Theologians such as RC Sproul or John Piper will describe the concept of God's sovereignty as meaning that God has authority and control over every single thing on the earth. Their understanding is based on the notion that if God isn't in absolute control over everything then he isn't in control over anything.
There are a few problems with this understanding, however, both in Biblical interpretation as well as in basic logic. To begin with, if we simply refer to the dictionary definition of sovereignty we get something quite different from what is commonly described as "the sovereignty of God."
Being sovereign means holding "absolute authority", or "controlling influence." Well that's fine and well, we see that at play both in scripture as well as in our own lives. However, nowhere do you find sovereignty to be synonymous with determinism save for in the twisted definitions by certain theologians.
In reality, God's sovereignty is not expressed in him choosing to control our every action or deed, but in what we find in Colossians 1:15-23:
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. 17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. 19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.21 And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, 22 he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him,23 if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister.In examining this passage by Paul, we find what God means when referring to his sovereignty:
1). God exercises his supreme authority by investing it back in us:
"All authority on heaven and earth" is given to Jesus and he invests it back in us for the purpose of advancing his Kingdom on earth.
The intention of God was always to fill heaven and earth with his glory, like a temple, with man as his image bearers. Image bearers have free will, as God does. If God exercised total control over all of creation then why would he choose to have his image bearers do such a poor job of representing him?
2). God exerts influence over the earth through relationship
"...if indeed you continue in the faith..."
Trinitarian understanding of perichoresis is key here. God existed in relationship with himself as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Thus, his image bearers are also intended to exist in relationship.
A puppet is not in relationship with his master. All the Gospel accounts and creeds of how Christ submitted his own will to the Lord and in turn was exalted to the place of ultimate authority (sovereignty!) make zero sense as a paradigm or model of how we can be image bearers if we understand sovereignty in Piper-ian terms.
A popular Biblical passage used to promote the picture of God as puppet master is the potter and clay analogy of Romans 9. However, this analogy hearkens back to Jeremiah 18, where God uses the potter and clay analogy to show Jeremiah that when the clay REFUSES to yield to God's will he simply begins to reshape it into something new that works to his purposes.
When Paul and Jeremiah refer to the potter they are making the exact opposite point of those who say that God's sovereignty involves him exercising total control. Instead, it portrays God's plans as adapting to and maximizing the decisions of his people.
None of this diminishes the Lord. God calls to us, we can't respond unless we have something to respond to. We can't earn his love, it's freely given and has to be freely received. God's master plan involves relationship between himself and his children. Nothing else would adequately display the majesty of perichoresis and accurately portray his image in the earth as he always intended.
3). The beauty of God's success
If Piper or Sproul are to be believed, salvation history is an account of God writing a story with false conflict and problems that he then resolves with the pretense of difficulty.
The actual Biblical account shows God getting his hands dirty and exerting influence over people who respond to his will in order to see the earth redeemed at great personal cost.
The God who is successful in shaping the earth to his purposes and glory despite not exercising total control is far more amazing to me then the God who determined it all with puppet strings.
Many theologians behave as if God were not trustworthy or deserving of our faith if he doesn't wield total control, which is curious in light of the fact that they also uphold that Jesus victory was total and complete. They throw "sovereignty of God!" as a weaponized phrase at people who suggest that humans have free will or a part to play in God's purposes while ignoring or missing the obvious themes at play in the Bible.
The Jews of Jesus' time lived in great tension: "Will God fulfill his promises? Will he be faithful to his covenant to redeem creation?" When God fulfilled his covenant and demonstrated his everlasting faithfulness to mankind by sending his son that was confirmation enough. There was no need to distort the dictionary or misinterpret Paul in order to know that God is faithful and amazing enough to do what he promises to do without infringing on our free will.
Faith is the key word, after all. We have faith in God because he is good, not because he's a control freak.
