CH 5 Of DIVINE PROVIDENCE

Part 1: Definition and Scope of God’s Providence

To the Judicious and Impartial Reader: Baptist Symbolics Volume 2 (To the Judicious and Impartial Reader: Baptist Symbolics Volume 2)

As shall be seen, providence is an essential part of God’s decree. Confessing the doctrine is necessary and somewhat simple, though understanding it can be challenging and perhaps at times beyond our ability to comprehend (since it is a divine act). At the same time, it may also be greatly comforting, especially when considering the doctrine as a whole. In an effort to be more pastoral and perhaps directly helpful for God’s people (but not to alter the sense of the doctrine in itself), the Baptist Confession (relying on 1LCF46 article five) makes some subtle changes to the language of WCF and Savoy.

Focus: This lecture describes God’s providence and explaining its scope, as articulated in the confession.

Providence defined:

2LBC 5.1

1. God the good Creator of all things, in his infinite power, and wisdom, doth (a) uphold, direct, dispose, and govern all Creatures, and things, from the greatest even to the (b) least, by his most wise and holy providence, to the end for the which they were Created; according unto his infallible foreknowledge, and the free and immutable Councel of his (c) own will; to the praise of the glory of his wisdom, power, justice, infinite goodness and mercy.

Chapter five opens by uniting the acts of creation and providence. The term "God" here refers not only to the Father but to the entire Godhead, and should be understood in light of chapter two. Unlike the Westminster Confession of Faith (WCF) and the Savoy Declaration, which use the adjective "great," the Second London Baptist Confession of Faith (2LCF) opts for "good," making this change noteworthy.

This substitution doesn't question God's greatness as the Creator of all things but subtly shifts the doctrinal focus. By adding "good," the statement aligns with paragraph 4.1, which speaks of creation in terms of divine attributes like eternal power, wisdom, and goodness. It also serves as an inclusio for the paragraph, as "goodness" reappears near its conclusion.

The core idea is that providence genuinely expresses God's essential goodness. When we consider divine actions in the world, we should view them as manifestations of God's goodness. The theme of goodness recurs throughout the chapter—in paragraphs four, five, and seven—which is intentional to emphasize that all worldly acts relate to this attribute of God. Christian theology rejects any form of dualism; God is good, and all His actions partake of His goodness.

An additional insight from the First London Confession of Faith (1LCF), article five, reinforces this harmony by incorporating other divine attributes: infinite power and infinite wisdom. The adjective "infinite" offers a slightly different nuance compared to "eternal," which modifies these nouns in paragraph 4.1. While "eternal" speaks to the timelessness of the Trinitarian persons as revealed in creation, "infinite" evokes their boundless nature. As God is infinite, so are His divine attributes. Both creation and providence display God's glorious attributes. Providence is God's ongoing care for the world and everything in it; He didn't create the world only to leave it on its own. He sustains every moment—every heartbeat, every breath. Humanity exists because He upholds, directs, disposes, and governs all life.

Like creation, providence serves as general or natural revelation—a continuous testimony to the reality of God. It is true and real, constantly calling us to the Lord. Our problem is that we often misunderstand and misinterpret the world around us due to our spiritual blindness. We exchange the truth for a lie, failing to see the glory of God in creation and providence. Remember Solomon's words: "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." Without this reverence, and because in our sinfulness we prefer anything but God's truth, we distort the good revelation of creation and providence into foolishness, as if we could erase God from the very means He designed to showcase His glory. We must not do this. God made and sustains the world so that we might come to Him and worship.

Quotes: Benjamin Keach (1640–1704)

In his work "Preaching from the Types and Metaphors of the Bible", Keach writes:

"The providence of God is His almighty power and omnipresent care, whereby, as it were by His hand, He upholds and governs heaven and earth and all creatures therein; so that herbs and grass, rain and drought, fruitful and barren years, meat and drink, health and sickness, riches and poverty, yea, and all things come, not by chance, but by His fatherly hand."

Hanserd Knollys (1599–1691)

From his book "Christ Exalted: A Lost Sinner Sought and Saved by Christ":

"The Lord’s providence is His most holy, wise, and powerful preserving and governing all His creatures, ordering them and all their actions to His own glory."

Nehemiah Coxe (died 1689)

In "A Discourse of the Covenants that God made with Men before the Law", Coxe states:

"God, who created all things by the word of His power, does uphold and govern them by His providence, ruling and directing all events, and ordering all things for His own glory and the good of His people."

William Kiffin (1616–1701)

In his writings, Kiffin emphasizes trust in God's providence:

"We ought to rest in the wise and sovereign providence of God, who orders all things according to the counsel of His own will, for His glory and our good."

God upholds and directs everything by His sovereign will.

The extent of providence: God’s care extends to all creatures and actions, governing both great and small events.

God's wisdom and purpose: His providence is always wise, good, and according to His perfect purpose, which emphasizes His sovereignty.

Application: Encourage listeners to recognize that no detail of life is outside God’s control and to trust in His sovereignty.

Part 2: The Relationship Between Providence and Human Responsibility

(10 minutes)

Focus: Address the balance between God’s sovereignty and human responsibility, highlighting how providence does not negate human will.

Key Points:

God uses secondary causes (1689 LBC 5.2): While God is the primary cause, He works through human actions, natural events, and means.

Summary of the Doctrine of Providence and the Concepts of First and Second Causes

The text discusses the doctrine of divine providence as presented in theological confessions, specifically focusing on how the initial paragraphs establish foundational doctrines, with subsequent sections providing detailed explanations.

1. Structure of the Doctrine Presentation

Basic Doctrine: The first paragraph of the chapter introduces the fundamental aspects of divine providence.

Elaboration: Following paragraphs delve into specific details, expanding on the initial statements.

2. Key Concepts in Understanding Providence

First Cause and Second Cause: Two essential terms used to elucidate the workings of providence.

First Cause: Refers to God the good Creator, expressing His infallible foreknowledge and eternal decree. Everything that happens is rooted in God's sovereign will and purpose.

Second Cause: Denotes the natural processes and events within the created order that God uses to fulfill His decree. These are the means by which God's providential plan is executed in the world.

3. The Interplay Between First and Second Causes

Unified Understanding: Both causes must be considered together to properly articulate the doctrine of providence.

Natural Events and Divine Decree: Natural occurrences can be accurately explained through scientific or observable means (second causes) while also being ultimately attributed to God's providential plan (first cause).

4. Examples Illustrating the Doctrine

Earthquakes:

Second Cause: Plate tectonics and the movement of the earth's crust cause seismic activity.

First Cause: God decrees and providentially brings about these events, using natural processes to fulfill His purposes.

Daily Provision:

Second Cause: Food comes through agriculture, harvesting, transportation, and human labor.

First Cause: God is thanked for providing food, acknowledging that He orchestrates all means by which it arrives.

5. The Three Adverbs Explaining God's Use of Second Causes

Necessarily: Pertains to events that occur according to natural laws God has established (e.g., gravity causing a dropped stone to fall).

Freely: Relates to moral actions and human decisions made without coercion, reflecting free will within God's sovereign plan.

Contingently: Involves events that appear random or chance-based from a human perspective but are orchestrated by God to achieve His purposes.

Biblical Example: In 1 Kings 22, an arrow shot randomly kills King Ahab, fulfilling God's divine plan despite seeming accidental.

6. Conclusion on the Doctrine of Providence

Affirmation of Second Causes: The doctrine does not deny the reality or significance of natural processes and human actions.God's Sovereign Use of Means: God utilizes second causes to accomplish His will, harmonizing His eternal decree with the observable workings of the world.Encouragement for Believers: Understanding this interplay fosters a deeper trust in God's providential care and recognition of His hand in all aspects of life.

Key Takeaways

Divine providence involves both God's sovereign decree (first cause) and the natural means by which events occur (second causes).Recognizing both causes allows believers to see God's involvement in the world without disregarding natural explanations.The concepts of necessarily, freely, and contingently help explain how God's will is carried out through various types of events and actions.The doctrine emphasizes that all events, whether seemingly random or deliberate, are under God's providential control.

Human responsibility: Human choices and actions are real and meaningful, and they do not negate God's sovereign plan.

Example: Joseph's brothers intended evil, but God intended it for good (Genesis 50:20).

Evil under God’s providence (1689 LBC 5.4): Even sin and evil occur under God’s providential governance, but He is never the author of sin.

Summary of the Doctrine of Providence and the Place of Sin

The text explores how God accomplishes His decrees through providence, particularly focusing on the methods He uses and the role of sin within this framework.

1. God's Methods in Accomplishing His Decrees

Ordinary Providence: God typically works through established means or natural laws to fulfill His purposes. These means are the "second causes" or the usual ways events occur in the world.

Use of Means: In both nature and grace, God ordinarily employs means to achieve His ends. This is evident in daily life and in the means of grace discussed in theological doctrines.

Miracles: God is sovereign and can act without, above, or against these ordinary means at His pleasure. Miracles are instances where God supersedes natural laws to accomplish His will (e.g., an axe head floating or feeding a multitude with limited food).

2. The Place of Sin in Divine Providence

Providence Extends to Sinful Actions: God's providence encompasses even the first sin (the fall) and all subsequent sinful actions of angels and humans. These actions occur within His determinate counsel and are not outside His sovereign plan.

Not Mere Permission: Sinful acts are not just passively allowed by God; He wisely and powerfully bounds, orders, and governs them to achieve His most holy purposes.

Manifestation of Divine Attributes: God's almighty power, unsearchable wisdom, and infinite goodness are displayed even in relation to sin. His attributes are revealed through how He orchestrates events, including those involving sin.

3. God's Holiness and Human Responsibility

God Is Not the Author of Sin: The sinfulness of actions proceeds solely from the creatures (angels and humans), not from God. Being most holy and righteous, God neither is nor can be the author or approver of sin.

Second Causes and Human Nature: Sinful actions flow from the sinful nature of creatures. God orders events so that they occur according to the nature of second causes, without Himself committing sin.

4. The Interplay Between Divine Decree and Sin

Divine Sovereignty and Human Sin: While all events, including sinful actions, happen according to God's eternal decree, He remains holy and just. God's decrees do not compel creatures to sin; rather, creatures sin out of their own corrupt desires.

Examples from Scripture:

Joseph's Brothers: They intended evil against Joseph, but God meant it for good to achieve a greater purpose (Genesis 50:20).

Assyria as an Instrument: God uses the king of Assyria to execute judgment on Israel, though the king acts out of his own wicked intent. God later judges Assyria for its arrogance and cruelty (Isaiah 10:6-12).

5. Theological Clarifications

God's Involvement Without Complicity: God can have a hand in events involving sin without Himself being sinful. He supports the existence and actions of creatures but does not instill sinfulness in them.

Ordering Sinful Acts for Good: God can direct sinful actions to bring about His purposes, such as displaying His justice, mercy, or bringing about redemption, without being tainted by the sin involved.

Human Free Will: Creatures act freely and are responsible for their sinful choices. God's decree establishes certainty without negating human freedom.

6. Insights on God's Providence and Sin

Use of Second Causes: God works through natural processes and human actions (second causes) to accomplish His will, even when those actions are sinful.

God's Attributes Revealed: Through His governance of all events, including sin, God reveals His power, wisdom, holiness, and other attributes.

Purposeful Direction: All events, even those involving sin, are directed toward God's most holy ends, ultimately serving His glory and the good of His people.

7. Conclusion

Affirmation of God's Holiness: The doctrine maintains that God is entirely holy and just, incapable of sinning or endorsing sin.

Comprehensive Providence: God's providential care and governance extend to all aspects of creation, including the actions of free creatures.

Mystery of Providence: While human understanding is limited, believers affirm that God's ways are unsearchable and His judgments inscrutable, trusting in His righteous character.

Application: Reinforce the idea that even though we make real decisions, God is sovereign over every outcome, offering comfort and assurance.

Part 3: Comfort and Assurance from God’s Providence

(10 minutes)

To the Judicious and Impartial Reader: Baptist Symbolics Volume 2 To the Judicious and Impartial Reader: Baptist Symbolics Volume 2

Paragraphs five and six should be read together, for in several ways they mirror each other as they address the acts of divine providence which come upon two classes of people—believers and unbelievers.

Focus: Show the practical application of the doctrine of providence, particularly in how it provides comfort and security for believers.

1. God's Ways with His Elect (Paragraph Five)

God's Attributes in Trials: God, being most wise, righteous, and gracious, sometimes allows His chosen people to experience various trials and the corruptions of their own hearts. This aligns with His unchanging character described earlier.

Purpose of Allowing Trials:

Chastisement and Humbling: Trials may serve as chastisement for past sins and to humble believers by revealing the hidden strength of corruption and deceitfulness within their hearts.

Dependence on God: Difficulties encourage believers to rely more closely and consistently on God for support, fostering a deeper relationship with Him.

Spiritual Vigilance: Experiencing challenges helps believers become more watchful against future sins and promotes the pursuit of mortification (the process of subduing sinful desires).

Understanding Afflictions: Believers are encouraged to view their afflictions not only as losses or signs of God's displeasure but also as works directed by His infinite wisdom toward just and holy ends. This dual perspective allows for both mourning over personal hardships and rejoicing in God's purposeful plans.

Outcome for the Elect: All events in the lives of God's people, whether perceived as good or bad, occur by His appointment, ultimately leading to His glory and their benefit. This reflects the biblical teaching that all things work together for good for those who love God (Romans 8:28).

2. God's Ways with the Wicked and Ungodly (Paragraph Six)

Characteristics of the Wicked: The wicked and ungodly are those who live in sin, actively pursuing sinful practices and showing no desire to know or honor God.

Divine Actions Toward Them:

Withholding of Grace: God righteously withholds His grace from these individuals, allowing them to remain blinded and hardened in their sins due to their love of wickedness.

Withdrawal of Gifts: He may remove gospel ministers or messengers from them, limiting their exposure to the means that could lead to repentance.

Exposure to Temptations: God permits them to encounter further temptations, giving them over to their own lusts, the influences of the world, and the power of Satan.

Consequences:

Self-Hardening: As a result, the wicked harden themselves even more against God, deepening their rebellion and sinfulness.

Biblical Illustration: Pharaoh's story exemplifies this process. God declared He would harden Pharaoh's heart, and Pharaoh, acting according to his own wicked nature, hardened his heart against God's commands. This fulfilled God's purpose while Pharaoh freely chose his actions.

Divine Justice and Sovereignty: God's actions demonstrate His justice in dealing with those who reject Him. While He extends grace to some, leading to repentance and softening of hearts, He justly allows others to persist in their sins, resulting in their ultimate judgment.

3. The Doctrine of First and Second Causes

First Cause: God's eternal decree and sovereign will are the ultimate reasons behind all events. He upholds, directs, and governs everything according to His purposes.

Second Causes: These are the natural processes and human actions through which events occur. People act freely according to their nature, making real choices for which they are responsible.

Interplay Between Causes:

God's Use of Human Actions: God orchestrates events using human actions without being the author of sin. While He decrees events, humans carry them out freely, often revealing their own sinful nature.Example of Pharaoh: God's decree was to harden Pharaoh's heart, but Pharaoh actively chose to resist God, thus hardening his own heart and fulfilling God's sovereign plan.

4. Key Takeaways

For Believers:

Trials and temptations serve divine purposes, including chastisement, increased dependence on God, and heightened spiritual vigilance.All experiences contribute to God's glory and the ultimate good of His people.

For the Wicked:

Persistent sin leads to divine judgment, including the withholding of grace and increased hardness of heart.God's justice is displayed as He allows the wicked to follow their sinful desires, resulting in their condemnation.

Understanding Providence:

Recognizing the role of both divine sovereignty (first cause) and human responsibility (second causes) is crucial.God's providential governance is comprehensive, extending to all events without compromising His holiness or human freedom.

This summary outlines how divine providence operates differently toward God's elect and the wicked. For believers, trials are purposeful, leading to growth and deeper reliance on God. For the wicked, God's withholding of grace results in further hardening of their hearts. Throughout, God's sovereignty and justice are affirmed, demonstrating His righteous governance over all creation.

Summary of God's Special Providence Toward His Church

God's providence extends to all creation, but He has a special, loving concern for His elect—the church. Unlike general providence, this special care arises from His eternal, unbreakable love, ensuring that all things work together for their good. This doctrine is consistently presented throughout Scripture.

There are two main aspects of this special providence: God actively cares for His people, and He arranges all circumstances for their benefit. The church enjoys unique privileges, being under God's special care and governance, protected and preserved despite opposition. Unlike human institutions built by human effort, the church is built by God Himself, highlighting His personal involvement and ensuring He receives the glory.

Through His providence, God manifests His attributes of power, wisdom, and goodness. Recognizing His continuous work in their lives leads believers to worship and acknowledge His sovereignty. Understanding this special providence provides comfort and assurance of His unceasing care and ultimate purpose for His people.

In summary, God's special providence toward the church emphasizes His sovereign love and active role in guiding and sustaining His people, prompting them to respond with praise, trust, and a deeper reliance on Him.