Providence

[Arial]

Providence is a word that was used often, and not just by theologians, but by ordinary God fearing people. And they knew what it meant. It was not an idle comment but one that communicated the sovereignty and trustworthiness of God.

The Westminster Confession, ch. 5 explains providence well.

1. God, the great Creator of all things, doth uphold, direct, dispose, and govern all creatures, actions, and things, from the greatest even to the least, by his most wise and holy Providence, according to his infallible for-knowledge and the free and immutable counsel of his own will, to the praise of the glory of his wisdom, power, justice, goodness and mercy. a. Heb 1:3. • b. Psa 135:6; Dan 4:34-35; Acts 17:25-26, 28; Job 38-41 throughout c. Mat 10:29-31. • d. Psa 104:24; 145:17; Prov 15:3. • e. Psa 94:8-11; Acts 15:18. • f. Psa 33:10-11; Eph 1:11. • g. Gen 45:7; Psa 145:7; Isa 63:14; Rom 9:17; Eph 3:10.
2. Although in relation to the foreknowledge and decree of God, the first cause, all things come to pass immutably and infallibly, yet by the same Providence he ordereth them to fall out, according to the nature of second causes, either necessarily, freely, or contingently.a. Acts 2:23. • b. Gen 8:22; Exod 21:13 with Deut 19:5; 1 Kings 22:28, 34; Isa 10:6-7; Jer 31:35.
3. God, in His ordinary Providence, maketh use of means, yet is free to work without, above, and against them, at his pleasure. Isa 55:10-11; Hosea 2:21-22; Acts 27:31, 44. • b. Job 34:10; Hosea 1:7; Mat 4:4. • c. Rom 4:19-21. • d. 2 Kings 6:6; Dan 3:27.​

We learn then that there are three aspects to Providence.
Preservation, meaning God upholds and sustains all things in existence(Heb 1:3; Col 1:17).
Concurrence--God works through the real actions of his creatures, coordinating choices with
purposes (Gen 50:20; Acts 2:23).
Government--God directs all events toward their appointed end (Eph 1:11; Ps 135:6).

Thoughts? Comments?

 

[ElectedbyHim]

He is in control of everything.

Macarthur once said in one of his sermons, that the Lord "orchestrates" everything.

That word has always stuck with me.

Thank you for bringing up this Sovereign attribute.

 

[makesends]

Providence is a word that was used often, and not just by theologians, but by ordinary God fearing people. And they knew what it meant. It was not an idle comment but one that communicated the sovereignty and trustworthiness of God.

The Westminster Confession, ch. 5 explains providence well.

1. God, the great Creator of all things, doth uphold, direct, dispose, and govern all creatures, actions, and things, from the greatest even to the least, by his most wise and holy Providence, according to his infallible for-knowledge and the free and immutable counsel of his own will, to the praise of the glory of his wisdom, power, justice, goodness and mercy. a. Heb 1:3. • b. Psa 135:6; Dan 4:34-35; Acts 17:25-26, 28; Job 38-41 throughout c. Mat 10:29-31. • d. Psa 104:24; 145:17; Prov 15:3. • e. Psa 94:8-11; Acts 15:18. • f. Psa 33:10-11; Eph 1:11. • g. Gen 45:7; Psa 145:7; Isa 63:14; Rom 9:17; Eph 3:10.
2. Although in relation to the foreknowledge and decree of God, the first cause, all things come to pass immutably and infallibly, yet by the same Providence he ordereth them to fall out, according to the nature of second causes, either necessarily, freely, or contingently.a. Acts 2:23. • b. Gen 8:22; Exod 21:13 with Deut 19:5; 1 Kings 22:28, 34; Isa 10:6-7; Jer 31:35.
3. God, in His ordinary Providence, maketh use of means, yet is free to work without, above, and against them, at his pleasure. Isa 55:10-11; Hosea 2:21-22; Acts 27:31, 44. • b. Job 34:10; Hosea 1:7; Mat 4:4. • c. Rom 4:19-21. • d. 2 Kings 6:6; Dan 3:27.​

We learn then that there are three aspects to Providence.
Preservation, meaning God upholds and sustains all things in existence(Heb 1:3; Col 1:17).
Concurrence--God works through the real actions of his creatures, coordinating choices with
purposes (Gen 50:20; Acts 2:23).
Government--God directs all events toward their appointed end (Eph 1:11; Ps 135:6).

Thoughts? Comments?

Yeah, I have thoughts and comments, but my thinking that God is meticulously in control of all things is not very popular. To me, means, contingencies and will, are still all meticulously controlled, by simple causally falling out as purposed by omnipotent First Cause himself.

Second, by Immanence: All things were made by him ex nihilo. The suggestion is strong that the very substance of which things are made is also a result of the very purpose they are made, as @John Bauer was referring to in another thread. The material ontology of a thing is not mutually exclusive with its covenantal ontology. By him our very existences are upheld, and not 'from a distance'. He is intimately involved in all fact.

God made this, and it is for himself. From himself.

I don't see how anything I said there, though some will say so, means robothood, forcing, no will, fake choice, etc etc, nor does it make God the author of sin.