The Mystery of Providence part 1

God’s Providence For His People
Readings: Eph 1:1-14
Rom 8:28-30

Rom 8:28 "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

Introductory Thoughts

* The Salvation Survey

** If you are saved, say, “I’m saved!”

** If you are saved, tell me how much of your salvation is due to what you have done.

** If you are saved, tell me, then, who gets 100% of the credit for your salvation!

** Amen! If you are saved, it not because of anything you have done, and it is 100% due to the work of the Triune God. That is why God put the doctrines of Romans 8:28-30 in the Bible—so we would know that for sure.

** If you are saved, you are God’s workmanship—

Eph 2:8-10 "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast. 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them."

** If you are God’s workmanship, you would not want to be found putting your signature on any part of His work.


* Overview of 8:28-30

a. God’s Purpose: —Verse 28

(1) What—God’s Providence makes everything work together.

(2) Who—For those who love God, those whom He has called.

(3) Why—God’s Purpose

b. God’s People—Verse 29

(1) Who—Those known by God beforehand.

(2) What For—They are to be conformed to Christ’s image.

(3) Why—That Christ’s image would be replicated.

c. God’s Plan—Who and How—Verse 30—God’s way of accomplishing His purpose.

(1) Predestination

(2) Calling

(3) Justification

(4) Glorification


* God’s Sovereignty, Human Responsibility, and Salvation—The “Trash Cans” Illustration

a. Trash Can #1—The parts of the Bible you have to remove to deny election: that God chooses His People

b. Trash Can #2—The parts of the Bible you have to remove to deny that every human being is responsible to believe in Christ.

c. Denial of Election always leads to liberalism.

d. Denial of Human Responsibility always leads to dead churches.

e. As we go through these sermons, understand that sometimes we are talking about God’s view of the matter and sometimes about our view.

f. And understand, that we are discussing the doctrines which surround the teaching of Eternal Security. There can be no security unless these doctrines are also true. If Election falls, Security falls.

1. God’s Providence— all things work together (God causes all things to work together)

Acts 17:26 "And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings,

Job 42:2 "I know that You can do everything, And that no purpose of Yours can be withheld from You.

a. The Scope of Divine Providence “…all things…”

(1) Not just all our miseries

(2) Not just the events that directly or indirectly touch us

(3) All things in the universe….


Eph 1:11 "In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:"


b. The EXERCISE of God's Sovereignty—Divine Providence

* Divine Providence means: God rules the universe to accomplish His own purposes and will. Or, as the contemporary Christian singer Twila Paris said: God is In Control.....

(2) The pagan concept of "Luck..."

(a) Remember in the lesson on creation and evolution, we said that evolutionists worship the "god" of chance, that their temple might as well be the river boat, the lottery counter, or the casinos at Las Vegas or Atlantic City.



(b) The pagan concept for how the universe works when things are beyond their control, is the concept of "Luck."


***Luck is a pagan philosophical concept, and it has crept into our daily language.

* "Good Luck..."

* "My, that was lucky...."

* "I'm just a lucky guy...."

(c) The Christian should learn to avoid the use of the word and instead understand that it is not "Luck" which controls things, but Divine Providence. A Christian should say things like:

* "God bless you..."
* "God be with you..."
* "God send His angels to guard and guide you..."
* "God has blessed me...."
* "God's providence was at work in this..."
* "How I love to 'catch God at it'...."


c. The nature of Providence—God's Providence is absolute

Rom 11:36 For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen.

Eph 1:11--In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will,

Mat 11:27 "All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.


d. God providentially guides the Rise and Fall of nations and the events of human history – "...every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings..."

Dan 2:20 “…Daniel answered and said: ‘Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, For wisdom and might are His. 21 And He changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and raises up kings…’ ”

(1) The births of nations are controlled by God

(2) The deaths of nations are controlled by God

(3) Great empires rise and fall at His command


e. The Bible says this is a comfort to God's people.—

Isa 40:1-17 ""Comfort, yes, comfort My people!" Says your God. 2 "Speak comfort to Jerusalem, and cry out to her, That her warfare is ended, That her iniquity is pardoned; For she has received from the Lord's hand Double for all her sins."
… 8 The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever." 9 ….Say to the cities of Judah, "Behold your God!" 10 Behold, the Lord GOD shall come with a strong hand, And His arm shall rule for Him; Behold, His reward is with Him, And His work before Him. 11 He will feed His flock like a shepherd; He will gather the lambs with His arm, And carry them in His bosom, And gently lead those who are with young. 12 Who has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand, Measured heaven with a span And calculated the dust of the earth in a measure? Weighed the mountains in scales And the hills in a balance? 13 Who has directed the Spirit of the LORD, Or as His counselor has taught Him? 14 With whom did He take counsel, and who instructed Him, And taught Him in the path of justice? Who taught Him knowledge, And showed Him the way of understanding? 15 Behold, the nations are as a drop in a bucket, And are counted as the small dust on the scales; Look, He lifts up the isles as a very little thing. ……17 All nations before Him are as nothing, And they are counted by Him less than nothing and worthless."

(1) There is A Hand at the Wheel of History!!!

(2) Life, current events, struggles, crises, there is an Unseen Hand guiding the general course of all things.

Objection #1 -- Doesn't this make God responsible for the sinful actions of men?

Answer -- NO! God restrains evil men or gives them enough rope--they are responsible for their actions, but like Joseph said, God manages the outcome of the events to serve His purposes.

Objection #2 -- How can a loving God allow the misery that exists in the world?

Answer--How can a just God have allowed the human race to continue existing this long?

-- Every man and woman in the world deserves only misery because we are a sinful race in rebellion against the Almighty God Who created us.

-- Were it not for the substitutionary blood sacrifice of Christ, the entire human race would be doomed to eternal separation from God and eternal punishment. .

Objection #3 -- Where does the sovereignty of God end, and the free will of man begin?

Answer -- Man's will is not fully free and cannot be. Unlimited free will is a pagan philosophical concept. Man is bound by sin, Satan, physical and mental limitations, and by the actions of other men and women. We are slaves to what we are; we are slaves to circumstances; we are dead, deaf, dumb, and blind spiritually.

--As for the Sovereignty of God, there is no end to it, and never will be.

2. Divine Providence and You— Rom 8:28 "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

a. Providence in the Life of the Believer

(1) God guides the events of our personal lives--God has a plan for our lives, that plan is detailed, and He is working in our lives to bring His plan to fruition. Things do not "just happen" to believers, God guides them toward a plan, a purpose. One of the favorite verses for many believers is the comforting verse:

(2) But many of the people who love that verse probably fail to see the real significance of its meaning. God has a purpose for each of His people, and that purpose involves "all things" that touch our lives!

Eph 2:10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

Psa 139:16 Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, The days fashioned for me, When as yet there were none of them.
Psa 139:17 How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them!
Psa 139:18 If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand; When I awake, I am still with You.

(2) God is working in our lives to bring His plan to fruition—Phil 2:12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; 13 for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.


Mat 10:29 "Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father's will. 30 "But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 "Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.

1 Cor 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.

Psa 37:23 The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD, And He delights in his way. 24 Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; For the LORD upholds him with His hand.

Prov 16:9 A man's heart plans his way, But the LORD directs his steps.

b. The doctrine of God's providence has vital practical applications--


(1) Understanding this doctrine of Providence, combined with love for God and faith in God, should free a believer from many of the bouts of mental anguish we all experience.

"Grace under fire" is a cliche' that describes the quality of maintaining an even keel under difficult circumstances. This grace is in reality a gift of God to the mature believer who understands God and God's Providence. A brother or sister in Christ who understand these things will have spiritual resources upon which to draw in times of great stress and in times of great need or danger.

(2) An example of Grace under fire based on the knowledge of God's rulership is the historical account of the "three Hebrew children," in Daniel 3. These three youths demonstrated a tremendous faith in and understanding of God when they were put to the test and ordered to worship a pagan idol. Refusing to worship the idol would result in an immediate sentence of death, and a horrible death at that--death by fire. Their reply to the pagan king Nebuchadnezzar is a classic statement of the practical side of the doctrine of Divine Providence.


Dan 3:16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego answered and said to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter.
17 "If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up."

[Excerpt from "God is In Control" by Twila Paris...]

History marches on, but there's a bottom line drawn across the ages

Culture can make its plans, but the line never changes.

No matter how the deception may lie, there's one thing that's always been true, it will be true forever.....

God is in Control!

We believe that His children will not be forsaken.

God is in Control!

We will choose to remember, and never be shaken.

There is No Power above or beside Him, we know.......
God
is
in
Control!


3. Knowing What is Good for Us—all things work together for good

a. The human idea of “good”

(1) “Good” is fun.

(2) “Good” is painless

(3) “Good” is relatively easy

(4) “Good” makes me feel good about myself.

(5) “Good” is about the now, about this life, about comfort and ease in this life.

b. The Wimpy Christian idea of “good” resembles the pagan idea.

c. The Powerful Truth of What God Says is Good for Us—the eternal, not the temporal.

(1) The example of the Wilderness
Deut 8:11-18

(2) Chastisement—not only is this good for us, but it is an assurance of the reality of our salvation. A person who lives in open or secret sin and rebellion against God and does not receive chastisement is not saved.

Heb 12:6 “…whom the LORD loves He chastens, And scourges every son whom He receives."7… what son is there whom a father does not chasten? 8 But if you are without chastening,…, then you are illegitimate and not sons."

(3) Tribulation and persecution


(a) One of the most profound statements in the Bible is from a man who knew the reality of divine providence all too well. Joseph--Gen 50:20 "But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive.

* Being sold into slavery was not in itself good, but it worked to the good. It was due to the evil intent of Joseph’s brothers, but God worked it for good.

* Being falsely accused and thrown into prison was not good, but it worked to the good. It was due to the lying and evil lust and intent of Potiphar’s wife, but God worked it for good.

* Languishing in jail for years, even after Joseph interpreted the dreams of Pharaoh’s servants, was not a good thing, but God turned it to the good. Pharaoh’s cupbearer evilly and selfishly said nothing about Joseph until the moment of crisis, but God worked that for good too.


* Joseph had no fond memories to express about being beaten, enslaved, falsely accused, and imprisoned. Joseph did not excuse his brothers for their evil intent and actions--but he knew that God had taken their evil intent and actions and turned it to the good. Joseph was a man who understood how the universe worked.

(4) Being at odds with the world

Luke 6:26 Woe to you when all men speak well of you, For so did their fathers to the false prophets.


Applications

1. What is good for us? What is a blessing?

a. Being poor in spirit is good for us

Mat 5:3 "Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

b. Mourning is good for us

Mat 5:4 Blessed are those who mourn, For they shall be comforted.

c. Being meek is good for us

Mat 5:5 Blessed are the meek, For they shall inherit the earth.

d. Hungering and thirsting for God’s righteousness is good for us.

Mat 5:6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled.

e. Being merciful is good for us

Mat 5:7 Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy.

f. Becoming pure in heart, that is good for us.

Mat 5:8 Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God.

g. Being a peacemaker is good for us.

Mat 5:9 Blessed are the peacemakers, For they shall be called sons of God.

h. Being reviled, attacked and persecuted is good for us!

Mat 5:10 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 "Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. 12 "Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

2. The bottom line on what is good for us is God’s final goal for our life—to be conformed to the image of Christ.

3. What is good for us is to stand in His blessed Presence, clean, Holy, Pure, and in the image of Christ.