You may remember the myriad online discussion groups several years ago. What follows is a copy of a conversation between a member of one list and the list owner.
Providence: Often used as a name or title for God (by America’s founders). One element of the term indicates the fact that God provides. This in turn comes from the fact that God knows our needs in advance (pro-video: to see before). In God’s foreknowledge he is able to work within the laws of nature and the circumstances of history so as to provide for our needs in advance. This is a behind the scenes working of God.
Mordecai told Esther that she might have been brought into those circumstances “for such a time as this.”
Joseph told his brothers that what they “meant for evil, God meant for good.”
Romans 8:28 says that, “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to his purpose.” (NKJV) or “And we know that to them that love God all things work together for good, even to them that are called according to his purpose.” (ASV). or “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called R393 according to His purpose.” (NASB)
(Name withheld for privacy)
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I know of a few Christians who have a very DEISTIC (as opposed to atheistic) view of God. They seem to think that since the close of the first century, that just because the miraculous age is over, that God has no personal interest or input into our world.
They think that we are so totally on our own with the Word that it is a sink or swim situation. They do not believe that prayer is necessary, that it is nothing more than psychological self-talk.
Name withheld
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I appreciate your sensitivity to this issue. But it is not a mere charge. I know personally of a couple in particular who have said so from their own mouths. I know they have taken an extremist position. And I believe it is only a sad caricature to paint others that way.
… God is the author of all natural law is perfectly capable of working out his own ends within that framework. To step outside of or to alter those laws is by nature supernatural or miraculous. We know that he has done so on numerous occasions. But we have biblical cause to say that the age of miracles has ceased.
(Name withheld)
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The first time the word “providence” is used in scripture, it refers to the Jew’s spokesman accrediting the Governor Felix with providing their physical needs (Acts 24:1-8). The second time it is used (Rom. 13:14), it refers to providing things for the flesh to enjoy.
In Scripture, the word “providence” has nothing at all to do with what is assumed to be “God’s providence” today.
Though many definitions have been given for “the providence of God” in religion, they all generally speak of what God does on earth so that his hand is not seen. Better it is that we speak the words our Heavenly Father speaks and that we follow the steps of the master (1 Pet. 2:21) and speak even as the Father speaks in his word (John 12:50).
Behind the expression “the providence of God” is another of man’s phrases that destroys faith in God’s work today.
Supernatural: The use of the word ‘supernatural’ goes far beyond the miracles of the New Testament. The purpose for the miracles was for God’s witness to his prophets and apostles (Heb. 2:3-4). Men speak of the “supernatural” causing rain, wind, crops to grow, etc., but that is not in any way connected to the witness of God.
God bore witness to his prophets and apostles through signs, wonders and miracles—signs (indications), wonders (things extraordinary), miracles (powers), and gifts of the Holy Spirit (works that only God could do). These are all things men could see and would naturally attribute to a power greater than the man who did the miracle.
- Substituting the word ‘supernatural’ for God’s witnesses through men goes far beyond signs, wonders, miracles and gifts of the Holy Spirit.
- “Supernatural” includes “anything more than what happens naturally” according to the laws of nature or that men can do without any divine help.
- “Supernatural” includes bearing witness to a prophet or apostle, and also includes everything else that God does, including works (like causing it to rain) and events (such as storms or earthquakes) he causes without his hand being seen.
Certainly God is working all things together (Rom. 8:28; Eph. 1:11-12). What does that leave out? We don’t see his hand and therefore conclude that he does not work everything that happens.
“Deism” is the doctrine that God made the world and walked off and left it to run by itself. To such of that ‘faith,’ God does virtually nothing in our modern world. As such, they don’t believe that God rewards those who diligently seek him, and so, are not able to go to God (Heb. 11:6). Deists hide behind the word “providence,” giving full credit to this smoke screen that literally means God does nothing and nature does it all. They imagine God was wise enough to foresee everything that would happen and arranged for a solution to anything that goes wrong or any need before the foundation of the world. That is exactly what it is—imagination. There is not one scripture in the entire Bible that even indicates such. The Lord contradicts such a doctrine even in the Old Testament.
In Isaiah 46:9-11 he says he is doing these things: Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, 10 Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure: 11 Calling a ravenous bird from the east, the man that executeth my counsel from a far country: yea, I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed it, I will also do it (Isa. 46:9-11).
In each case, God declares that he “… will (active future tense) do it.” He doesn’t say I saw what was going to happen and already did something about it, as Calvin’s doctrine of Predestination would have it. He speaks it, and then actively brings it to pass. Our God is a living, active, responsive God who works all things together after the counsel of his own will (Rom. 8:28).
For who hath stood in the counsel of the LORD, and hath perceived and heard his word? who hath marked his word, and heard it?… 22 But if they had stood in my counsel, and had caused my people to hear my words, then they should have turned them from their evil way, and from the evil of their doings (Jer. 23:18).
Follow closely the passages the deists use to teach their false doctrines. Even the very scriptures they use do not say what they claim.
Acts 24:1-8—And after five days Ananias the high priest descended with the elders, and with a certain orator named Tertullus, who informed the governor against Paul. 2 And when he was called forth, Tertullus began to accuse him (Paul), saying, Seeing that by thee (Roman official-Felix) we enjoy great quietness, and that very worthy deeds are done unto this nation by thy providence, 3 We accept it always, and in all places, most noble Felix, with all thankfulness. 4 Notwithstanding, that I be not further tedious unto thee, I pray thee that thou wouldest hear us of thy clemency a few words. 5 For we have found this man a pestilent fellow, and a mover of sedition among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes: 6 Who also hath gone about to profane the temple: whom we took, and would have judged according to our law. 7 But the chief captain Lysias came upon us, and with great violence took him away out of our hands, 8 Commanding his accusers to come unto thee: by examining of whom thyself mayest take knowledge of all these things, whereof we accuse him.
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GREEK DEFINITION OF “PROVIDENCE”
NT: 4307 pronoia (pron’-oy-ah); from NT: 4306; forethought, i.e. provident care or supply:
KJV – providence, provision.
(Biblesoft’s New Exhaustive Strong’s Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible Translators, Inc.)
MODERN DEFINITIONS OF “PROVIDENCE”
- Care or preparation in advance; foresight.
- Prudent management; economy.
- The care, guardianship, and control exercised by a deity; divine direction:
- Providence God.
- (Theology)
- Christianity God’s foreseeing protection and care of his creatures
- such protection and care as manifest by some other force
- (Theology) a supposed manifestation of such care and guidance
- the foresight or care exercised by a person in the management of his affairs or resources
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
Legend:
| 2. | providence – the guardianship and control exercised by a deity; “divine providence”
guardianship, tutelage, care, charge – attention and management implying responsibility for safety; “he is in the care of a bodyguard” |
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| 3. | providence – a manifestation of God’s foresightful care for his creatures
circumstances, luck, destiny, fate, fortune, lot, portion – your overall circumstances or condition in life (including everything that happens to you); “whatever my fortune may be”; “deserved a better fate”; “has a happy lot”; “the luck of the Irish”; “a victim of circumstances”; “success that was her portion” |
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| 4. | providence – the prudence and care exercised by someone in the management of resources
prudence – discretion in practical affairs foresight, foresightedness, foresightfulness – providence by virtue of planning prudently for the future improvidence, shortsightedness – a lack of prudence and care by someone in the management of resources |
Link to this page:
<a href=”http://www.thefreedictionary.com/providence”>providence</a>
A student version of this dictionary gave “prudence” as a synonym or alternate definition. Note how far the meaning has drifted.
Main Entry: pru·dence
Pronunciation: prüd-n(t)s
Function: noun
1: the ability to govern and discipline oneself by the use of reason
2: skill and good judgment in the management of affairs
–Beth Johnson
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