elect (saved and not saved yet) and those who will never be saved. And here are some passages that support this conclusion with the links that show my understanding:
- The LORD hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil. (Proverbs 16:4)
- There are many devices in a man's heart; nevertheless the counsel of the LORD, that shall stand. (Proverbs 19:21)
- The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will. (Proverbs 21:1)
- For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. (Jeremiah 29:11)
- The LORD hath done that which he had devised; he hath fulfilled his word that he had commanded in the days of old: ... (Lamentations 2:17)
- For the Lord Almighty has purposed, and who can thwart him? His hand is stretched out, and who can turn it back? (Isaiah 14:27)
- So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. (Isaiah 55:11)
- the work of God is that we believe on Jesus (John 6:29)
- the work of God is that we believe on Jesus (John 6:29)
- In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: (Ephesians 1:11)
- For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. (Philippians 2:13)
In the original passage from Jeremiah and the others immediately above you can see that God tells us over and over that He is sovereign and He will order and direct our steps to accomplish His plan for our lives no matter what we may think, say, or do. This includes those who believe in decisional salvation - i.e. Arminians. There is no one who lives their life NOT fulfilling God's plan for them.
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