WCF 05 Providence Flashcards
What are the two parts of providence?
Preserving and governing
How can we understand that there are “laws of nature?”
God is the first cause and He also ordained second causes.
Psalm 104
Ps. 104:30 He sends His Spirit to renew the face of the ground
By the same providence, He ordereth them to fall out according to the nature of second causes, either necessarily, freely, or contingently.
Four ways God uses means
Upholds ordinary means–laws of nature
Works without means–healing
Works above means–water to wine, Sarah’s womb
Against means–stops sun, floats axehead
What are the attributes of providence?
Holy, wise, powerful, free
Can anything occur that is not part of providence?
No, God governs all his creatures and all their actions
Mark 1:40 If you are willing you can make me clean. Acknowledges His ability and His providence.
What relation has providence to sin?
Sin is included in God’s providence but He is not the author of it.
James 1:13 God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone.
Rom. 8:28 All things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.
God’s providence extendeth …to all other sins…not by mere permission,…but powerful bounding…yet so as the sinfulness proceedeth only from the creatures.
What does it mean that God hardens sinners?
Their own lusts draw them to sin; they harden themselves and then God hardens them further by:
- withholding grace
- withdrawing gifts
- exposing them to things that they turn into sin
- giving them over to their own lusts
What are the purposes of God allowing the believer to fall into sin?
Reveal corruption of their own hearts
Chastise them
Discover hidden sins
Humble them
Raise them to a closer dependence on him
What does Eph. 1:22, 23 teach relation of Providence to the Church?
“And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.”
Christ is the head and is especially involved in the providential direction of the Church.
