Teaching Outline for Chapter 5: Of God's Providence

Introduction: Why Study Divine Providence? (5 minutes)

A. Opening Question (1 min): "When you think about the events in your life, or in the world, do you see them as random acts, acts of fate, or divinely ordered? Why does it matter?"

B. Definition of Divine Providence (2 min): God's wise and loving governance and complete control over all things in the universe, directing them towards His predetermined ends.

· It's not deism (God creates and then leaves). We don’t believe that God simply created the world and everything in it, and then just left, leaving us to our own ruin. We also do not believe that events simply happen by chance or fate, as if we carve out our own path in life, and along that path, things just occur for no reason whatsoever. We can’t uphold the idea of an absolute sovereign God of the universe and, at the same time, believe in luck, chance, or fate. What we hold is that the sovereign God of the universe has so ordered His creation that His predetermined will for creation will be accomplished. I have used this example to explain: God wants me to go from my house to my buddy's house five blocks away. Now I can choose to ride my bike, drive my truck, or walk, but either way, if God has determined that I will be there, I will be there. The way I get there can be easy, like driving my truck, or it can be hard, like walking the whole way and uphill. But either way, I’m going to arrive, and God has provided these ways of getting there. That’s God's providence at work in my life. This is also how we distinguish between God’s plan and man’s participation. We have the ability to chose but we cannot thwart God’s plans.  

C. Context of LBCF Chapter 5 (2 min):

· In chapter 3 of the LCBF we looked at God’s decree as the execution of God’s blueprint for history. This is This is what God says will happen. In chapter 4 of the LCBF we looked at the creation aspect which helps us to understand the Creator creature distinction. In other words, God is God and we are not. God manages, as the Creator, is also the manager of his creation. Chapter 5 deals with the way that God provides for His creation in order that His will is carried out as He has planned for it. All of which is to the glorious praise of His infinite wisdom, power, justice, goodness, and mercy. So, I hope that you all are beginning to see how each chapter leads into the next and helps explain we we believe what we believe.

God's Universal and Active Governance (10 minutes)

A. God as the "Good Creator" (2 min):

· His providence flows from His benevolent nature and "infinite power and wisdom".

· His goodness is never contradicted by His actions in providence.

B. The Essence of Providence: Upholding, Directing, Disposing, Governing (4 min):

· God "upholds" (Greek PHERO - to carry, bear) – the universe is actively sustained by God, not self-sustaining.

· God "directs, disposes, and governs" – hands-on management of every detail.

· Scope: "from the greatest even to the least" (e.g., fall of a sparrow, hairs on your head). No "maverick molecules".

C. Purpose of Providence (2 min): All things are directed "to the end for the which they were created" – God's glory.

D. Discussion Question (2 min): How does knowing God actively "upholds" and "governs" everything impact your sense of security or purpose in life?

The Interplay of First and Second Causes (10 minutes)

A. God as the "First Cause" (3 min):

· All things happen "immutably and infallibly" in relation to God's decree.

· Nothing happens by chance or outside His providence. (e.g., Acts 2:23 – Christ's crucifixion by "determinate counsel").

B. The Role of "Second Causes" (4 min):

· God "ordereth them to fall out according to the nature of second causes".

· Categories:

o `Necessarily: Impersonal causes, fixed physical laws (e.g., seasons, gravity).

o Freely: Volitional actions of rational creatures (e.g., human choices).

o Contingently: Events appearing random from human perspective (e.g., casting lots).

· God's sovereignty establishes and works through human will, not against it.

C. Reconciling Sovereignty and Responsibility (1 min): God ordains both the ends and the means.

· Discussion Question (2 min): If God is in control of all things, including our choices, how does this motivate or de-motivate you to act responsibly and make good decisions?

God's Freedom in Employing Means (7 minutes)

A. God Ordinarily Uses Means (2 min): Natural processes, human effort, etc..

· Example: Paul on the ship (Acts 27:31, 44) – God decreed salvation, but through the means of staying on the ship.

B. God's Freedom to Work "Without, Above, and Against" Means (3 min):

· Without: Virgin birth of Christ.

· Above: Sarah bearing Isaac in old age.

· Against: Burning bush not consumed, Daniel's friends in fiery furnace.

C. Implication (1 min): Miracles are not disruptions, but demonstrations of God's ultimate authority within His providence.

D. Discussion Question (1 min): How does this understanding encourage you in prayer, knowing God can act beyond natural limitations?

Divine Providence and the Reality of Sin (8 minutes)

A. God's Counsel Extends to Sinful Actions (3 min):

· "Determinate counsel extendeth itself even to the first fall, and all other sinful actions both of angels and men".

· Not "bare permission" – God "wisely and powerfully boundeth, and otherwise ordereth and governeth" sin for His holy ends.

B. God is Not the Author of Sin (3 min):

· "The sinfulness of their acts proceedeth only from the creatures, and not from God, who, being most holy and righteous, neither is nor can be the author or approver of sin".

· Example: Joseph and his brothers (Genesis 50:20) – brothers' evil intent, God's good purpose.

C. Discussion Question (2 min): This is a challenging doctrine. How do you reconcile God's sovereignty over sin with His perfect holiness and human responsibility?

God's Providential Dealings with His Children (7 minutes)

A. Why God Allows Temptations and Corruptions (4 min):

· To "chastise them for their former sins".

· To "discover unto them the hidden strength of corruption and deceitfulness of their hearts, that they may be humbled".

· To "raise them to a more close and constant dependence for their support upon himself".

· To "make them more watchful against all future occasions of sin".

B. Ultimate Assurance for Believers (2 min):

· "Whatsoever befalls any of his elect is by his appointment, for his glory, and their good".

· Directly linked to Romans 8:28.

C. Discussion Question (1 min): How does this perspective change how you view personal suffering or difficult circumstances in your life?

God's Providential Dealings with the Wicked (5 minutes)

A. God's Judicial Hardening (3 min):

· As a "righteous judge," God "doth blind and harden" wicked and ungodly men for their former sins.

· Mechanisms: Withholding grace, withdrawing gifts, exposing to sin, giving over to lusts and Satan.

· Example: Pharaoh's hardened heart.

B. Discussion Question (2 min): What does this aspect of providence reveal about God's justice and wrath against sin?

Special Providence for the Church (5 minutes)

A. Unique Care for the Church (3 min):

· While general providence reaches all, God has a "more special manner" of care for His church.

· He "disposeth of all things to the good thereof".

· Christ, as head over all things, rules for the good of the church.

B. Implications (1 min): The entire course of history is ultimately subservient to the church's welfare and redemptive purposes.

C. Discussion Question (1 min): How does this doctrine provide comfort and hope for the church in times of persecution or difficulty?

Conclusion & Application (5 minutes)

A. Recap Key Themes (2 min):

· God's absolute, active, and universal sovereignty.

· Reconciliation of divine control and human responsibility.

· God's holy relationship to sin.

· Distinct dealings with the elect and the wicked.

· Special care for the church.

B. Practical Implications for Life (2 min):

· Comfort & Assurance: No event is accidental; all are purposed by God.

· Humility & Dependence: All good comes from Him.

· Active Living: Our actions are meaningful means in God's plan.

· Worship: Deepens adoration for God's attributes.

C. Final Thought/Q&A (1 min): "How will understanding God's providence shape your trust and obedience this week?"