Author Topic: The Doctrine of Divine Providence  (Read 2402 times)

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Fat

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The Doctrine of Divine Providence
« on: November 03, 2013, 03:25:53 pm »
The Doctrine of Divine Providence


Statement on the Divine Providence from the Second London Confession of 1689
(Chapter 5, article 1) – “God the good Creator of all things, in his infinite power and wisdom, doth uphold, direct, dispose, and govern all creatures and things, from the greatest even to the least, by his most wise and holy providence, to the end for the which they were created, according unto his infallible foreknowledge, and the free and immutable counsel of his own will; to the praise of the glory of his wisdom, power, justice, infinite goodness, and mercy.”


Second London Confession of 1689
(Chapter 5, article 2) – “Although in relation to the foreknowledge and decree of God, the first cause, all things come to pass immutably and infallibly; so that there is not anything befalls any by chance, or without his providence; yet by the same providence he ordereth them to fall out according to the nature of second causes, either necessarily, freely, or contingently.”
(Chapter 5, article 3) – “God, in his ordinary providence maketh use of means, yet is free to work without, above, and against them at his pleasure.”

   1.   Although God rules and governs all things He often works through the means of second causes. For example, God has ordained the precise moment of our death, yet He has also ordained the means through which our death will occur – disease, accident, crime, etc.
   2.   The atonement of Christ is the perfect example. God ordained that Christ should be crucified, yet there were many second causes that were used to bring it to pass – Judas Iscariot, Pilate, the hatred of the Pharisees, etc.
   3.   God is free to work directly without the use of means.

JB Horn

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Re: The Doctrine of Divine Providence
« Reply #1 on: November 08, 2013, 05:55:51 pm »
God knows which domino to push to knock over the right string and get the resaults He wants.

Fat

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Re: The Doctrine of Divine Providence
« Reply #2 on: November 09, 2013, 11:05:06 am »
God knows which domino to push to knock over the right string and get the resaults He wants.

Sure, all things work to His pleasure.

Romans 8:28 NAS
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.

Ephesians 1:11 NAS
also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will,

Zant Law

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Re: The Doctrine of Divine Providence
« Reply #3 on: November 29, 2013, 04:08:27 pm »
Quote
God ordained that Christ should be crucified, yet there were many second causes that were used to bring it to pass – Judas Iscariot, Pilate, the hatred of the Pharisees, etc.

Satan is playing Chess with God and by now I figure he knows he's going to lose.

Alexander Winslow

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Re: The Doctrine of Divine Providence
« Reply #4 on: July 26, 2014, 05:43:19 pm »
The foundational doctrine of the Bible is the 'Ransom', without this all mankind would have already have perished. God stated that in Eden that disobedience carried the penalty of death without the hope of a resurrection. Therefore the provision of an anointed-one [Messiah] is God's loving provision for redemption from Adamic death and the 'way' forward to the provision of everlasting life for 'all' mankind during the thousand year reign of the Christ. This is why Jesus declared "I am the way."

Only through the sacrifice of a perfect man could the corresponding 'ransom' price be paid for Adam's transgression. So without  this, nothing could ever move forward. Everything from Genesis to Revelation is centred on the ransom. this is actually the kingdom thread which runs all the way through the Bible along with God's prophetic pattern and parallel formula.

Alexander