← Back to sermon library

Turn with me in your confession 
to chapter 5 of divine providence, of divine providence. When we 
consider God and His glory and His sovereignty over all the 
nations, we have the comfort from scriptures to encourage 
us that God is over all these things, even the machinations 
and vileness and the wickedness of men. Having said that, it 
is difficult for any creature or any finite to have all of 
the answers. So certainly as we read a a carefully 
worded chapter like chapter 5 in our Confession, know that there's 
still going to be questions. There's still going to be things 
that we wrestle with. There's still going to be things that 
perhaps perplex us. I remember many years ago, we 
had a presentation from the then sort of head of Voice of the 
Martyrs, and he gave a good illustration. He says, you know, when you look 
at a puzzle or you put together a puzzle, You know, we often 
see a puzzle and some of the pieces are missing, and that's 
kind of how we interpret the world around us. We need to understand 
God knows all the puzzle pieces. God is over all things. Whatever 
comes to pass has been ordained by our God and will ultimately 
redound to His praise and glory and for the good of those who 
love Him and those who are the called according to His purposes." 
Now, we might say, well, how does this particular situation 
in this country work out for good? Again, that's a puzzle 
piece that you and I don't have. Romans 8, 28 assumes that. God 
causes all things to work for good to those who love God, to 
those who are the called according to His purpose. So just because 
we don't perhaps see it doesn't mean it isn't something that 
will ultimately redound to His glory. So chapter 5, I'll begin 
reading in paragraph 1. We'll read to the end of the 
chapter and then look at it in some detail. to the praise of the glory of 
His wisdom, power, justice, infinite goodness, and mercy. 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. God, in his ordinary 
providence, maketh use of means, yet is free to work without, 
above, and against them at his pleasure. The almighty power, 
unsearchable wisdom, and infinite goodness of God so far manifest 
themselves in his providence that his determinate counsel 
extendeth itself even to the first fall, and all other sinful 
actions both of angels and men. and that not by a bare permission, 
which also he most wisely and powerfully boundeth, and otherwise 
ordereth and governeth, in a manifold dispensation to his most holy 
ends. Yet so, as the sinfulness of 
their acts proceedeth only from the creatures, and not from God, 
who, being most holy and righteous, neither is nor can be the author 
or approver of sin. The most wise, righteous, and 
gracious God doth oftentimes leave for a season His own children 
to manifold temptations and the corruptions of their own hearts, 
to chastise them for their former sins, or to discover unto them 
the hidden strength of corruption and deceitfulness of their hearts, 
that they may be humbled, and to raise them to a more close 
and constant dependence for their support upon Himself. and to 
make them more watchful against all future occasions of sin and 
for other just and holy ends, so that whatsoever befalls any 
of his elect is by his appointment for his glory and their good. 
As for those wicked and ungodly men whom God, as a righteous 
judge for former sin, doth blind and harden, From them he not 
only withholdeth his grace, whereby they might have been enlightened 
in their understanding, and wrought upon in their hearts, but sometimes 
also withdraweth the gifts which they had, and exposeth them to 
such objects as their corruption makes occasion of sin. and withal 
gives them over to their own lusts, the temptations of the 
world and the power of Satan, whereby it comes to pass that 
they harden themselves even under those means which God useth for 
the softening of others. As the providence of God doth 
in general reach to all creatures, so after a most special manner 
it taketh care of his church and disposeth of all things to 
the good thereof. Well, Sam Waldron makes the observation 
in his exposition of the Confession, the doctrine of providence as 
unfolded in this chapter is closely related to and rooted in the 
doctrine of the decree found in chapter 3. The decree is the 
blueprint or plan. Providence carries out the blueprint 
or plan by guiding the actual course of history. The decree 
takes place in eternity, providence takes place in history. I think 
that's an accurate assessment in terms of the connection and 
the confession. Again, back to chapter 3 of God's decree, we 
note that God has purposed all things whatsoever to come to 
pass. The Westminster Shorter Catechism asks, how does God 
execute His decree? Well, God executes His decree 
in the works of creation and providence. So chapter 3 is eternal 
in purpose and plan. Chapter 4, how that's expressed 
in terms of creation. And chapter 5, how that's expressed 
in terms of providence, how God works all things according to 
the counsel of His own will. Well, as we often see in the 
Confession, you have a general statement in paragraph 1, and 
then you have various means of explanation in the following 
paragraphs. We'll look at the doctrine stated 
in paragraph 1, and then secondly, the doctrine explained in paragraphs 
2 to 7. So notice, first of all, with 
reference to the author of Providence. And I like the way it starts. 
God, the good creator of all things. I think the Confession 
starts with that sort of axiomatic principle that God is, in fact, 
good. In other words, the doctrine 
of providence isn't Islamic fate, it isn't blind chance, it's not 
some sort of rapid or random happenings in the universe, but 
rather all that we see take place comes from the hand of God, the 
good creator. So whatever chapter 2 in the 
Confession says, specifically in paragraphs 1 and 2 concerning 
God's divine perfections, we mustn't ever forget that when 
we survey this world and the various godless acts that continue 
on in it unabated, nevertheless, God is over all things and He's 
working all things to accomplish His purpose and His will. I've 
already referred to Romans 8. I think Paul makes that axiomatic 
claim there. We know that God causes all things 
to work together for good. We go back to Psalm 73. And interestingly, Psalm 73 is 
the account of Asaph when he had surveyed the world around 
him and how it brought perplexity to his soul. He saw the righteous 
suffer and he saw the unrighteous prosper. He saw the righteous 
in great straits of affliction, but he sees the godless enjoying 
the benefits associated with life in the created world. So 
he rehearses that for us, and he tells us this. He opens his 
heart, as it were, to say, but as for me, my foot nearly slipped. It wasn't until he got a God's 
eye perspective concerning the godlessness that exists that 
he was able to process this information properly. But even before all 
that, before he relates to us his personal encounter with the 
things that he reveals in the psalm, he starts off in Psalm 
73, 1, this way, a psalm of Asaph, "...truly God is good to Israel, 
to such as are pure in heart." That, again, is axiomatic. That 
is a foundational statement. That is the very ground upon 
which we then assess the things going on in the world. As I said, 
this good God has purposes, or has his purposes, for even the 
evil that exists. We may not get it. We may be 
missing that particular puzzle piece. But as we work through 
the Bible and we see these various things explained, we understand 
that, in fact, God does cause all things to work for good. 
So again, truly God is good to Israel, to such as are pure in 
heart. And then he says, but as for me, my feet had almost 
slipped, my steps had almost stumbled, my steps had nearly 
slipped, for I was envious of the boastful when I saw the prosperity 
of the wicked. He's going to reveal a very difficult 
trial in his own heart and life with reference to his own theology. But he starts with that axiomatic 
principle and he ends on that high note of the goodness of 
God, specifically in verses 27 and 28. For indeed, those who 
are far from you shall perish. You have destroyed all those 
who desert you for harlotry, but it is good for me to draw 
near to God. I have put my trust in the Lord 
that I may declare all your works. So that psalm teaches us that 
the Bible's response to the evil that exists isn't, well, you 
know, that's really not the case, that's just an appearance of 
what may look like evil. The Bible doesn't just sort of 
whitewash the reality that this is in fact a sin-cursed world 
and that horrific things often obtain. We only need to look 
at the factions and the warrings going on in the various nations. 
We only need to look at pedophilia and abortion and euthanasia. 
There are horrible things that go on in the world. So the Bible 
doesn't try to gloss that away. Well, you know, that's not the 
case. Now, the Bible tells you that this is, in fact, a reality. The Bible brings you to appreciate 
the fact that God is over even these things, and He will work 
them out for His glory, and for the good of those who love Him, 
and those who are the called according to His purpose. So 
God, the Creator of all things, is the author of providence. He is good. And then notice the 
foundation of providence. So God, the good creator of all 
things, in his infinite power and wisdom. I think this gives 
a check to us as well to engage in what we used to call in the 
military, probably you called it something in your workplaces, 
Monday morning quarterbacking. Something bad happened on the 
weekend and all the big guys come in on a Monday morning and 
they quarterback the decisions that were made on the weekend. 
Well, this should prove as a check to our Monday morning quarterbacking, 
to try to call into question God's dealings, to call into 
question God's ordering of certain things. Notice that whatever 
falls out in terms of things in this world, it is according 
to infinite power, and it's according to infinite wisdom. We don't 
have either. We certainly don't have infinite 
power, and we certainly don't have infinite wisdom. How many 
times in your own life have you looked at a particular situation 
and said, I don't know how anything good will come out of this. And 
then ultimately, somehow, for the glory of God and your own 
good, good does come out of it. So we need to be careful that 
we don't call into question infinite power and infinite wisdom. And we ought to find the comfort 
that such a doctrine affords to us. Again, we're not guided 
by blind faith or impersonal forces in the universe or sort 
of random and haphazard effects and things. No, God causes all 
things to work for good to those who love God, to those who are 
the called according to His purpose. So the author of providence is 
God, the good creator of all things. The foundation of providence 
is in his infinite power and wisdom. And then notice the nature 
of providence. In other words, what is it? It 
goes on to say, after introducing to us its God, doth uphold, direct, 
dispose, and govern, notice, not some creatures and things, 
but 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. So again, this is axiomatic. This is foundational. This is 
the stuff that we don't negotiate with. This is the stuff that 
we don't barter with. This is the stuff that we don't 
look at bad things in the world and then make this judgment, 
well, God maybe isn't what our confession accurately reflecting 
scripture says. No, this is foundational. This 
is the ground upon which we then interpret the happenings going 
on in the world around us. So notice in terms of the characteristics 
of providence, He upholds, He directs, He disposes, and He 
governs. If you're in the Psalms, turn 
to Psalm 115. Psalm 115, just a quick survey of a few passages 
that underscore that the divines are not making this up. that 
they are accurately reflecting or accurately revealing to us 
what Scripture says concerning our God relative to His upholding, 
directing, disposing, and governing all things. Not some things, 
but all creatures and things. Notice in Psalm 115.3, and I 
hope you say, well, I've seen these passages before. Good. 
These are passages you should have seen before, and these are 
passages that you should see again, and they are passages 
that you should see again and again. Because when the difficulties 
come, we need to be reminded of these axiomatic principles. 
Notice in 115.3, but our God is in heaven. He does whatever 
He pleases. The same truth is revealed in 
Psalm 135 and verse 6, but you can turn to the prophet Isaiah. 
Isaiah chapter 46, specifically verses 9 to 11. Isaiah chapter 
46 verses 9 to 11. Remember the former things of 
old, for I am God and there is no other. I am God and there 
is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning. See, 
again, axiomatic principle, the very God of Scripture, the nature 
of God, that's why we spend time on chapter 2. Because if you 
get God right, then all this other stuff makes sense. If you understand who God is, 
God, the good creator, get that down, and then everything else 
in the chapter will follow. So notice, verse 9, remember 
the former things of old, for I am God and there is no other. 
I am God and there is none like me, declaring the end from the 
beginning and from the ancient times, things that are not yet 
done, saying, my counsel shall stand and I will do all my pleasure, 
calling a bird of prey from the east, the man who executes my 
counsel, from a far country. Indeed, I have spoken it. I will 
also bring it to pass. I have purposed it. I will also 
do it. Now, the historical situation of this particular statement 
is the raising up of Cyrus, the king of Persia, which, interestingly, 
in the prophet Isaiah, God the Lord refers to Cyrus as Messiah. You'll know the word Messiah, 
it's the Hebrew equivalent to the Greek Christ, both of which 
translate anointed one. So how is Cyrus the anointed 
one? How is Cyrus the Messiah of God 
in this historical situation? Well, it was Cyrus who had put 
down the Babylonians. It was Cyrus and Persia that 
would conquer the Babylonian Empire. That's good news if you 
were a captive in the Babylonian Empire. That's good news if you 
were an exile from Judah living in Babylon. You'd certainly look 
at Cyrus in that manner. He's God's anointed. He's God's 
Messiah. He's God's champion to break 
the back of Babylonian oppression so that the Judahites can then 
return to their land. So he calls this bird of prey 
from the east, the man who executes my counsel from a far country. And remember, Cyrus, as far as 
we know, didn't go to Sunday school. He didn't sit under teaching 
on the 1689 Confession of Faith. As far as we know, he was a godless 
man, a wretched man. But in the hand of God Most High, 
he takes this crooked thing and makes a straight thing out of 
it. He takes this Messiah, sends 
him on the world stage to conquer and vanquish the Babylonian oppressors, 
so that Judah can then return to her land. So, God is in the 
heavens, He does whatever He pleases. And sometimes that means 
raising up a pagan to judge a bunch of other pagans. In fact, it 
was Cyrus and the people who rebuilt the temple. So God raises 
up godless men to do His work. Turn to one other place in the 
Old Testament, and again, this is not confined. This isn't preacher 
talk. Well, you know, there's so many 
more. There really is many, many more. 
That's not preacher talk. If you read the book of Genesis 
to Malachi, you can't miss the sovereignty of God. I mean, if 
you do, you haven't read it properly. I mean, I don't want to sound 
too unkind, but if you come out of a read of not just the Old 
Testament, but the New Testament, and you miss God's sovereignty, 
you missed a major theme. You missed a major theme that 
the Bible sets forth over and over again. Well, look at Nebuchadnezzar. Remember the scene? He was this 
kind of proud, well, not kind of, he was a proud, arrogant 
man that was musing upon his kingdom, and look at what I've 
built, look at what I've done, look at all the good that my 
hand has accomplished. So what does God do? He drives him out 
into the field, he lives like a beast, and then his reason 
returns to him. And notice that when his reason 
returns to him, he celebrates Not his own achievements, not 
his own doings, but the sovereign power of God Most High, infinite 
power and infinite wisdom. Notice in Daniel 4.34, And at 
the end of the time I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and 
my understanding returned to me, and I blessed the Most High 
and praised and honored Him who lives forever and ever, or lives 
forever. For His dominion is an everlasting 
dominion, and His kingdom is from generation to generation. 
All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing. He does 
according to His will in the army of heaven and among the 
inhabitants of the earth. No one can restrain his hand 
or say to him, what have you done? At the same time, my reason 
returned to me and for the glory of my kingdom, my honor and splendor 
returned to me. My counselors and nobles resorted 
to me. I was restored to my kingdom 
and excellent majesty was added to me. Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, 
praise and extol and honor the king of heaven. all of whose 
works are truth and his ways justice, and those who walk in 
pride he is able to put down." Well, he knew that experientially, 
didn't he? He goes from, look at what I've 
built, to dwelling in the fields and living as a beast. It was 
God's grace that restored him to that place of prestige, and 
it was God's grace that taught him that it's God and not Nebuchadnezzar 
that builds world powers. It's God that builds, it's God 
that sustains, and it's also God that ultimately collapses 
them. Turn over to the book of Acts, 
some New Testament documentation with reference to the same truth. 
God is not an innocent bystander hoping that the creation that 
He created kind of works itself out. He's not on the fray, chewing 
on his divine fingernails with knees knocking, hoping that things 
work out upon the world stage. Paul at the Areopagus, or Mars 
Hill, when he preaches to the Epicurean and Stoic philosophers. 
Remember, they had an idolatry problem in Athens. So what does 
Paul preach? Paul preaches the true and living 
God. That's the best corrective to an idolatry problem. It's 
the true and living God. In fact, you can see the idolatry 
problem in Acts 17, 16. Now while Paul waited for them 
at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him. This is a paroxysm. His spirit is provoked, and then 
notice when he saw that the city was given over to idols. For 
Paul, it was the first and second commandment that affected him 
when he was standing in Athens. And again, we ought to be offended 
by the breach of the sixth commandment vis-a-vis abortion, vis-a-vis 
maid, vis-a-vis pedophilia, and all the sorts of things we see 
that are a breach of the second table of the law. But we also 
need to remember that when we see man who acts like that with 
aggression towards his fellows, there's typically a theological 
reason. When you reject the true and 
living God, then pretty much anything and everything goes 
in society. In fact, the best corrective 
to second table breaches is the proclamation of the gospel of 
our Lord Jesus Christ. Again, we preach the law, you 
shall not murder. We preach the law, you shall 
not commit adultery. But let us never neglect the 
preaching of the gospel, which changes a man from within by 
the power of God's Holy Spirit, so that now he wants to comply 
with the second table. Now he wants to preserve and 
promote life. Now he wants to preserve and 
promote childhood development instead of mutilation. He wants 
to do what God calls him to do, so in our haste and our zeal 
to condemn the lawlessness of our own generation, let us not 
do so at the exception of preaching Christ and Him crucified. That's 
what the church brings to the table. That's what the church 
brings to this situation. It is the reality that in Jesus 
Christ there is forgiveness and there is a righteousness that 
avails with God. So Paul now addressing these 
Epicurean and Stoic philosophers, notice verse 24, This idea of being worshipped 
with men's hands picks up a convention used in the Old Testament. It's 
basically theological shorthand for idolatry. The works of men's 
hands relative to religious worship is idolatry. And so Paul is condemning 
their idolatry. So God who made the world and 
everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does 
not dwell in temples made with hands, nor is He worshipped with 
men's hands as though He needed anything, since He gives to all 
life breath and all things. And He has made from one blood 
every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, 
and has determined their pre-appointed times and the boundaries of their 
dwellings, so that they should seek the Lord in the hope that 
they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far 
from each one of us. Paul now cites one of their own 
pagan poets, for in him we live and move and have our being, 
as also some of your own poets have said, for we are also his 
offspring. So the apostle is setting forth 
the supremacy of the God of heaven and earth. That's the best corrective 
to idolatry that man engages in. And then Ephesians 111, it 
somewhat corresponds with what we see in Isaiah 46. Here, specifically, 
was, I think, a spiritual application. But certainly, the spiritual 
is, in many respects, a subset of the general. The fact that 
God has all authority, that God does uphold, that God does direct, 
that God does dispose, that God does govern, provides that general 
framework and context for the blessing of special grace in 
the salvation of needy sinners. So notice in Ephesians 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. Again, there's no wiggle room 
there. Well, is God really in control of all things? Yes, God 
really is in control of all things. Well, it doesn't make sense to 
me. If he's in control of all things, how come all these bad 
things happen? Again, these are puzzle pieces that are absent 
to us. They're not absent to God. God 
has his purposes. God is the good creator. Truly, 
God is good to Israel. God does cause all things to 
work together for good. So the confession, I think, does 
a wonderful thing in attaching this explanation of providence 
to the God of providence. So we've got its characteristics. 
He upholds, he directs, he disposes, and he governs. But then notice 
its scope. all creatures and things, from 
the greatest even to the least. That's a comprehensive scope. It's not that God's just got 
the church. God's just got the Christians. 
God's just got the believers, insofar as they're singing, and 
they're praying, and they're, you know, listening to the scripture, 
you know, that's great. But, you know, what happens in 
Israel, what happens in Myanmar, what happens over there, you 
know, that's not God's purview. you know, he's got the church, 
he's got the spiritual, you know, beyond that, you know, the world 
is just this random haphazard, you know, fact of molecules bouncing 
off of one another. No, that's not what the Confession 
says. All creatures and things, from the greatest even to the 
least. Now the whole system in general, 
we just saw that there in Ephesians 1.11. But as well, the fortuitous 
events in the world. What do I mean by fortuitous 
events? Well, what seems to be chance 
happenings, what seems to be, you know, random occurrences, 
the long red light, the red lights there over the overpass, you 
get the green one and then what, 25, you know, feet away, you 
hit the red one? Like, can't you just sink these 
to be green, both of them? That's not random. It's not haphazard. God governs all his creatures 
and all their actions. Let's look at the fortuitous 
events of men. Turn to the book of Proverbs. 
Proverbs chapter 16, specifically verse 33. The lot, or we might in modern 
parlance say the dice, we're a little bit more familiar with 
throwing dice, right? You're looking for seven, you 
don't want snake eyes, you roll those dice and you want what 
you want to come up. Well, certainly God's not in 
control of that. Come on, a die, you know, a two or a seven, that 
can't be in the hand of God or two or six, dice don't go to 
seven. It can't be in the hand of God. That would really be 
interesting if you roll the seven with one die. Anyways, what we 
have here is notice in verse 33, the lot is cast into the 
lap, but it's every decision is from the Lord. It's every 
decision is from the Lord. That's not, you know, preacher 
talk. That's not just trying to bring 
a bit of comfort to you when you're having these perplexing 
situations. That's reality. Based on the passages that we 
just read, You can't escape this conclusion. You can't escape 
this inference or implication. The lot is cast into the lap, 
but it's every decision is from the Lord. Turn over to the book 
of Matthew, the Gospel of Matthew, specifically chapter 10. Matthew 
chapter 10, specifically verses 29 and 30. I think this was, 
I've never seen it, I've never read this, but apparently in 
the medieval church they'd ask questions like, how many angels 
can fit on the head of a pin? There were others in the early 
church that said, you know, God really doesn't concern himself 
with cockroaches. He's not really, you know, I've 
read there's an outbreak of bedbugs in Paris. Boy, wouldn't you like 
to go visit there? Absolutely not. I mean, you know, 
we have this idea, I think it was Jerome, that God's not really 
concerned about the minutiae in the created order. Well, that's 
not what the Confession says. And brethren, that's not what 
the Bible says. He governs all creatures and things. Look at 
Matthew 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? The most, one of the most insignificant 
and, you know, popular, you know, the most multitude of birds, 
if one falls, it doesn't fall because your kid shot it with 
a BB gun. I mean, that might be the secondary cause, but it 
was God who caused that bird to fall. And then notice in verse 
30, but the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Again, 
we're not supposed to suppose that God, you know, today He's 
going to go through A to L, tomorrow M to Z, and He's going to count 
the hairs on the head of all His creatures. He knows this. 
He's an omniscient being. He knows all things that are 
to be known. So God governs all His creatures 
and all their actions, the whole system in general, the fortuitous 
events in the world. And then the free actions of 
men. Go back to the book of Proverbs. 
The free actions of men. This is one of the challenges 
that the Doctrine of Providence brings, and this is what paragraph 
2 will go on to describe. How does it work with God absolutely 
sovereign and man the creature who does what it looks like to 
be whatever he wants to do? How do these things jive? God's 
absolutely sovereign. Man has free will. We need to 
condition free will or qualify free will. will, respective of 
where man is in terms of history, whether at the state of creation, 
whether in the state of sin, whether in the state of redemption, 
or whether in the state of glory. But suffice to say, in the state 
of sin, man has free will. The man goes out today and he 
gets hammered with lots of alcohol, and he drives his car into the 
city center, and he runs somebody over. He does that. when there's 
various things that happen. God doesn't twist your arm to 
go out and commit acts of evil. So how do we understand this? 
How do these things work, the first cause and the second cause? 
Well, God's orchestrated it in such a way that the first cause 
is foundational for everything that obtains. The second causes 
are necessary in the sense to accomplish those things, and 
they work in union with one another. The man that does wickedness 
does wickedness because he chooses to do it. God uses it to accomplish 
His purposes because that's how He has established His decree. So notice in Proverbs 21.1, the 
king's heart is in the hand of the Lord. Like the rivers of 
water, He turns it wherever He wishes. Now brethren, we usually 
would interpret that and we pray, or at least I do, God take the 
heart of Justin Trudeau who acts like a king and turn it in a 
manner consistent with your revealed will. I think that's a legitimate 
prayer. But I think it's also a legitimate 
conclusion to understand that Justin's heart is in the hand 
of God even right now. and that whatever happens ultimately 
is according to God's purpose and plan and decree. And again, 
puzzle pieces that are missing, and the way that we're not supposed 
to respond is, well, if this is the will of God, then we're 
gonna just succumb and do all that. No, no, no, no, no, no. 
First cause, second cause. There are secret things that 
belong to our Lord, our God, and there are revealed things 
that are to inform our conduct presently. Notice as well we've 
got Ephesians chapter 2. Ephesians chapter 2 in the context 
of redemption and in the context of our good works, the things 
that you and I choose to do that are consistent with our salvation 
by grace through faith in Jesus, who gets the credit ultimately 
for that? It's not us. Did you just wake up one day 
and say, you know, I'm going to go out and ameliorate the 
cause of the downtrodden and poor. You did that because God 
saved you. You did that because God gave 
you a new heart. You did that because the Holy 
Spirit is at work in you. And that's Paul's point in verse 
10. For we are His workmanship, created 
in Christ Jesus, what? For good works, which God prepared 
beforehand that we should walk in them. And then turn over to 
Philippians 2. So God's... Providence extends 
to the whole system in general, the fortuitous events in the 
world, the free actions of men. One more passage here in 2.13, 
and then we'll finish with the sinful actions of men. But notice 
in 2.13, well, 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. Why? For it is God who works 
in you both to will and to do for his good pleasure. Notice 
he doesn't say work for your salvation. He doesn't say work 
to attain this state of being saved. No. Paul says you're saved 
by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. Now that you're a recipient 
of that great salvation, work it out in your life. What does 
that mean? You're now justified freely by God's grace. You now 
have the Holy Spirit indwelling you. You now have this desire 
to do good things. Go out and do them. But again, 
the credit, the glory, the honor, the praise, and the power goes 
to God. Verse 13, for it is God who works in you, notice, both 
to will and to do for His good pleasure. We are His workmanship 
created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand 
that we should walk in that. So, the whole system in general, 
the fortuitous events in the world, the free actions of men, 
and then fourthly, in terms of scope, the sinful actions of 
men. Now, admittedly, this is where 
it gets a bit more difficult, but the Bible gives us guidance, 
the Bible gives us help. Turn back to the book of Genesis. 
Genesis chapter 50. Again, I hope all are familiar 
passages. Oh, it's good. Hopefully it's 
not, oh man, I can't believe we're going through this again. 
Hopefully it's more of a, boy, it's good to be reminded of this 
again. Whenever I wake up and I see some new weird thing going 
on in the world, it's good to be reminded, or some wicked thing 
going on in the world, it's good to be reminded who's ultimately 
in charge. You remember the story of Joseph? 
You think you got problems in your family life? I mean, come 
on. Talk about a bad family situation. The father favors him. It outrages 
the brothers. So, of course, what do the brothers 
do? Well, let's kill him. One of the brothers intervenes. 
Well, let's not kill him. Let's sell him into slavery. 
Brethren, in the grand scheme of things, what would you prefer? 
Death immediately or being sold into slavery? I don't know, I 
might opt for death immediately considering how people treat 
slaves. I don't know, but either way, these are not stellar siblings. These are not brothers of the 
year. They don't get coffee cups from Joseph at the end of the 
year saying brother of the year. So they do all these horrible 
things and of course we see that it's God's purpose and plan. 
Why is that? because God takes the brother 
that sold into slavery and exalts him. Second in command in Egypt. That's gonna be absolutely crucial 
when this famine comes and when the Israelites need food. It's gonna be Joseph that is 
in a key position to make sure that the seed of Jesus continues. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, we 
gotta further that football down the field in order to bring us 
to that time when God sent forth his son. And so in order for 
the Israelites to survive, they need a key figure who's got a 
good hand on the control of food in this time of famine. So when 
the brothers finally meet, the brothers finally reconcile, the 
brothers finally get back to at least some degree of normal, 
Joseph gives this theology lesson to them. Notice in Genesis 50 
verse 19, Joseph said to them, do not be afraid for am I in 
the place of God. 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. Again, brethren, we may not have 
all the answers in the midst of the situation. Why would his 
brothers do that? Why would his brothers hurt him? 
Why would his brothers be so nasty? Why didn't God kill them 
when they threw Joseph down the pit and provide a ladder for 
Joseph to get up out of that pit? He didn't do that. Why? 
Because he has his purpose and he has his plan. And as Joseph 
theologically correctly says, 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. And then, 
of course, we have those passages in the book of Acts that highlight 
one of the most, well, the most sinful criminal act that's ever 
occurred. The most sinful and criminal act that's ever occurred 
was the death or the crucifixion of our Lord Jesus Christ. The 
Apostle tells us in Hebrews 7, he was wholly harmless and undefiled. 
Pontius Pilate understood and confesses three times, I find 
no guilt in him. I find no guilt in him. I find 
no guilt in him, he says. You know, Peter, one of his closest 
friends, is able to apply the prophet Isaiah to him. He had 
no guile, no deceit in his mouth. He committed no sin. The closer 
you are to people, the more you see their sins, right? It's just 
the way it is. I mean, I see my beloved's. No, 
she's pretty much perfect. No, I'm kidding. She certainly 
sees mine. Familiarity evidences the sinfulness 
that we carry in our bosom. And yet Peter's with Jesus for 
three years and is able to say, who committed no sin. So the 
death or crucifixion of Jesus was the most horrific act in 
terms of criminal behavior that has ever taken place. Pastor 
Naftali preached last Sunday from Acts 2, specifically verses 
22 and 23. I mean, he did more, but I just 
want to read that. Men of Israel, hear these words, Jesus of Nazareth, 
a man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs, 
which God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves 
also know. Him being delivered by the determined 
purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless 
hands, have crucified and put to death. So on the one hand, 
God governed, upheld, ruled, disposed, all of this. But notice 
it doesn't mitigate the guilt of the lawless hands. You see, 
both things are taught. God is absolutely, positively, 
100% sovereign. But as well, man is responsible. 
Man is culpable for his conduct and for his actions and for his 
lawless behavior before this holy God. So it's not a, we have 
to get rid of one or the other. There have been those attempts 
in theology. Well, we really can't deal with a sovereign God 
and the presence of pedophilia in the world. So God must not 
be sovereign. Or we minimize and say, well, 
you know, these pedophiles are ultimately ordained by the hand. 
No, no, no, no, no. God is absolutely sovereign, 
man is absolutely responsible. And again, our confession goes 
into explaining as best as they can that reality in scripture. And as I mentioned at the outset 
of the study today, it may not be that every single I gets dotted 
in your mind or every single T gets crossed in your mind, 
but realize that the God of absolute glory and sovereignty is the 
God who, even though there are wicked things that obtain in 
this creation, overrules those things for His glory and for 
our good. So verse 23, most heinous and criminal act 
that has ever occurred was overruled by God to bring about great good. Without that death, there is 
no remission. Without the bloodshed of the 
Lord Jesus, there is no salvation. So that godless, wicked act is 
overruled by our good God for the salvation of a multitude 
that no man can number. The apostolic prayer meeting, 
they make the same statement over in Acts 4, specifically 
at verses 27 and 28. For truly, against your holy 
servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, 
with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together, 
notice, to do whatever your hand and your purpose determined before 
to be done. So, whenever we think, you know, 
I'm just trying to do a good thing, I'm just trying to be 
a good guy or a good girl, I can't believe these horrible things 
are happening to me. Brethren, come back to Scripture 
and focus upon the reality that the Savior of sinners was ordained 
by God to go to the cross for us men and for our salvation. 
So the scope of divine providence is the whole system in general, 
the fortuitous events in the world, the free actions of men, 
and the sinful actions of men. But notice in terms of the confessional 
statement, it has a particular purpose. Notice. from the greatest 
even to the least by his most wise and holy providence, notice, 
to the end for which they were created. To the end for which 
they were created. In other words, God has a purpose 
for the things that he has made. God has his purposes for mosquitoes 
and flies and bedbugs. It's not just to make people 
embarrassed, upset. God has his purposes for this 
created order. We may not be able to understand 
all those things, but again, God does, and He will accomplish 
His plan and purpose for His people, for His glory, and for 
the manifestation of His praise and glory. So notice, the confession 
moves from scope now to the determining causes with reference to this 
providence. Notice, according unto His infallible 
foreknowledge, and the free and immutable counsel of his own 
will. So this is, I think I've mentioned 
before, sometimes the question of the atonement comes up. Was 
it a necessity? Was it a necessity that the only 
way for salvation of guilty sinners was through the death of Jesus? 
I think some in the history of the church said, no, God's a 
sovereign being, he could have purposed another way. And then 
there's those who believe that there is a necessity. Well, yeah, 
if the infinitely wise God pursued this means, then that means it 
reflects the infinite wisdom of this God. So it is a necessity 
that Christ come, that He take on our humanity, live for us, 
that He die for us, and that He be raised again for us. And 
I think that's what the confession is doing here. After the purpose, 
the general statement to the end, for which they were created, 
according unto his infallible foreknowledge. He doesn't mistake. 
He doesn't error. He doesn't say, well, that caught 
me off guard. I didn't see that coming. We 
have that experience all the time. I didn't see that coming, 
right? Probably all of us have said 
that on many occasions. I didn't see that coming. God 
never says that. He has infallible foreknowledge 
and then the free and immutable counsel of His own will. This idea of immutability means 
unchangeable. In other words, what we see happening 
is happening according to plan. even the men that govern us, 
the women that govern us, even the events that continue in the 
world. But again, brethren, we don't 
live based on the secret things. We're not supposed to conclude, 
well, this is obviously the plan and purpose of God, so that's 
the way it goes. The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but 
the things that He has revealed are for us and our children. 
And what has He revealed? He has revealed that we pray 
for kings and authority, and all who are in authority. We 
pray for, you know, an end to abortion. We pray for those things 
that we see are horrific on the face of the earth, the things 
going on in Israel, the things going on in the Ukraine, the 
things going on in Myanmar, the things that go on all over the 
earth. We don't live according to the secret things and say, 
well, you know, this is the plan and purpose of God. Let's just 
watch as all these people get slaughtered. No, we pray, God, 
move these people in charge. Move these people that are making 
decisions in the direction of righteousness. That's consistent. 
And the rest of the confession sort of goes in to those particular 
details. And then notice the last statement 
in paragraph one. And good news, this is all we're 
gonna do today. We won't get to paragraphs two to seven. But 
notice, to the praise of the glory of his wisdom, power, justice, 
infinite goodness, and mercy. I sometimes think that that's 
not always a good answer for Christians. You know, your kids 
might ask, well, you know, why did God allow, but we don't see 
just this allowance. If you notice in paragraph four, 
with reference to the first fall, and that not by a bare permission. It wasn't just bare permission 
by which Adam and Eve fell. But God purposed it, God decreed 
it, and in providence it fell out that way. And sometimes kids 
will say, well, why did Adam and Eve sin? I mean, there's 
a lot of reasons for that. There's a lot of things that 
you can offer up by way of an explanation. But what's the ultimate 
reason? For the manifestation of the 
perfections of God Almighty. If Adam and Eve hadn't have sinned, 
there would be no reason for the coming of the second or last 
Adam. If Adam the first had carried 
out his task according to the command of God, there'd be no 
need for Adam the last to come and show us the glorious mercy 
and grace and kindness and goodness of God. So in other words, God 
has a morally sufficient reason for the evil that exists. And 
the end of it, as our confession says, is to the praise of the 
glory of His wisdom, power, justice, infinite goodness and mercy. 
I think it's natural for the people of God to have a desire 
for justice. I think it is natural for the 
people of God to have a desire for righteousness. I don't think 
Asaph is a bad guy in Psalm 73, because he's perplexed when he 
sees the righteous suffer and he sees the godless abound. I 
don't think Asaph's a bad guy. I think in many respects that 
imitates God. God is a God of justice. God 
is a God of righteousness. I don't think it's wrong for 
us to consider that in that final day of judgment, I mean, if persons 
get away with things in the here and now, you and I are convinced 
and we know from Scripture, they're not going to get away with it 
into eternity. There is a judgment and a reckoning 
coming. There is a manifestation at the 
end of God's wisdom, power, justice, infinite goodness, and mercy. 
So when we stand before God on that day of judgment, we will 
extol His mercy. We will revel in His grace. We 
will delight in and marvel upon the fact that in the fullness 
of the time God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under 
the law, to redeem those under the law. But as well, the entirety 
of creation will rejoice in the righteousness of God, in the 
justice of God, when He consigns the reprobate and the wicked 
to hell. Again, it's not necessarily evil to have that desire because 
we imitate God. We are image bearers of God. Justice and righteousness, according 
to Psalm 89, are the foundation of His throne. Now for us, it 
may be that day of judgment is going to be the manifestation 
of that justice. I mean, I think in history there 
are times, there are instances, there are occasions when you 
see God's historical judgments come upon a godless group. You 
see it with reference to Egypt. You see it with reference to 
Babylon. You can't read the prophets and you can't read the Psalms 
without seeing God in history vindicating His covenant people. 
So we have that assurance, but we don't have the promise that 
it's going to necessarily happen in our lifetime. It's not going 
to necessarily be the case that all of our answers are provided 
for us on this side of heaven. But that great day will manifest 
His glorious perfections wherein all of the people of God will 
marvel at what He's accomplished in terms of His great plan to 
save His people from their sins by the work of His Son, the Lord 
Jesus Christ. So paragraph one is most helpful 
in terms of a good explanation or overarching explanation of 
the various things concerning divine providence. Perhaps next 
time we will look at paragraphs two to seven as various things 
that present various challenges are explained in the confession 
relative to, say for instance, divine providence and sin. That 
usually comes up in the lives of God's people. How do we interpret 
divine providence and the sin of godless people? How do we 
interpret divine providence and our own remaining corruption? 
Well, the divines took pen to paper and tried to answer those 
questions in a manner that I think is very biblical and very much 
representative of a good exegetical approach to Holy Scripture. Well, 
I'll pray, and if there's any questions, we can deal with that. 
Father in heaven, as we consider just this first paragraph, as 
we consider the various passages that we've read, we see that 
you are, in fact, good. And I pray that we'd always operate 
in terms of interpreting circumstances with that axiom or that principle. 
As well, God, help us to appreciate that there are no haphazard events 
in this world. There's no random occurrences, 
but you are sovereign over all things. You govern all your creatures 
and all their actions. And God, may this be a means 
of encouragement and comfort to the saints of Christ, and 
may you help us to live in a manner that is consistent with your 
revealed will as it comes to us in the Holy Scriptures. Again, 
we pray for these events happening all over the earth. We ask God 
in heaven that you would give your people grace in the midst 
of these things to press on, to be steadfast, to shine as 
lights in a crooked and perverse generation, and give us boldness 
and courage to hold forth your word of truth. And we pray through 
Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Well, any questions or 
comments?