Getting Job-ed
Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!
“For who has known the mind of the Lord,
or who has been his counselor?”
“Or who has given a gift to him
that he might be repaid?”
For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen. Romans 11: 33-36 ESV
I had a plan to write something different this morning but had to write this one instead (isn’t that how it works?! Proverbs 16:9). I woke up super early this morning (because of the brightness!) to the surprise that there’s a thick, nice, blanket of snow on the ground! Early in the week, the meteorologist had a few models showing different opinions on what was to come but then yesterday it was deemed that we wouldn’t get much, if any, at all. Yet I woke up to something totally different! All of this really just pulls me back in awe of the Providence of God. If you haven’t studied this doctrine, please do yourself a favor and look into this topic in Biblical and Church history. I hope it really heightens and blooms your worship and praise of God. It certainly has for me. Let’s take a look at some of the historic doctrinal statements on the Providence of God.
If you recall back to previous articles, you’ll see that Providence and Sovereignty are closely related. Sovereignty is God’s all-powerful right and ability to control anything and everything He wants. Providence is in regards to His wisdom of doing what He does. So, if God is all-powerful and in control of everything, this is the wisdom of God to do or ‘see to it’ that all those things come to pass according to His will and for His glory, which, ultimately, is for our good (Romans 8:28). We won’t get to dive into all the Scripture that is behind this, but I wanted us to look at some of the statements made by the historic church.
Heidelberg Catechism
The Heidelberg Catechism was written in 1563. Take a listen to the question and answer they have in regards to the Providence of God:
Question 27: What do you understand by the providence of God?
Answer: The almighty, everywhere-present power of God, whereby, as it were by his hand, He still upholds heaven and earth with all creatures, and so governs them that herbs and grass, rain and drought, fruitful and barren years, meat and drink, health and sickness, riches and poverty, indeed, all things come not by chance, but by his fatherly hand. (1)
This is absolutely amazing. Chew on those aspects.
The Belgic Confession
The Belgic Confession was written in 1561. Let’s see what it contains in regards to the Providence of God:
Article 13. The Doctrine of God’s Providence
We believe that this good God, after creating all things, did not abandon them to chance or fortune but leads and governs them according to his holy will, in such a way that nothing happens in this world without God’s orderly arrangement. (1)
The Westminster Larger Catechism
The Westminster Larger Catechism was written in 1648. This was their take on the Providence of God:
Question 18. What of the works of providence?
Answer. God’s works of providence are his most holy, wise, and powerful preserving and governing all his creatures; ordering them, and all their actions, to his own glory. (1)
Westminster Confession of Faith
The Westminster Confession of Faith was written in 1646. On the topic of Providence, it reads:
Chapter 5. Of Providence
5.1. God the great Creator of all things doth uphold, direct, dispose, and govern all creatures, actions, and things, from the greatest even to the least, by his most wise and holy providence, according to his infallible 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. (1)
Conclusion
Before you say something like, “well those are super old and we know so much more now…”, I say check yourself right there. That could be a pride issue. These guys worked their lives to study Scripture (even in the original languages). We should never be arrogant enough to say we know more than 2,000 years of church history. Okay, sorry, I digress… These may conjure up a lot of emotion for you, possibly negative ones. I was there too at one point. But it’s clear from Scripture, from Genesis 1 to Revelation 22, that this doctrine is true. I encourage you, to study into this doctrine, test it Biblically. Always start with the Bible first, not philosophy.
This won’t be an exhaustive list by any means, but check out Genesis 50:20, Exodus 3-4, Job 1-2, Job 32-42, Daniel 4, Isaiah 46:9-10 and Isaiah 48:9-11, Matthew 10:29-31, John 6:44, Acts 2:23 and 4:27-28, Ephesians 1:3-14 and 2:1-10, Romans 9, and Revelation 13:8. Refer back to the opening verse- this was actually after a long discourse from Paul in Romans discussing aspects of Providence with the Salvation of God’s people! I really do pray that you can submit to this Biblical truth and then not just submit to it but grow to love and worship God for it.
-Austin
Each of the historic doctrines are considered public domain due to their age. However, they were all sourced from:
John Piper, Providence, (Illinois, Crossway, 2020), 33-34.
