What is divine providence?

Answer

Divine providence is the governance of God by which He, with wisdom and love, cares for and directs all things in the universe. The doctrine of divine providence asserts that God is in complete control of all things. He is sovereign over the universe as a whole “The LORD hath prepared his throne in the heavens; And his kingdom ruleth over all.”, (Psalm 103:19), the physical world “that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.”, (Matthew 5:45), the affairs of nations “He ruleth by his power for ever; His eyes behold the nations: Let not the rebellious exalt themselves.”, (Psalm 66:7), human destiny “But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb, and called me by his grace,”, (Galatians 1:15), human successes and failures “He hath put down the mighty from their seats, And exalted them of low degree.”, (Luke 1:52), and the protection of His people “I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: For thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety.”, (Psalm 4:8). This doctrine stands in direct opposition to the idea that the universe is governed by chance or fate.

Through divine providence, God accomplishes His will. To ensure that His purposes are fulfilled, God governs the affairs of men and works through the natural order of things. The

Laws of nature are simply God’s work in the universe. The laws of nature do not possess inherent power; instead, they are the principles that God established to govern the normal functioning of things. They are designated as “laws” because God ordained them.

How does divine providence relate to human volition? We understand that humans have free will, yet we also acknowledge God’s sovereignty. The correlation between these two truths is challenging for us to grasp, but we find instances of both truths in Scripture. Saul of Tarsus was actively persecuting the church, yet, simultaneously, he was “kick[ing] against the goads” of God’s providence «And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. », (Acts 26:14).

God abhors sin and will judge sinners. God is not the instigator of sin; He does not tempt anyone to sin «Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: », (James 1:13), and He does not approve of sin. Simultaneously, God evidently permits a certain degree of sin. He must have a purpose for allowing it, albeit temporarily, even though He detests it.

An illustration of divine providence in Scripture is evident in the account of Joseph. God permitted Joseph’s brothers to abduct him, sell him as a slave, and then deceive their father for years regarding his fate. This was wicked, and God was displeased. Nevertheless, all their wrongdoing contributed to a greater good: Joseph eventually rose to prominence in Egypt, where he served as the prime minister. Joseph utilized his position to provide for the people of a vast region during a seven-year famine—including his own family. If Joseph had not been in Egypt before the famine struck, millions of people, including the Israelites, would have perished.

ites, would have died. How did God bring Joseph to Egypt? He providentially allowed his brothers the freedom to sin. God’s divine providence is directly acknowledged in Genesis 50:15–21.

Another clear instance of divine providence prevailing over sin is the account of Judas Iscariot. God permitted Judas to lie, deceive, cheat, steal, and ultimately betray the Lord Jesus into the hands of His enemies. All of this was a great wickedness, and God was displeased. However, simultaneously, all of Judas’s plotting and scheming resulted in a greater good: the salvation of mankind. Jesus had to die at the hands of the Romans to serve as the sacrifice for sin. Without Jesus being crucified, we would still be in our sins. How did God lead Christ to the cross? God providentially allowed Judas the freedom to carry out a series of wicked acts. Jesus clearly states this in Luke 22:22: “The Son of Man will go as it has been decreed. But woe to that man who betrays him!”

It is noteworthy that Jesus teaches both the sovereignty of God (“the Son of Man will go as it has been decreed”) and the accountability of man (“woe to that man who betrays!”). There is a balance.

Divine providence is expounded in Romans 8:28: “We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.” “All things” means “all things.” God is always in control. Even though Satan may do his worst, the evil that is causing chaos in the world is ultimately serving a greater, final purpose. While we may not see it yet, we trust that God permits things for a reason and that His plan is good. It must be frustrating for Satan. Regardless of his efforts, he discovers that his schemes are foiled and ultimately something good transpires.

The concept of divine providence can be succinctly summarized as follows: “God in eternity past, in the counsel of His own will, ordained everything that will happen; yet in no way is God the instigator of sin; nor is human responsibility negated.” The primary way in which God fulfills His will is through sec

Secondary causes (e.g., laws of nature and human choice) contribute to the fulfillment of God’s will. In essence, God typically operates indirectly to achieve His purposes.

At times, God directly intervenes to fulfill His will through what we recognize as miracles. A miracle occurs when God temporarily overrides the natural order to accomplish His intentions. An instance of God’s direct intervention is the radiant light that surrounded Saul on the road to Damascus “And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven:”, (Acts 9:3). Conversely, the prevention of Paul’s journey to Bythinia exemplifies God’s indirect guidance “after they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not.”, (Acts 16:7). Both scenarios demonstrate divine providence in action.

Some argue that the belief in God orchestrating all events, whether directly or indirectly, negates the existence of free will. If God exercises complete authority, how can our decisions truly be free? Essentially, for free will to hold significance, there must be aspects beyond God’s sovereign rule, such as the unpredictability of human choice. Let us hypothetically accept this premise. What follows? If God does not govern all uncertainties, how can He ensure our salvation? Paul affirms in Philippians 1:6 that “he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” Without God’s complete control, this promise, along with all divine assurances, becomes uncertain. If the future is not entirely under God’s dominion, our confidence in the fulfillment of our salvation wavers.

Moreover, if God does not exercise authority over all things, He is not truly sovereign, and without sovereignty, He ceases to be God. So, th

The cost of maintaining contingencies beyond God’s control leads to the belief that God is not truly God. If our free will can override divine providence, then who is ultimately God? We are. This conclusion is unacceptable to those with a biblical worldview. Divine providence does not negate our freedom. Instead, divine providence considers our freedom and, guided by God’s infinite wisdom, charts a path to accomplish God’s will.