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“In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. ² Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. ³ And one called to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!” (Isaiah 6:1–3 (ESV)

Understanding the providence of God requires a prior understanding of the nature of the One, True God who is providential. Without this prior comprehension, the LORD’s providence can prompt fear, anger and resentment in even the most mature believer in Christ. Only by understanding who God is can we understand what God does and why He does it.

The Westminster Confession of Faith (1647) contains one of the most excellent summaries of the nature and character of God. The following is an excerpt from chapter 2 of the Confession. Corresponding biblical evidence is also included.  

“There is only one living and true God (1), who is infinite in being and perfection (2), a completely pure spirit (3), invisible (4), without body, parts, or emotions (5), unchangeable (6), immensely vast (7), eternal (8), limitless (9), almighty (10), completely wise (11), completely holy (12), completely free (13), and completely absolute (14). He works everything according to the purpose of his own unchangeable and completely righteous will (15), for his own glory (16), He is completely loving (17), gracious, merciful, and long-suffering. He overflows with goodness and truth. He forgives wickedness, transgression, and sin (18), and rewards those who diligently seek him (19). His judgments are completely just and awesome (20), he hates all sin (21), and will not acquit the guilty (22).

Chapter 2 continues by saying…

“God has all life, glory, goodness, and blessedness in and of himself (23). He alone is all-sufficient in and unto himself, nor does he need any of his creations or derive any glory from them. Rather, he manifests his own glory in, by, unto, and on them (24). He is the only source of all being, by whom, through whom, and to whom everything exists (25). He has completely sovereign dominion over all things and does with, to, or for them whatever he pleases (26). Everything is revealed and completely open to him (27). His knowledge is infinite, infallible, and does not depend on any created being (28), so that to him nothing is conditional or uncertain (29). He is completely holy in all his purposes, works, and commands (30). To him is due whatever worship, service, or obedience he is pleased to require from angels, human beings, and all other creatures (31).

 What are the practical implications when we understand the nature and character of God as it pertains to the providence of God? In other words, what is to be the response by the believer in Christ to these biblical truths? Dr Wayne Grudem offers the following considerations.

1. Do Not Be Afraid, but Trust in God. “Jesus emphasizes the fact that our sovereign Lord watches over us and cares for us as his children. He says, “Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? … Therefore, do not be anxious, saying, “What shall we eat?’ or “What shall we drink?’ or “What shall we wear?”’ (Matt. 6:26, 31). If God feeds the birds and clothes the grass of the field, he will take care of us. Similarly, Jesus says, “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them will fall to the ground without your Father’s will … Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows” (Matt. 10:29–31). David was able to sleep in the midst of his enemies, because he knew that God’s providential control made him “dwell in safety,” and he could say, “In peace I will both lie down and sleep” (Ps. 4:8).

Many of the psalms encourage us to trust God and not to fear, because the LORD keeps and protects his people—for example, Psalm 91 (“He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High”) or Psalm 121 (“I lift up my eyes to the hills …”). Because of our confidence in God’s providential care, we need not fear any evil or harm, even if it does come to us—it can only come by God’s will and ultimately for our good. Thus, Peter can say that “now for a little while you may have to suffer various trials, so that the genuineness of your faith, more precious than gold … may redound to praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 1:6–7). In all of this we need not worry about the future but trust in God’s omnipotent care.”  

• Be Thankful for All Good Things That Happen. “If we genuinely believe that all good things are caused by God, then our hearts will indeed be full when we say, “Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits” (Ps. 103:2). We will thank him for our daily food (cf. Matt. 6:11; 1 Tim. 4:4–5); indeed, we will “give thanks in all circumstances” (1 Thess. 5:18).”

• There Is No Such Thing as “Luck” or “Chance.” “All things come to pass by God’s wise providence. This means that we should adopt a much more “personal” understanding of the universe and the events in it. The universe is not governed by impersonal fate or luck, but by a personal God. Nothing “just happens—we should see God’s hand in events throughout the day, causing all things to work together for good for those who love him. This confidence in God’s wise providence certainly does not equal superstition, for that is a belief in impersonal or demonic control of circumstances, or control by a capricious deity concerned for meaningless ritual rather than obedience and faith. A deepened appreciation for the doctrine of providence will not make us more superstitious; it will make us trust in God more and obey him more full.”

Soli deo Gloria!

______________________  

1. Dt 6.4; 1 Cor 8.4,6; 1 Thess. 1.9; Jer. 10.10. 2. Job 11.7-9, 26.14; Jer. 23.24; Ps. 147.5, 1 Kgs. 8.27; Ps. 139. 3. John 4.24. 4. 1 Tim. 1.17. 5. Dt 4.15-16; John 4.24; Lk. 24.39; Acts 14.11,15. 6. Jas 1.1; Mal 3.6. 7. 1 Kgs 8.27, Jer. 23.23-24. 8. Ps 90.2, 1 Tm 1.17. 9. Ps 145.3, Rom 11.33. 10. Gen 17.1, Rev 4.8. 11. Rom 16.27. 12. Is 6.3, Rev 4.8. 13. Ps 115.3. 14. Ex 3. 14, Is 44.6, Acts 17.24-25. 15. Eph 1.11. 16. Prov. 16.4, Rom 11.36, Rev. 4.11. 17. 1 Jn 4.8-10, 16, John 3.16. 18. Ex 34.6-7. 19. Heb 11.6. 20. Neh. 9.32-33, Heb 10.28-31. 21. Ps 5.5-6, Heb 1.13. 22. Nahum 1.2-3, Ex 34.7.   23. John 5.26; Acts 7.2; Ps 119.68; 1 Tim 6.15; Rom 9.5.                                                  24. Acts 17.24-25; Job 22.2,23; Ps 50.12, Is. 4.12-17.                                                     25. Rom 11.36; Is 40.12-17.                                                         26. Rev. 4.11, 1 Tim 6.15; Dan. 4.25, 35; Eph 1.11.      27. Heb 4.13.                                                                        28. Rom 11.33-34; Ps 147.5.                                                                                                                               29. Acts 15.1; Ezek. 11.5; Is. 46.9-11; Prov. 15.3.                                                                                      30. Ps 145.17; Rom 7.12.                                                                                                                                                31. Rev. 5.12-14, 7.11-12

^“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28 (ESV)

 “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.” (Genesis 50:20 ESV)

The Scriptures affirm God uses all things, even evil, for our good and for His glory. He does so while remaining perfectly holy. In what ways does the LORD use evil for the believers’ good and for His ultimate glory?

“There are two areas in which God’s use of evil for good must be considered. First, there is the evil of others. Does this work for the believer’s good? The Bible answers Yes by many examples. When Naomi’s son, an Israelite, married Ruth, a Moabitess, the marriage was contrary to the revealed will of God and hence was sin. Jews were not to marry Gentiles. Still the marriage made Ruth a daughter-in-law of Naomi and thus enabled her to be exposed to the true God and eventually come to the place where she made a choice to serve him. “Your people shall be my people, and your God my God” (Ruth 1:16). After Ruth’s husband died, she married Boaz. Through her new husband, Ruth entered into the line of descent of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Messiah (Matt. 1:5),” explains Dr. James Montgomery Boice.

David suffered greatly through the sins of others against him: including King Saul (I Samuel 19-31) and the sins of his sons (2 Samuel 13-18). However, the LORD worked through these experiences. David, grew to understand the hand of God in his suffering and expressed his faith in great psalms (Psalm 3; 18)

Hosea suffered through the unfaithfulness of his wife Gomer. But God used his experience to bring forth one of the most beautiful, moving and instructive books of the Old Testament.

“The other area in which God’s use of evil for his own purposes must be considered is our own sin. This point is somewhat harder to see, for sin also works to our own unhappiness and blinds our eyes to God’s dealing. But there is good involved anyway,” states Dr. Boice.

One such individual who understood the truth of God using evil and adversity of our sin adversity for the believer’s good and God’s glory was the Old Testament Patriarch Joseph. Decades after his brothers sinned against him and sold him into slavery (Gen. 39), Joseph told his brothers this was by the providential purpose of the LORD.

Genesis 45:1–8 (ESV) – “Then Joseph could not control himself before all those who stood by him. He cried, “Make everyone go out from me.” So no one stayed with him when Joseph made himself known to his brothers. ² And he wept aloud, so that the Egyptians heard it, and the household of Pharaoh heard it. ³ And Joseph said to his brothers, “I am Joseph! Is my father still alive?” But his brothers could not answer him, for they were dismayed at his presence.  ⁴ So Joseph said to his brothers, “Come near to me, please.” And they came near. And he said, “I am your brother, Joseph, whom you sold into Egypt. ⁵ And now do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life. ⁶ For the famine has been in the land these two years, and there are yet five years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvest. ⁷ And God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors. ⁸ So it was not you who sent me here, but God. He has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house and ruler over all the land of Egypt.”

Three times in the text Joseph declared God sent him to Egypt (45:5, 7, 8). Joseph affirmed God used the evil of his brothers’ sin for humankind’s good (vs.7) and for God’s glory.  

Joseph declared this again in one of the most significant biblical texts concerning God’s use of evil for good: Genesis 50:20. What Joseph’s brother meant for evil, their hatred of Joseph and their selling him into slavery, God used for good in order to keep many people alive. The evil of Joseph’s brother brought about great good for many people and great glory for the LORD.

“Scripture clearly says that Joseph’s brothers were wrongly jealous of him (Gen. 37:11), hated him (Gen. 37:4, 5, 8), wanted to kill him (Gen. 37:20), and did wrong when they cast him into a pit (Gen. 37:24) and then sold him into slavery in Egypt (Gen. 37:28). Yet later Joseph could say to his brothers, “God sent me before you to preserve life” (Gen. 45:5), and “You meant evil against me; but God meant it for good to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today” (Gen. 50:20). Here we have a combination of evil deeds brought about by sinful men who are rightly held accountable for their sin and the overriding providential control of God whereby God’s own purposes were accomplished. Both are clearly affirmed,” states Dr. Wayne Grudem.

“As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good” (Gen. 50:20). It does not say “God used it for good.” It says, God meant it for good—the same word used for the sinful intention of the brothers: they meant it for evil. They have one intention in the act. God has another intention in the act. Theirs is sinful. God’s is saving –to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today,” explains Dr. John Piper.

“God has given us these words so that we can grasp, in some small measure, how His providence relates not only to Joseph’s brothers’ sin, but to all sin, including the first human sin. Thus, we may say, “as for you, Adam and Eve, you meant it for evil, but God meant it for good. Your purpose in sinning was the vain pursuit of pleasure through self-exalting autonomy. God’s purpose in permitting your sin was to give His people the pleasure of seeing and savoring the glory of His grace in the inexpressible suffering and triumphs of His Son.”

How has God used evil and adversity in your life, by the sins of others and your own sin, to bring about your spiritual maturity for His honor and glory? How may you express to God today your gratitude for the inexpressible suffering and triumph of Jesus Christ respectively through the cross and the resurrection?

Soli deo Gloria!

^“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28 (ESV)

 “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.” (Genesis 50:20 ESV)

“To speak of the “good” introduces the subject of the “bad.” And since the verse in Romans says that “in everything God works for good” to those who are the called ones of God, the question immediately arises as to whether or not this includes the evil. Is evil under God’s direction? It would be possible to interpret Romans 8:28 as meaning that all things consistent with righteousness work to good for those who love God, but in the light of Scripture as a whole that would be an unjustified watering down of the text. It is all things, including evil, that God uses in accomplishing his good purposes in the world,” states Dr. James Montgomery Boice.

A syllogism is a reasoning in which a conclusion is drawn (whether valid or not) from two given or assumed premises. Each of the premises share a term with the conclusion, and shares a common or middle term not present in the conclusion (e.g., all dogs are animals; all animals have four legs; therefore, all dogs have four legs).

I submit the following syllogism regarding the providence of God and the existence of evil and adversity in this world. The syllogism is: God exists. Evil and adversity exists. Therefore, God providentially wills evil and adversity to exist.

What is evil? The New Bible Dictionary provides the following definition.

“Evil (Heb. ra’; Gk. kakos, ponēros, phaulos). has a broader meaning than *sin. The Heb. word comes from a root meaning ‘to spoil’, ‘to break in pieces’: being broken and so made worthless. It is essentially what is unpleasant, disagreeable, offensive. The word binds together the evil deed and its consequences.”

“In the NT kakos and ponēros mean respectively the quality of evil in its essential character, and its hurtful effects or influence. It is used in both physical and moral senses. While these aspects are different, there is frequently a close relationship between them. Much physical evil is due to moral evil: suffering and sin are not necessarily connected in individual cases, but human selfishness and sin explain much of the world’s ills. Though all evil must be punished, not all physical ill is a punishment of wrongdoing (Lk. 13:2, 4; Jn. 9:3; cf. Job).”

What kind of evil and adversity exists? There are several categories of evil and adversity.

First, natural evil. This refers to earthquakes, fires, hurricanes, tornadoes and other so-called acts of God. See Genesis 3:17-19; Job 5:7; Romans 8:18-25.  

Second, moral evil. This is humankind’s sin. It includes murders, thefts, sexual perversion, covetousness and lies. It is sin against God and other human beings. See Exodus 20:1-17; Jeremiah 17:9; Romans 3:9-20; Ephesians 2:1-3.

Third, supernatural evil. This involves not only the fallen world, and the sinner’s sinful nature, but also the devil and his demons. See 2 Corinthians 10:3-5; Ephesians 6:10-20.

Fourth, eternal evil. This is Hell.  The place of eternal condemnation and punishment, destruction and banishment for all unbelievers. See Matthew 5:20-30; 7:13-27; 8:10-12; 10:28; 13:36-43; 47-50; 18:8; 23:33; Mark 9:42-48; Luke 13:1-5; Romans 1:18-32; Hebrews 6:1-3; 10:27-30; James 1:11, 15; 4:12; 2 Peter 2:1,3,12; Jude 5,10,11; Revelation 14:10; 20:10-15; 21:6-8; 22:15.

The question and concern when discussing the existence of evil is how can a holy God use evil and not become evil Himself? Isn’t the LORD somehow tainted by His use of evil? Chapter Five of The Westminster Confession of Faith addresses this issue as follows.

“The almighty power, unsearchable wisdom, and infinite goodness of God do so far manifest themselves in his providence, that it extends even to the first fall, and all other sins of angels and people. Such do not happen by a bare permission, but are joined with a most wise and powerful bounding, ordering and governing of them, in various dispensations, for his own holy purposes, yet so that the sinfulness of them comes only from the creature, and not from God, who, being most holy and righteous, is not nor can be the author or approver of sin.” (See Rom. 11.32-34, 2 Sam. 24.1, 1 Chr. 21.1, 1 Kgs. 22.22-23, 1 Chr. 10.4, 13-14, 2 Sam. 16.10, Acts 2.23,4.27-28; 14.16, Ps. 76.10, 2 Kgs. 19.28, Is. 10.5-7, 12, 15. 16. Gen. 50.20, Is. 10.6-7, 12-15, James 1.13-14, 17, 1 John 2.16, Ps.  50.2).

Why does God choose to use evil and adversity? Ultimately, it is for the believer’s good and God’s glory. The Apostle Peter understood this this truth; not only personally (Luke 22:31-32), but also apostolically.

Acts 2:22–24 (ESV) – “²² “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know— ²³ this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. ²⁴ God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it.”

1 Peter 1:3–9 (ESV) – “³ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, ⁴ to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, ⁵ who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. ⁶ In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, ⁷ so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. ⁸ Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, ⁹ obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.”  

Consider also James 1:2–4 (ESV) which says, “² Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, ³ for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. ⁴ And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”

One such individual who understood the truth of God using evil and adversity for the believer’s good and God glory was the Old Testament Patriarch Joseph. Attention to his life and testimony will be considered when next we meet.

How has God used evil and adversity in your life to bring about your spiritual maturity for His honor and glory?

Soli deo Gloria!

“And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28 (NASB95)

“Thus far, our study has revealed several uniquely Christian attitudes toward providence. First, the Christian doctrine is personal and moral rather than abstract and amoral. That makes it entirely different from the pagan idea of fate. Second, providence is a specific operation. In Jonah’s case it dealt with a particular man, ship, fish and revelation of the divine will in the call to Nineveh,” explains Dr. James Montgomery Boice.

“There is something else that must be said about the providence of God It is purposive; that is, it is directed to an end. There is such a thing as real history. The flow of human events is going somewhere as opposed to being merely static or without meaning.”  

“The flow of history leading to the glorification of God is to our good also. For “we know that in everything God works for good with those who love him, who are called according to his purpose” (Rom. 8:28). What is our good? Obviously, there are many “goods” to be enjoyed now, and this verse includes them. But in its fullest sense, our good is to enter into the destiny we were created for: to be conformed to the image of Jesus Christ and thus “to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever.” The providence of God will surely bring us there,” concludes Dr. Boice.

Aside from Romans 8:28, where else does Scripture describe and teach the providence of God in all things? Does the Bible teach God’s direct involvement in this world? Is God involved in this world culturally, politically, and personally? The Bible says He is. Here is a selected list.

• Genesis 6:5–8 (ESV) – “⁵ The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. ⁶ And the Lord regretted that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart. ⁷ So the Lord said, “I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, man and animals and creeping things and birds of the heavens, for I am sorry that I have made them.” ⁸ But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.”
• Exodus 4:10–11 (ESV) – “¹⁰ But Moses said to the Lord, “Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and of tongue.” ¹¹ Then the Lord said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the Lord?”
• Deuteronomy 32:39 (ESV) – “See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god beside me; I kill and I make alive; I wound and I heal; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand.”  
• 1 Samuel 2:6–8 (ESV) – “⁶ The Lord kills and brings to life; he brings down to Sheol and raises up. ⁷ The Lord makes poor and makes rich; he brings low and he exalts. ⁸ He raises up the poor from the dust; he lifts the needy from the ash heap to make them sit with princes and inherit a seat of honor. For the pillars of the earth are the Lord’s, and on them he has set the world.”
• 2 Samuel 10:12 (ESV) – “Be of good courage, and let us be courageous for our people, and for the cities of our God, and may the Lord do what seems good to him.”
• 2 Kings 17:24–25 (ESV) – “²⁴ And the king of Assyria brought people from Babylon, Cuthah, Avva, Hamath, and Sepharvaim, and placed them in the cities of Samaria instead of the people of Israel. And they took possession of Samaria and lived in its cities. ²⁵ And at the beginning of their dwelling there, they did not fear the Lord. Therefore, the Lord sent lions among them, which killed some of them.”  
• 1 Chronicles 29:11–12 (ESV) – ¹¹ “Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and you are exalted as head above all. ¹² Both riches and honor come from you, and you rule over all. In your hand are power and might, and in your hand, it is to make great and to give strength to all.”  
• Job 23:13–17 (ESV) – ^{13 “}But he is unchangeable, and who can turn him back? What he desires, that he does. ¹⁴ For he will complete what he appoints for me, and many such things are in his mind. ¹⁵ Therefore I am terrified at his presence; when I consider, I am in dread of him. ¹⁶ God has made my heart faint; the Almighty has terrified me; ¹⁷ yet I am not silenced because of the darkness, nor because thick darkness covers my face.”  
• Psalm 33:11 (ESV) – “The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the plans of his heart to all generations.”
• Psalm 103:19 (ESV) – “The Lord has established his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom rules over all.”  
• Psalm 105:1–2 (ESV) – “Oh give thanks to the Lord; call upon his name; make known his deeds among the peoples! ² Sing to him, sing praises to him; tell of all his wondrous works!”
• Psalm 115:1–3 (ESV) – “Not to us, O Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory, for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness! ²   Why should the nations say, “Where is their God?” ³ Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases.”  
• Proverbs 16:4 (ESV) – “The Lord has made everything for its purpose, even the wicked for the day of trouble.”
• Isaiah 14:27 (ESV) – “For the Lord of hosts has purposed, and who will annul it? His hand is stretched out, and who will turn it back?
• Isaiah 45:1–7 (ESV) – “Thus says the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have grasped, to subdue nations before him and to loose the belts of kings, to open doors before him that gates may not be closed: ² “I will go before you and level the exalted places,    I will break in pieces the doors of bronze and cut through the bars of iron, ³ I will give you the treasures of darkness and the hoards in secret places, that you may know that it is I, the Lord, the God of Israel, who call you by your name. ⁴ For the sake of my servant Jacob, and Israel my chosen, I call you by your name, I name you, though you do not know me. ⁵ I am the Lord, and there is no other, besides me there is no God; I equip you, though you do not know me, ⁶ that people may know, from the rising of the sun and from the west, that there is none besides me; I am the Lord, and there is no other. ⁷ I form light and create darkness; I make well-being and create calamity; I am the Lord, who does all these things.”  
• Lamentations 3:37–38 (ESV) – “³⁷ Who has spoken and it came to pass, unless the Lord has commanded it? ³⁸ Is it not from the mouth of the Most High that good and bad come?”  
• Daniel 2:20–23 (ESV) – “²⁰ Daniel answered and said: “Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, to whom belong wisdom and might. ²¹ He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding; ²² he reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with him. ²³ To you, O God of my fathers, I give thanks and praise, for you have given me wisdom and might, and have now made known to me what we asked of you, for you have made known to us the king’s matter.”
• Daniel 4:34–35 (ESV) – “³⁴ At the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High, and praised and honored him who lives forever, for his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom endures from generation to generation; ³⁵ all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, and he does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, “What have you done?”
• Amos 3:6 (ESV) – “Is a trumpet blown in a city, and the people are not afraid? Does disaster come to a city, unless the Lord has done it?”  
• I Timothy 6:11–16 (ESV) – “¹¹ But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. ¹² Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. ¹³ I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who in his testimony before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, ¹⁴ to keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, ¹⁵ which he will display at the proper time—he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, ¹⁶ who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen.”
• Revelation 4:11 (ESV) – “Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.”

It is evident, even in this brief treatment from Scripture, that God is in control of everything. Nothing is outside His absolute control. This includes evil. It is regarding the subject of evil, and the LORD’s relationship to it, we will address when next we meet.

Are you ready, willing and able as a believer in Christ to give God the glory for everything in your life, knowing everything comes from Him? May all of us do so; today and forever.

Soli deo Gloria!

“And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8:28 (NASB95)

Romans 8:28, along with John 3:16, are arguably the two most frequently quoted verses of Scripture. Today’s text may be found on plaques, t-shirts, billboards, social media platforms, and the theme of many worship songs.

When our daughter was born and admitted into a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), my wife and I quoted, sang and prayed the following lyrics from a popular worship song at that time by songwriters Babbie Y. Mason and Eddie Carswell.

All things work for our good
Though sometimes we don’t see
How they could
Struggles that break our hearts in two
Sometimes blind us to the truth.

Our Father knows what’s best for us
His ways are not our own
So when your pathway grows dim
And you just don’t see Him,
Remember you’re never alone.

God is too wise to be mistaken
God is too good to be unkind
So when you don’t understand
When don’t see His plan
When you can’t trace His hand
Trust His Heart.

The Holy Spirit constructed Romans 8:28 on the foundation of the previous twenty-seven verses of the same chapter, and the previous seven chapters of the Epistle to the Romans. We must understand what Paul previously wrote in order to understand the meaning contained in this one verse.

“Paul has shown that for those who are in Christ Jesus there is now no condemnation (verses 1–8). They are indwelt by that Spirit who will even raise their bodies gloriously (verses 9–11). They receive the assurance that they are God’s children, and as such, his heirs (verses 14–16). Their present suffering for Christ and for his cause means that one day they will share his glory, a glory so marvelous that in comparison with its hardships fade away into nothingness (verse 18). They will dwell in that new heaven and earth to which all creation with groaning is looking forward (verses 19–22). They themselves also groan as they eagerly await their adoption (verses 23–25). In all their weaknesses the Holy Spirit helps them. That Spirit always intercedes for them in harmony with God’s will, so that this intercession, accompanied by wordless groanings, will certainly be effective (verses 26, 27),” explains Dr. William Hendriksen.

We know what Romans 8:28 says. We must also understand what the verse means and how we may apply it in our lives in comprehending the scope of God’s providence.

“And we know.” This phrase in English is one word (Οἴδαμεν; Oidemen) in the Greek. It is also a perfect, active indicative verb. This means that it is a past completed action with continuing results. This knowledge and understanding Paul spoke of pertains to a past comprehension of truth which continues in the present. What is it believers in Christ know and understand?

“That God causes all things.” This rendering in the New American Standard Bible (NASB) is an example of a textual variant. The more common translation is “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose,” (Romans 8:28 (ESV). The issue at hand is whether the subject is “God” or “all things.”

“Though no one knows how this variant originated, its acceptance results in a sentence that would make Paul a rather clumsy stylist. Besides, if Paul really dictated, and Tertius really wrote, “In all things God works for good,” or “God causes all things to work for good,” it is very hard, indeed, to believe that this second mention of the word God—the first was in the clause “who love God”—would ever have been dropped from the text,” states Dr. Hendriksen.

“The old—yes, very old! —rendering, namely, “… all things work together for good” should stand. It is only fair to add that whether one translates one way or the other—that is, whether one (a) erroneously accepts the word “God” or “he” [the Spirit] as the subject of the clause; or (b) correctly views “all things” as being the real subject—hence, “all things work together for good”—the result remains about the same, namely, that in God’s all-embracing providence all things work together for good to those who love God.”

“All things work together for good” (πάντα; panta) refers to the whole or every kind of event or situation in life and living. All things in life work together (συνεργεῖ; synergei) for good (ἀγαθόν; agathon) meaning what is proper and satisfactory. For whom does God give this promise?

“Those who love God, to those who are called.” The individuals who love (ἀγαπῶσι; agaposi) God are those who God called (κλητοῖς; kletois) or invited into a covenant relationship with Him. This is by God’s sovereign grace alone, through faith alone in the person and work of Jesus Christ alone (Romans 8:29-30). It is to these individuals all things work together for good.

“According to His purpose.” However, the ultimate good is God’s purpose (πρόθεσιν; prothesin) or plan. “In His providence, God orchestrates every event in life—even suffering, temptation, and sin—to accomplish both our temporal and eternal benefit,” explains Dr. John MacArthur. This is additionally clear from the following passages: Exod. 20:6; Deut. 7:9; 8:15-16; Neh. 1:5; Ps. 37:17, 20, 37–40; 97:10, 116:1; Isa. 56:6, 7; 1 Cor. 2:9; 8:3; James 1:12; 2:5.

“Thought the elect and the reprobate are indiscriminately exposed to similar evils, there is yet a great difference; for God trains up the faithful by afflictions and thereby promotes their salvation,” states John Calvin.

This truth of God’s purposeful sovereignty in our lives, even in the midst of evil, will be explored in greater detail in the next installment of this series.

What things have occurred in your life for which you may praise the Lord? This includes the good, and the bad. In both, God has worked His purpose.

Soli deo Gloria!

^“Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! “(Romans 11:33 ESV)

“God’s ways at times seem baffling. As the Apostle Paul says, they are inscrutable (Rom. 11:33). That’s why as Christians, we often encourage each other to trust in God’s providence, to remember His invisible hand, and to rest in the knowledge that He orchestrates all things for our good (8:28). We call on providence when God’s ways are “past finding out” (11:33, KJV). When tragedy strikes. When joy surprises. When sorrow overwhelms. When opportunity knocks. When circumstances push us to the edge. When we have no answers. Somehow. Some way. As Christians, we know the solution lies deep in the providence of God,” writes Dr. John W. Tweeddale, academic dean and professor of theology at Reformation Bible College in Sanford, Fla.

Not only does the LORD provide answers to the dilemmas of life from His Word, but also by trustworthy commentaries, creeds, and confessions concerning His Word. One such trustworthy confession is the Westminster Confession of Faith (WCF) of 1646.

“The Westminster Confession of Faith, or simply the Westminster Confession, is a Reformed confession of faith. Drawn up by the 1646 Westminster Assembly as part of the Westminster Standards to be a confession of the Church of England, it became and remains the “subordinate standard” of doctrine in the Church of Scotland and has been influential within Presbyterian churches worldwide,” explains one scholar.

Chapter Five of the Confession addresses the subject of Providence. The following except is taken from that chapter.

1. God the great Creator of all things upholds, directs, disposes, and governs all creatures, actions, and things, from the greatest to the least, by his most wise and holy providence, according to his certain foreknowledge and the free and immutable counsel of his own will, to the praise of the glory of his wisdom, power, justice, goodness, and mercy.

• In relation to the foreknowledge and decree of God, the first cause, all things come to pass immutably and unerringly; yet, by the same providence, he orders them to come about according to the nature of secondary causes, either necessarily, freely, or contingently.

• God, in his ordinary providence, makes use of means, yet is free to work without, above, and against, them, at his pleasure.

• The almighty power, unsearchable wisdom, and infinite goodness of God do so far manifest themselves in his providence, that it extends even to the first fall, and all other sins of angels and people. Such do not happen by a bare permission, but are joined with a most wise and powerful bounding, ordering and governing of them, in various dispensations, for his own holy purposes, yet so that the sinfulness of them comes only from the creature, and not from God, who, being most holy and righteous, is not nor can be the author or approver of sin.

• The most wise, righteous, and gracious God often leaves his own children for a season to various temptations and the corruption of their own hearts
  • to chastise them for their former sins, or to show to them the hidden strength of the corruption and deceitfulness of their hearts, so 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, and for various other just and holy purposes.

• As for those wicked and ungodly people whom God blinds and hardens, as a righteous judge, for their former sins, he not only withholds from them his grace by which they might have been enlightened in their understandings and worked upon in their hearts, but also sometimes withdraws the gifts they had, and exposes them to such objects as their corruption makes occasions of sin. In addition, he gives them over to their own lusts, the temptations of the world, and the power of Satan, by which it comes to pass that they harden themselves, even by those means which God uses for the softening of others.

• As the providence of God in general reaches to all creatures, so, after a most special manner, it takes care of his Church, and disposes all things to the good of it.

I encourage you to read and meditate upon the Westminster Confession of Faith. Truths We Confess by Dr. R. C. Sproul is an excellent commentary and explanation of the WCF.

“The doctrine of providence reminds us that while the precise purposes of God may be veiled from our sight, we can still draw comfort from knowing that whatever befalls us comes from God’s good and wise plan for our lives. Certainly, this precious truth lies behind the many exhortations in Proverbs for us to trust in God. We place our faith in the Lord and not in our own understanding, because He will make our paths straight (Prov. 3:5–6). It is the Lord who establishes our steps (16:9). His purposes stand forever (19:21). One of the ways my wife and I reinforce these truths in our family is to challenge each other to trust in God’s wisdom, to be content with what God gives, and to be faithful in what God calls us to do each and every day. We rest in God because we know that nothing is outside the scope of His providence. There are no “maverick molecules,” as Dr. Sproul used to say. All that comes to pass is according to His will and for His glory,” concludes Dr. Tweeddale.

Soli deo Gloria!

One of the predominant ideas in western society is the perspective we live in a closed, mechanistic universe. This notion argues there is no hope for any intrusion from any outside force or source of power. The universe in general, and life on Earth in particular, operates like a machine.

“The doctrine of providence, one of the most Christian doctrines, has for many reasons become eclipsed and obscured. In earlier generations, Christian were constantly aware of divine providence. They were so immersed in providence that Providence became a name for God,” states Dr. R. c. Sproul.

Consider these three statements by 18^th century United States President George Washington.

“The Man must be bad indeed who can look upon the events of the American Revolution without feeling the warmest gratitude towards the great Author of the Universe whose divine interposition was so frequently manifested in our behalf.” —Washington’s letter to Samuel Langdon, September 28, 1789

“Glorious indeed has been our Contest: glorious, if we consider the Prize for which we have contended, and glorious in its Issue; but in the midst of our Joys, I hope we shall not forget that, to divine Providence is to be ascribed the Glory and the Praise.” —Letter to Reverend John Rodgers, June 11, 1783

“I flatter myself that a superintending Providence is ordering everything for the best, and that, in due time, all will end well.” —Letter to Landon Carter regarding American patriot’s prisoners in the North, October 27, 1777

Compare Washington’s thoughts to those of atheistic astronomer, professor and author Carl Sagan.  

“The Cosmos is all that is or was or ever will be. Our feeblest contemplations of the Cosmos stir us — there is a tingling in the spine, a catch in the voice, a faint sensation, as if a distant memory, of falling from a height. We know we are approaching the greatest of mysteries.”  ― Cosmos

“Some people think God is an outsized, light-skinned male with a long white beard, sitting on a throne somewhere up there in the sky, busily tallying the fall of every sparrow. Others—for example Baruch Spinoza and Albert Einstein—considered God to be essentially the sum total of the physical laws which describe the universe. I do not know of any compelling evidence for anthropomorphic patriarchs controlling human destiny from some hidden celestial vantage point, but it would be madness to deny the existence of physical laws.” —  Broca’s Brain: Reflections on the Romance of Science 

“An atheist is someone who is certain that God does not exist, someone who has compelling evidence against the existence of God. I know of no such compelling evidence. Because God can be relegated to remote times and places and to ultimate causes, we would have to know a great deal more about the universe than we do now to be sure that no such God exists. To be certain of the existence of God and to be certain of the nonexistence of God seem to me to be the confident extremes in a subject so riddled with doubt and uncertainty as to inspire very little confidence indeed.” – Conversations with Carl Sagan

However, one of the basic tenants from Scripture is God is Creator (Gen. 1:1; John 1:1-3). He reveals Himself in the world and in His Word (Psalm 19).

Romans 1:18–21 (ESV) says, “¹⁸ For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. ¹⁹ For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. ²⁰ For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. ²¹ For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.”

Scripture also teaches what God creates, He sustains and governs. He is not distant. He is near, He is involved and He cares.

¹⁵ 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.” (Colossians 1:15–17 (ESV)

To hold together (συνίστημι; synistemi) means to commend or consist. In other words, God established and comes alongside His creation. It is a past completed action with continuing results. The LORD does not forsake what He created.   

The writer of Hebrews says, “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, ² but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. ³ He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power.” (Hebrews 1:1–3a (ESV)

To uphold (φέρω; phero) means to presently and actively carry or bear with endurance. God consistently upholds the universe the word of His power.

“Once we understand that God is the all-powerful Creator, it seems reasonable to conclude that He also preserves and governs everything in the universe as well. Though the term providence is not found in Scripture, it has been traditionally used to summarize God’s ongoing relationship to His creation. When we accept the biblical doctrine of providence, we avoid four common errors in thinking about God’s relationship to creation,” explains Dr. Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology.

“The biblical doctrine is not deism (which teaches that God created the world and then essentially abandoned it), nor pantheism (which teaches that the creation does not have a real, distinct existence in itself, but is only part of God), but providence which teaches that though God is actively related to and involved in the creation at each moment, creation is distinct from him. Moreover, the biblical doctrine does not teach that events in creation are determined by chance (or randomness), nor are they determined by impersonal fate (or determinism), but by God, who is the personal yet infinitely powerful Creator and Lord.”

“We may define God’s providence as follows: God is continually involved with all created things in such a way that he (1) keeps them existing and maintaining the properties with which he created them; (2) cooperates with created things in every action, directing their distinctive properties to cause them to act as they do; and (3) directs them to fulfill his purposes,” concludes Dr. Grudem.

Soli deo Gloria!

“The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps.” (Proverbs 16:9 ESV)

“Here then is a sure resting place for the heart. Our lives are neither the product of blind fate nor the result of capricious chance, but every detail of them was ordained from all eternity; and is now ordered by the living and reigning God. Not a hair of our heads can be touched without His permission. “A man’s heart deviseth his way; but the LORD directeth his steps” (Prov. 16:9). What assurance, what strength, what comfort this should give the real Christian! “My times are in Thy hand” (Ps. 31:15). Then let me “Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for Him” (Ps. 37:7).” – A.W. Pink, The Attributes of God

Louis Berkhoff (1873-1957) was a Dutch-American Reformed theologian. He graduated from Princeton Theological Seminary (1904), studying under professors B. B. Warfield and Geerhardus Vos. In addition to pastoring churches in West Michigan, he also taught biblical studies and systematic theology at Calvin Theological Seminary for four decades. He became president of the seminary in 1931 until he retired in 1944.  

One biographer explains, “Professor Berkhoff was not known for being original or speculative but for being very good at organizing and explaining basic theological ideas following in the tradition of John Calvin, Abraham Kuyper and Herman Bavinck.”

One of Professor Berknoff’s students was Cornelius Van Til (1895-1987) who served as professor of apologetics and epistemology at Westminster Theological Seminary, Philadelphia, PA.

Theologian Dr. Wayne Grudem has called Berkhof’s Systematic Theology “a great treasure-house of information and analysis […] probably the most useful one-volume systematic theology available from any theological perspective.”  

The following excerpt on God’s providence is taken from Professor Berkhof’s book A Summary of Christian Doctrine. It is available at monergism.com. These meditations are contained in the section entitled The Doctrine of God and Creation.  

“Since God not only created the world but also upholds it, we naturally pass from the doctrine of creation to that of divine providence. This may be defined as that work of God in which He preserves all His creatures, is active in all that happens in the world, and directs all things to their appointed end. It includes three elements, of which the first pertains primarily to the being, the second to the activity, and the third to the purpose of all things.”

1. The Elements of Divine Providence. We distinguish three elements:

a. Divine preservation. This is that continuous work of God by which He upholds all things. While the world has a distinct existence and is not a part of God, it nevertheless has the ground of its continued existence in God and not in itself. It endures through a continued exercise of divine power by which all things are maintained in being and action. This doctrine is taught in the following passages: Ps. 136:25; 145:15; Neh. 9:6; Acts 17:28; Col. 1:17; Heb. 1:3.

b. Divine concurrence. This may be defined as that work of God by which He co-operates with all His creatures and causes them to act precisely as they do. It implies that there are real secondary causes in the world, such as the powers of nature and the will of man, and asserts that these do not work independently of God. God works in every act of His creatures, not only in their good but also in their evil acts. He stimulates them to action, accompanies their action at every moment, and makes this action effective. However, we should never think of God and man as equal causes; the former is the primary, and the latter only a secondary cause. Neither should we conceive of them as each doing a part of the work like a team of horses. The same deed is in its entirety both a deed of God and a deed of man. Moreover, we should guard against the idea that this co-operation makes God responsible for man’s sinful deeds. This doctrine is based on Scripture, Deut. 8:18; Ps. 104:20, 21, 30; Amos 3:6; Matt. 6:45; 10:29; Acts 14:17; Phil. 2:13.

c. Divine government. This is the continued activity of God whereby He rules all things so that they answer to the purpose of their existence. God is represented as King of the universe both in the Old and in the New Testament. He adapts His rule to the nature of the creatures which He governs; His government of the physical world differs from that of the spiritual world. It is universal, Ps. 103:19; Dan, 4:34, 35, includes the most insignificant things, Matt. 10:29-31, and that which is seemingly accidental, Prov. 16:33, and bears on both the good and the evil deeds of man, Phil. 2:18; Gen. 50:20; Acts 14:16.

2. Misconceptions of Divine Providence. In the doctrine of providence, we should guard against two misconceptions:

a. The Deistic conception. This is to the effect that God’s concern with the world is of the most general nature. He created the world, established its laws, set it in motion, and then withdrew from it. He wound it up like a clock, and now lets it run off. It is only when something goes wrong that He interferes with its regular operation. God, is only a God afar off.

b. The Pantheistic conception. Pantheism does not recognize the distinction between God and the world. It identifies the two, and therefore leaves no room for providence in the proper sense of the word. There are, strictly speaking, no such things as secondary causes. God is the direct author of all that transpires in the world. Even the acts which we ascribe to man as really acts of God. God is only a God that is near, and not a God afar off.

3. Extraordinary Providences or Miracles.

We distinguish between general and special providences, and among the latter the miracles occupy an important place. A miracle is a supernatural work of God, that is a work which is accomplished without the mediation of secondary causes. If God sometimes apparently uses secondary causes in the production of miracles, He employs them in an unusual way, so that the work Is after all supernatural.

Some regard miracles as impossible, because they involve a violation of the laws of nature. But this is a mistake. The so-called laws of nature merely represent God’s usual method of working. And the fact that God generally works according to a definite order does not mean that He cannot depart from this order, and cannot without violating or disturbing it bring about unusual results. Even man can lift up his hand and throw a ball into the air in spite of the law of gravitation and without in any way disturbing its operation. Surely, this is not impossible for the omnipotent God. The miracles of the Bible are means of revelation. Num. 16:28; Jer. 32:20; John 2:11; 5:36.

For Further Study:

a. Name some examples of special providences. Cf. Deut. 2:7; I Kings 17:6, 16; II Kings 4:6; Matt. 14:20.

b. How should belief in divine providence affect our cares? Isa. 41:10; Matt. 6:32; Luke 12:7; Phil. 4:6, 7; I Pet. 5:7.

c. Name some of the blessings of providence. Cf. Isa. 25:4; Ps. 121:4; Luke 12:7; Deut. 33:28; Ps. 37:28; II Tim. 4:18.

Soli deo Gloria!

^“In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will,” (Ephesians 1:11 (ESV)

Providence is God’s preserving and governing all things by means of primary and second causes (Ps. 18:35; 63:8; Acts 17:28; Col. 1:17; Heb. 1:3). God’s providence extends to the physical and natural world (Ps. 104:14; 135:5-7; Acts 14:17), the overall creation (Ps. 104:21-29; Matt. 6:26; 10:29), the acts of humankind (1 Chr. 16: 31; Ps. 47:7; Prov. 21:1; Job 12:23; Dan.2:21; 4:25), and particular individuals (1 Sam. 2:6; Ps. 18:30; Luke 1:53; James 4: 13-15).

God is in control of the voluntary actions of humans (Ex. 12:36; 1 Sam. 24:9-15; Ps. 33:14, 15; Prov. 16:1; 19:21; 20:24; 21:1). This includes the sinful (2 Sam. 16:10; 24:1; Rom. 11:32; Acts 4:27, 28). and the good (Phil. 2:13; 4:13; 2 Cor. 12:9, 10; Eph. 2:10; Gal. 5: 22-25). In other words, the sinful actions of people occur by God’s permission (Gen. 45:5; 50:20; 1 Sam. 6:6; Ex. 7:13; 14:17; Acts 2:3; 3:18; 4:27, 28), and are within His control (Ps. 76:10), which He uses for good (Gen. 50:20; Acts 3:13; Romans 8:28).

“I have spoken with many Christians over the years who have told me that when they finally came to grasp the sovereignty of God in salvation, they felt as if they were converted to Christ a second time. The reality is that for many people who feel that way, it is actually their first conversion to Christ. For it is only when we come to understand who God truly is that we come to understand ourselves—that we were dead in sin and that God by His sovereign will made us alive in Christ by the Holy Spirit. When we realize that our salvation is all because of God’s amazing grace, our eyes are opened. We see not only that God saved us but also how He saved us as the Spirit helps us reflect on everything that God has been orchestrating throughout our lives to bring about our salvation,” states Pastor Burk Parsons.

I was a first year Bible college student when the realization of God’s providence, of which Pastor Parsons writes, occurred in me. I had been a believer in Christ for three years. It was during a discussion with a professor of mine after a theology class that God’s providence in my salvation became clear. I was stunned. I was overwhelmed. I was filled with awe, joy and a tremendous sense of gratitude to God for saving my soul, when He was under no obligation to do so.

I recalled the believers God brought into my life who shared the Gospel. I thought of an invitation to an Easter Sunday evening concert. I remembered the moment the Holy Spirit regenerated me several months later enabling repentance of my sin and faith in Jesus Christ to occur. These providential events, and many more I suspect, all contributed to my conversion to Christ.

Today’s featured biblical text is one of many addressing the subject of God’s providence in salvation. In explaining the work of the Trinity in saving sinners from the penalty, power and eventual presence of sin (Eph.1:3-14; 2:1-10), the Apostle Paul directly speaks of God’s divine power and purpose; underlying not only the sinner’s salvation but everything else in life and living.

“^“In him we have obtained an inheritance.” God the Father (Eph. 1:3-6), through the person and work of God the Son: Jesus Christ (Eph. 1:7), chose to justify, redeem and reconcile sinners (Rom. 3:21-26), according to His own purpose and will (Eph.1:5, 9). It is because of His purposeful sovereignty; sinners have obtained an inheritance (ἐκληρώθημεν; eklerothemen) referring to God’s sovereign and providential choice. Chosen sinners are passive recipients of God’s active work.

“Having been predestined.” Predestined (προορισθέντες; prooristhentes) means to choose ahead of time or beforehand. It means to foreordain. This also is an active work by God in which sinners are passive recipients.

“According to the purpose of him.” Purpose (πρόθεσιν; prothesis) means to plan or to set forth. In the immediate context, it is to plan in advance the salvation of sinners in Christ alone, by grace alone through God given faith alone (Eph.2:1-9). God’s ultimate purpose in saving sinners is solely sourced and solely originates from God alone.

“Who works all things according to the counsel of his will.” All of the necessary components of salvation, and everything else in God’s created order, is by God’s work according to the counsel of His will. Work (ἐνεργοῦντος; energountos) refers to causing something to function. What God causes to function are all things (πάντα; panta) or everything. This is according to (κατὰ; kata) or in relationship with the counsel (βουλὴν; boulen) or intentional plan of God’s will. Will (θελήματος; thelematos) means God’s intent and desire.

“Neither fate nor human merit determines our destiny. The benevolent purpose—that we should be holy and faultless (Eph. 1:4), Sons of God (verse 5), destined to glorify him forever (verse 6, cf. verses 12 and 14)—is fixed, being part of a larger, universe-embracing plan,” explains Dr. William Hendriksen.

“Not only did God make this plan that includes absolutely all things that ever take place in heaven, on earth, and in hell; past, present, and even the future, pertaining to both believers and unbelievers, to angels and devils, to physical as well as spiritual energies and units of existence both large and small; He also wholly carries it out. His providence in time is as comprehensive as is his decree from eternity. Literally Paul states that God works (operates with his divine energy in) all things. The same word occurs also in verses 19 and 20, which refer to the working (energetic operation) of the infinite might of the Father of glory, which He wrought (energetically exerted) in Christ when He raised Him from the dead. Hence, nothing can upset the elect’s future glory.”

Soli deo Gloria!