#Baptist Doctrine on God’s Decrees and Divine Providence#
#9

**Scripture References:**

#Philippians 2:11
And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

#Romans 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.

#Prayer: That we might know and understand that God is in control of all the conditions and events of our lives.

#Scriptures:** Ephesians 1:11, Isaiah 46:9-10, Deuteronomy 29:29, Genesis 50:20, Job 12:13, Daniel 4:35.

Even before the beginning of time and the things that we know, the just, wise, and all-holy God purposed within Himself that what He
would do and bring to pass in the future would be carried out only by His power and providence. God has not only created all things
by His decrees but also preserves and upholds them by His providential purpose. Because of the limited knowledge of man, there is
much that we are unable to comprehend regarding the nature, mode, and reasoning of the will and actions of the infinite God.
Additionally, due to the natural corruption of the human heart, many revolt against the sovereignty of God and try to make excuses
for their sins and rejection of God’s wonderful plan and purpose for man and all of creation.

The decrees of God can be called His #Purpose# or #Plan for the ages. In the creation, preservation, and governance of the world, God
had a plan, and that plan was just, wise, and holy, tending both to His own glory and the happiness of His creatures. As God is eternal,
His thoughts, purposes, and plans must also be eternal. Since God is infinite, He does not need to go outside Himself regarding the
plan or execution of any of His purposes. All parts of God’s plan must be determined by Him concerning their nature, time, sequence,
and relationship to each other.

As God has absolute control over all things, His knowledge that they will be must proceed from His purpose that they shall be. God’s
decrees and their fulfillment are not based on what the creature might choose to do. God alone is in complete control of the universe
and all its creatures, both now and forever. The decrees of God are not conditioned upon the actions of man, whether they are righteous
or wicked (Ephesians 2:10; Philippians 2:13; Acts 2:23; 4:27-28; 1 Peter 2:8; Jude 4).

The Scriptures recognize both the sovereignty of God and the free agency and accountability of man. The Bible makes no attempt to reconcile
the two (Romans 9:20). The fact that we cannot point out the harmony between them is proof only of our ignorance and limited capacity
because both are true (Job 40:13-14; Daniel 4:35; Romans 9:11, 15-18; Acts 17:30).

The decrees of God are not conditioned upon what men do or desire (Psalm 33:11; Proverbs 19:21,Isa. 14:24,27). There are those in the past
(like the Socinians) and in the present who deny that God can know what a free agent will choose or do before he acts or wills. They do not realize
that although man has a will, it is free only to sin because of his depraved nature. We cannot know what we might do because of the condition
of our hearts (Jeremiah 17:9).

Arminians think that God must await our decisions before He can decide how He is going to respond. There are some Arminians who maintain
that God does not know the free actions of men, not because He cannot know them, but because He chooses not to do so. This would make man greater
than God—certainly not the case! God, if by His will, he could refrain from knowing certain facts about His creatures, would have to change His nature.
What God knows will come to pass because of His decrees must necessarily take place; otherwise, He would know a thing as future that will not become
future.

One last difficulty concerning the doctrine of decrees in the minds of some would be the existence of sin. Did sin accidentally occur? Was it simply
foreknown, or was it a part of the plan and purpose of God that it should exist? We know that God had the power to prevent it if He so chose. Yet,
amid all the darkness, we can see that God is so sovereign over sin that it ultimately redounds to His glory and the happiness of His creatures.
Therefore, we rest our case in His justice, wisdom, and goodness of God.

Associated with the doctrine of Creation is that of Providence. Through acts of creation, God brings into existence all things and confers upon
them their respective qualities. By acts of #Providence, He preserves these creations, permits causes of decay or change in them as He has purposed,
and at the same time, directs, controls, and guides them in accordance with the natures He has given them and the laws He has imposed upon them.

Providence and Purpose are similar but distinct. The Purpose of God is His predetermined plan regarding what shall be done in His creation, whether
by Himself or by others. Providence is the actual execution or permitting of the things thus purposed, ensuring the ends designed. The purpose is
formed in eternity; the providential acts are performed in time.

The world is not self-existent and independent but is sustained by the life and power of Christ (Col. 1:17; Heb. 1:3). The world came into existence
only through the will and power of God and can only remain in being as God continues His hand on every aspect of it.

God is always present with His creation. He loves and cares for it. The #omnipresence, infinite knowledge, and goodness of the Almighty God render His
providential care over His creation necessary. Sin is the only thing that can hinder God’s benevolent care. Sin, by demanding the punitive exercise
of God’s justice, transforms what would otherwise be happiness and joy into punishment and misery (Deut. 28; 1 Kings 8). God modifies His actions
toward man only to correspond with the modified relationship that sin has introduced. Therefore, as the ruler of the universe, He inflicts the
punishment that sin has made necessary.

God’s care and rule are declared over the phenomena of nature, such as clouds, wind, rain, hail, snow, ice, cold, frost, thunder, lightning, storms,
earthquakes, and all other natural events (Acts 14:15-17; Matt. 5:45). The beasts of the field and the birds of the air are said to be carefully
watched over by Him. But men are His especial care. He provides the food for their bodies and, in a peculiar way, watches over their souls and
liveswicked, as well as the good. This He does with respect to the This care extends to individuals, families, and nations throughout the world.
It is evident not only in great events but also in those exceedingly small (the electronic microscope reveals the atoms, the building blocks of
the whole universe).

It is impossible for us to comprehend, much less to explain, the manner of God’s providential action. Ignorance, however, is no reason for believing
that it does not occur. The action upon the material universe is more purely mechanical, and governed by the operation of phtsical law.
So far as life of any kind, whether vegetables, animal or spiritual is concerned.

God’s action is not limited by the operation of physical law. God’s law must still be actively enforced. Although the providential action of
God is complicated by the various aspects of human nature, it still operates in accordance with the holiness, justice, and goodness of God.

We need to recognize that God acts according to His nature, in relation to all things according to theirs. Man must have freedom of choice, or he
would not be responsible for his actions. But this does not forbid the use of inducements to any specific actions nor the placing of man in circumstances
that would influence or control his actions (Ps. 110:3; John 6:44; 1 Cor. 4:7). There is a General, Common, or Universal Providence, and a Special or
Particular Providence. General Providence refers to the overall care that God takes of the universe and all it contains. Special Providence refers
to the minute care with which the decreed events of God’s choosing are brought to fruition.

**Discussion Questions:**
1. Who helped God form His decrees?
2. Can the actions of man counteract the decrees of God?
3. Are men responsible for their actions if God has decreed all things?
4. Who takes care of everything in the universe and how?
5. Does God only care for large and significant events?
6. Can the world run on its own now that God has put everything into motion?