Providence

Romans 8:28-39

What do you understand by the providence of God?

The almighty and ever-present power of God whereby He still upholds, as it were by His own hand, heaven and earth together with all creatures, and rules in such a way that leaves and grass, rain and drought, fruitful and unfruitful years, food and drink, health and sickness, riches and poverty, and everything else, come to us not by chance but by His fatherly hand.

What advantage comes from acknowledging God's creation and providence?

We learn that we are to be patient in adversity, grateful in the midst of blessing, and to trust our faithful God and Father for the future, assured that no creature shall separate us from His love, since all creatures are so completely in His hand that without His will they cannot even move.

I. Understanding Life Begins with Knowing God

A. God made reality and is the ultimate source for all we know or can learn. God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; Neither is worshiped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; (Acts 17:24-25)

God the maker and manager of reality must be understood

on His terms rather than forced into our categories.

B. God designed people to seek Him as their ultimate objective. And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us: For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring. (Acts 17:26-28)

Man's chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever

C. Jesus Christ is at the center of creation and providence. God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds; Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; (Hebrews 1:1-3)

No science, philosophy, or public policy can be correct and reliable apart: from the Scriptures and the Savior.

D. Science, engineering, and history are possible because of God's providence, but they are not ultimately satisfying in themselves until we come to know the God Who makes them possible. And saying, Sirs, why do ye these things? We also are men of like passions with you, and preach unto you that ye should turn from these vanities unto the living God, which made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all things that are therein: Who in times past suffered all nations to walk in their own ways. Nevertheless he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness. (Acts 14:15-17)

E. Some parts of life only make sense as part of a larger plan on a plane of understanding beyond the science and philosophy of common life - we must trust that there is purpose beyond our experience. Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him. (John 9:3)

F. Ultimately God's purpose underlies all the ambiguities of life. The rich and poor meet together. the LORD is the maker of them all. (Proverbs 22:2)

II. Acknowledging Creation and Providence Enriches Life

A. Believers develop patience in adversity. And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience, and experience, hope: (Romans 5:3-4)

Since the Fall there has been enough adversity to capture
the attention of everyone.

B. In these doctrines believers learn to acknowledge the source for good times when they come. "When thou hast eaten and art full, then thou shalt bless the LORD thy God for the good land which he hath given thee. (Deuteronomy 8: 10)

C. If the flow comes from God, believers can go with it and take advantage of it rather than crumple. And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession, for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:28-39)

D. There is no place or purpose outside the design of the making and managing God. For in him we live, and move, and have our being, as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring. (Acts 17:28 )

E. No human power can function independently as it may choose. The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD, as the rivers of water: he turneth it whithersoever he will. (Proverbs 2 1: 1)