Providence – Three Views
Part 2: Providence in Classical Arminian Theism
By Chris Priestley – originally published 5/2/2014
The Pictures of Providence on display in the gallery of Ruth reveal the rock-solid reality of God’s certainty and control. In this series, Pastor Chris examines three views of God’s involvement in the world and what the Bible teaches.
Arminianism teaches with regard to providence that “God is in charge, but not in control.”[1] God is in ultimate charge of where history goes, but not in specific control of the details that get history there. God has goals in mind, but the means by which He achieves them include a series of responses to the choices of man by which he ultimately achieves his purpose. Unlike Open Theists, Ariminians hold that God knows every detail of the future, but along with Open Theists, Arminians hold that God does not control or govern the details to get there (most of the time). Instead, God relinquishes control to natural laws he created and to free-will decisions of his creation. God’s providence in Arminian theology is his response in advance to the foreseen choices of man to move His will forward.
Arminian Jack Cottrell writes,
“For if God foreknows all the choices that every person will make, he can make his own plans accordingly, fitting his purposes around these foreknown decisions and actions” –Jack Cottrell, (What the Bible Says about God the Ruler, pg. 208).
While God sometimes steps in and intervenes to direct the world and direct the decisions of people, these are the rare occurrences of “special providence.” In Arminianism, God works around the decisions and desires of people to accomplish his will.
Where is Arminian Theism in the Bible?
While the phrase “free will” is not found in your Bible, the argument for the Arminian view is one based upon assumption. In passages throughout the Bible that call upon people to make a decision (“Choose this day whom you will serve” (Josh 24:14-15), “Everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved” (Romans 10:13, Acts 2:21, Joel 2:32), as well as the free offer of the Gospel that is presented throughout the New Testament), Arminians argue that in order for any of these offers to be valid, we must assume that God does not exercise any involvement in the decisions or control of the outcome. The bottom line for Arminian theism is God does not interfere in the lives and decisions of people—regardless of the destruction they are heaping upon themselves—except in rare and special occasions.
Response
I have many Christian brothers and sisters and family members who hold to this position, and I grew up attending a Free Will Baptist Church that taught this view. Furthermore, Christians who hold to this position in good conscience are welcome to be involved and serve and become members at Crossroads. However, I do not believe this position to be correct theologically or helpful practically or pastorally. Here are four brief responses to the Arminian view:
1.) The Bible never limits God’s involvement in the world to specific situations of “special providence,” but reveals a God who is both in charge and in control of all things at all times in an intimate and personal way from the macro level of kings and nations to micro level of chemical reactions and the dice being rolled in vegas.
God “accomplishes all things according to the counsel of his will.” (Ephesians 1:11)
Jesus “upholds [literally “carries along”] the universe by the word of his power.” (Colossians 1:17)
“For from him, through him, and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.” (Romans 11:36)
“The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD.” (Proverbs 16:33)
2.) God is not only in charge of the ends (where history ends up), but also in control of the means (how history gets there). The good and perfect means by which God accomplishes his good and perfect end includes the real choices and decisions of people (Acts 4:24-27, Genesis 50:20). God cannot guarantee an “end” when he has no control of the “means.”
3.) Arminians argue that for our choices to be real, God cannot involve himself in our decisions[2]. This is an argument not found in Scripture. The Bible maintains that God’s providence in all things does not remove the reality or legitimacy of human choice. Just as God’s creation of all things does not make their existence any less real, so God’s providence in all events does not make their happening any less real. God created everything out of nothing. Everything that exists—from rain and snow to animals and people—really exists, because of the gracious creative activity of God (Genesis 1:1, John 1:3). No one would argue “Rain is not really rain if God made it” (Job 5:10). No one would say, "Grass is not really growing if God causes it to grow" (Psalm 104:14). Likewise, God’s upholding of all things and God's providence in all events and decisions does not make them any less real. God's involvement and participation in the world by his creative work and his providential care does not make the world or it's happenings unreal, quite the opposite, all things exist and continue to really exist because of God's creation and providence.
4.) Just as creation is not any less real because God is the creator and sustainer of all things, so decisions are real not because God is uninvolved in them but because they are thought through in the mind, felt in the heart, and decided upon by the will.
The role of the heart:
“The plans of the heart belong to man, but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord.” (Proverbs 16:1)
The role of the mind:
“The mind of a man plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.” (Proverbs 16:9 NASB)
The role of the will:
“It is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.” (Philippians 2:13)
Biblically, choices are real because we desire, plan, and act. Concurrently, God is Sovereign because his providence works through our desires, plans and decisions (more on this in the next post).
Where Arminianism maintains that people are 100% free most of the time and God is 100% in control some of the time, the Bible teaches both that God is 100% in control and humans are 100% free all of the time. Examples abound throughout Scripture including the stories of David counting Israel in 2 Samuel 24, Joseph sold into slavery in Genesis (specifically Genesis 50:20), Ruth, Jonah, and the crucifixion of Jesus Christ (Acts 4). We’ll take a look at these in the next post.
How does Arminianism Work Out Practically?
Dr. Bruce Ware rightly calls Arminian Theism “Independent Hands of God and Man.” For Arminians, events occur because of the natural laws set up by God and the free will decisions of man independent from any intervention of God (most of the time).
Arminianism teaches that God is not in control of all events, or involved in decisions (apart from rare occasions of “special providence”). Philosophically this is intended to preserve the freedom of choice. God is portrayed as a gentleman who knocks on the door and waits politely for a response, but refuses to enter the house or get involved without an invitation. To Arminians, God is a gentleman who respects our choices, but not a Sovereign God who governs all things for his glory and his people’s good.
When it comes to salvation, Arminian Theism portrays Jesus’ coming and dying to save his people as a divine wedding proposal, that extends an invitation of grace to everyone, but does not accomplish salvation for anyone by himself.
While the analogy sounds nice, Scripture teaches that all of us are rebels and failures who given the choice between marrying God and marrying self, will choose to grab the ring and run from God to our own destruction every time (Ephesians 2:1-3; Romans 3:10-18). This is why we all need the one-way divine intervention of grace.
Were salvation left up to our best decisions apart from the grace and providence of God, all of us would choose sin and Hell over God [Romans 8:7, Romans 3:10-18, Ephesians 2:1-3] (and all of us demonstrate that empirically every day of our lives with our sin until the grace of God intervenes).
Thankfully, the God of the Bible is not so much of a gentlemen that he stands idly by and politely watches all of us freely choose to go to Hell, but he is also a loving Father who steps in and grabs his kids from running to their destruction (Ephesians 2:4-10).
Furthermore, because of God’s providence, all of the terrible choices that men and women make are not the final word. Whatever harm that men choose will be judged, and even the harm intended by them will be turned by God for his glory and the good of his people (Romans 8:28-32). This is demonstrated most clearly at the cross where many plot evil against Jesus by their real choices but God plots the glory of his Son and the salvation of his people by his real providence (Acts 4:24-27). Further practical examples in scripture include the stories of Joseph and Ruth and Job.
Arminian Theism rightly confesses God is Sovereign and in charge, but wrongly limits the sovereignty of God to a space outside the will of man and therefore mutes his glory, goodness and involvement in the world. As a theology it’s acceptable for Christians to believe, but it fails to paint an accurate picture of the glory and providence of God as portrayed in the Bible.
In the next blog we’ll take a look at the Reformed view of Providence to uncover God’s hand in and through our lives and salvation.
Recommended Reading
Books:
The Mystery of Providence by John Flavel (Puritan Paperback) smaller work, but written in archaic language.
All Things for God by Thomas Watson (Puritan Paperback)
Chapter 16 “Providence” in Systematic Theology by Wayne Grudem
Multiperspectival:
Debating Calvinism: Five Points; Two Views by Dave Hunt and James White
Calvinist:
Living for God’s Glory by Joel Beeke (Provides Historical, Theological and Practical Introduction; large work)
Five Points by John Piper
For Calvinism by Michael Horton
Why I am Not an Arminian by Robert Peterson
Arminian:
Against Calvinism by Roger Olson
Why I Am Not a Calvinist by Jerry Walls
Video:
Dr. Bruce Ware – Independent Hands of God and Men
[1]Quoted from Roger Olson, http://www.patheos.com/blogs/rogereolson/2014/03/arminianism-and-providence/
[2] This assumption of Arminianism begins with an understanding of freedom that is based in philosophy and then reads Scripture and understands God through this lens. The philosophy says choices are only real choices if there is nothing involved or participating in the decision making process apart from human will. If we begin with a philosophy and then read the Bible through the lens of our definition, we come up with a God who fits our philosophy and understanding of the world. Instead, we should begin with Scripture to renew our thinking and teach us what God and what we are like. Scripture teaches it is not only our will that is involved in decision-making, but also what we desire and what we think. Furthermore, Scripture reveals a God who does not work around our plans and decisions, but a God works in and through our plans and decisions.
Providence in Reformed Theology
Reformed theology teaches with regard to providence that God is always at every second involved with everything he has created in three ways: 1.) Sustenance - He sustains all the properties that allow anything to exist or function 2.) Concurrence - He cooperates with every created thing to cause them to act as they do—whether it’s the shining of the sun, the growing of the grass or the election of Presidents—and 3.) Governance - God directs all of his creation to fulfill his good purposes.
Unlike Open Theists, Reformed Theists hold that God knows every detail of the future, and unlike Arminians, Reformed Theists hold that God ordains every detail of the future. God is Sovereign over both the ends (outcomes) and the means (details).
God’s active participation is ongoing and there is never a time when God is not involved and in control as a Sovereign King and Loving Father directing all things through his hand of providence to get glory for himself and good for his people.
Where is Reformed Providence in the Bible?
From prophecies forth-telling the future and the coming Messiah to unexpected provision in difficult times, from creating the world by his Word in Genesis to closing history with his return in Revelation, the revelation of Scripture is clearly and consistently a God who rules and reigns in Sovereign and Fatherly providence.
The providence of God is seen in his sustenance, concurrence and governance throughout Scripture.
Sustenance
Everything that God created, continues to exist because of the ongoing providence of God’s sustenance. Hebrews says Jesus “upholds the universe by the word of his power” (Hebrews 3:1). This is the basis for our existence as well as the foundation for the sciences. Matter continues to exist and chemical properties are maintained by the all-encompassing, on-going sustenance of God’s providence. Furthermore, “If he should take back his spirit to himself, and gather to himself his breath, all flesh would perish together, and man would return to dust.” (Job 34:14-15; Psalm 104:29)
Unlike the aloof god of Deism, our God is intimately involved in his creation at all times sustaining natural properties and our lives. Because of God’s sustenance every breath is truly a gift of providence.
Concurrence
God is at work in and through all created things in such a way as to cooperate in their actions and cause them to act as they do. This includes the micro level of atoms and inanimate objects and individuals (1 Kings 17:4, Jonah 4:6-7, Exodus 8:21, Psalms 105:16, Psalms 105:32, 34, Isaiah 7:18, Proverbs 16:33, Mark 4:41) as well as the macro level of peoples and nations (Daniel 2:21, Mark 1:27, Hebrews 1:3).
Concurrence in Creation
Concurrence means that God is working alongside or in and through the properties and actions of his creation. For example, Psalm 104:14 explains of God’s concurrence, “You cause the grass to grow.” On one side we have a 100% perfectly natural explanation for how grass grows. Water. Light. Photosynthesis. Good soil. On one side we have a 100% providential explanation for how grass grows, God causes the grass to grow. God both sustains the properties of grass and concurrently works alongside, in and through his creation to cause grass to grow. Practically, this means God is intimately and beautifully involved in every action of his creation from the blooming of flowers every day to the rising of the sun every morning. “He works all things after the counsel of His will” (Ephesians 1:11 NASB).
I used to wonder as a kid why my friends would pray, “God bless this food to the nourishment of our bodies.” Why pray for food to provide nutrients? Food is already nourishing whether you pray or not. Through God’s concurrence we see amazingly that it is by God’s providence that food continues to be nourishing, gravity continues to pull down, and water continues to be wet.
Concurrence in Every Area of Our Lives
Furthermore, Scripture teaches God’s concurrence extends to every area of our lives.
Provision of our food daily (Matt. 6:11)
All of our days recorded (Psalm 139:16)
The length of our life determined (Job 14:5)
Every movement an act of God’s providence (Acts 17:28)
Every step taken directed by God (Jeremiah 10:23, Proverbs 20:24, 16:9, 16:1)
Success and failure from God (Psalm 75:6-7, Luke 1:52)
Children provided by God (Psalm 127:3)
Abilities and gifts from God (1 Cor. 4:7)
Physical effects of exercise provided by God (Psalm 18:34)
The decisions of governments, kings, and leaders (Prov. 21:1, Ezra 6:22, Ezra 1:1)
The hearts of all people (Psalm 33:14-15)
The desires and will of his people (Philippians 2:13)
Additionally, Scripture affirms that every choice and decision of every person has real consequence and meaning. We see this evidenced in our own lives, as well as throughout Scripture (Joshua 24:14-15, Isaiah 55:3, Matthew 11:28, Luke 13:3, Revelation 2:5). In this, the providence of God stands against fate or determinism in which humanity is reduced to mere robots that have no desire or wills of their own. Instead, concurrence reveals that our choices are not only real, but also necessary, and further still that God is actively working in and through our planning to get glory for Jesus and good for his people.
What About Evil?
Scripture is clear that
1.) God is light and in him is no darkness (1 John 1:5). Sin is outside the moral will of God, and God never acts in a way that is sinful (James 1:13, Hebrews 4:15, 1 Peter 2:22, John 8:46).
2.) God’s providence works through concurrence to turn even the sinful choices of evil men into their judgment and the good his people.
Joseph and his Brothers
The story of Joseph in Genesis provides an incontrovertible case study of this reality. Joseph was a man who was sinned against grievously by his brothers, his employer’s wife and his friends, and when he stands before his brothers later in life he concludes,
“As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.” (Genesis 50:20)
Joseph’s brothers meant to sell him into slavery to harm him. They desired harm in their hearts, they planned it out in their minds, and they acted it out with their hands by the free decision of their wills. Joseph’s brothers are morally responsible for the evil they intended, planned and acted out. And at the same time, God meant it for good. Which means God desired good, God planned the events for good, and God ordained their occurrence. God is responsible for the good that he intended, planned and acted out. This one example provides a beautiful picture of God’s providence that is not thwarted by evil, but is active even in the midst of evil, bringing evil-doers to judgment and bringing his people to good and glory. In this no one ever gets away with anything, and just because God graciously brings good out of horrible evil events does not mean the event itself was good or that those responsible should not be held accountable and justly judged for their evil.
Governance
Governance is the working of God not only to sustain all things or work concurrently in all things, but to also direct the outcome of all things as a Sovereign King and loving Father.
John Calvin rightly said, “[God] is deemed omnipotent (all-powerful), not because he can indeed act, yet sometimes ceases and sits in idleness, or continues by a general impulse that order of nature which he previously appointed; but because, governing heaven and earth by his providence, he so regulates all things that nothing takes place without his deliberation.“ --John Calvin, The Institutes of the Christian Religion, 1.16.3
Psalm 135:6 says “Whatever the Lord pleases, he does, in heaven and on earth, in the seas and all deeps.
Jesus’ Throne
God’s throne is mentioned throughout the Bible 135 times in the Old Testament and 61 times in the New Testament. In the book of Revelation alone, the throne of Jesus Christ appears 45 times as the central theme and focus of the book. The throne of God is a powerful image that reveals Jesus is ruling and reigning and in control and in charge and in authority and in power over all things (2 Chronicles 18:18). Jesus is a King who rules over his creation from his throne (Psalm 47:8), Jesus will judge the world from his throne (Psalm 9:4, John 5:22), Jesus is a priest who gets off his throne and dies for our sin to forgive us and intercede for us before God the Father (Hebrews 8:1), and Jesus is a warrior who stepped off his throne to conquer his enemies of Satan and sin and death on the cross before returning to sit on his throne in victory (Revelation 14:1-11). The throne of Jesus is a powerful symbol of God’s governance and providence in his creation and kingdom (Psalm 103:19).
Jesus and his Enemies
By far, the brightest shining star of God’s governance through providence is seen at the cross where Jesus was crucified. The murder of Jesus Christ involved many sinners plotting and scheming and planning evil to betray, arrest, torture, condemn, and crucify Jesus. Judas planned and decided and determined to betray Jesus. Peter tried to talk Jesus out of going to the cross. Pilate condemned Jesus. The Jews yelled crucified. Soldiers brutally tortured him. Jesus was murdered. Satan thought he had won. Everyone thought they were accomplishing their plan, everyone thought they sat on a throne and could govern the universe and bring about their evil wills, and yet all of their worst strategies for evil were turned on their head to bring about God’s greatest plan of grace in all of history—the resurrection of Jesus and the salvation of all of his people.
In Acts 4 the Apostles rejoice in God’s sovereignty and pray together this prayer of thanksgiving for his providence:
“And when they heard it, they lifted their voices together to God and said, “Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them, who through the mouth of our father David, your servant, said by the Holy Spirit,
“‘Why did the Gentiles rage,
and the peoples plot in vain?
The kings of the earth set themselves,
and the rulers were gathered together,
against the Lord and against his Anointed’—
for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place.” (Acts 4:24-28)
It is God who sits on the throne ruling and reigning through the governance of His providence for his glory and for the good his people.
Providence in Ruth
God’s hand of providence is seen clearly in every moment of the book of Ruth on the micro and macro level. God’s hand of providence works concurrently with the will and initiative of Ruth in going out to work and selecting a field to work in. In the will and initiative of Naomi in moving back to Bethlehem. In the will and initiative of Boaz in seeking Ruth’s hand in marriage. On a macro level, it’s the amazing providence of God that took the widowed Moabite girl and her widowed step-mother and brought them into the lives of an older single Boaz and brought through them a child who would be their redeemer and through whom King David would come to redeem the nation and Jesus would come to redeem the world.
How does Providence Work Out Practically?
Bruce Ware rightly calls Reformed Theism “Coordinated Hands of God and Man.” God and man work concurrently with God sustaining all things and governing the glorious outcome of history.
Salvation is not a mere attempt of God that may fail, but a definite accomplishment by which Jesus Christ conquered Satan, sin, death, hell and the grave, and won salvation, redemption, forgiveness, justification, eternal life, and adoption for his people.
Furthermore, understanding God’s providence enlivens Christians to boldly risk for God’s kingdom. While we seek to walk wisely, we can also fearlessly wring out our lives to make disciples and plant churches trusting in God’s provision in our life and death.
Because God is intimately at work in his creation we can be thankful and give him praise for every good thing that happens. From smelling a rose, or piloting an airplane to landing a job or studying molecular science, every moment of life leads to a billion new ways to stand in awe and worship of God’s sustenance, concurrence and governance in providence. This is why we need Christian scholars and doctors and scientists who discover more about the world and universe around us to heighten our awe of God’s glory in creating and sustaining and governing all things.
One of the greatest applications of God’s providence is hope through hardship. In the worst of times, you can look at the cross and know that God is turning even difficulty, tragedy and chaos for glory and good. John Piper often says this puts “steel in our backbones” to be able to stand under the greatest pressure of suffering and hardship knowing that it is not in vain and it is not without purpose and it is not off of God’s radar, but that everything that comes your way is through the loving hand of your Father God for your good and godliness and the saving of many lives.
Finally, the prince of preachers Charles Spurgeon beautifully describes the comfort that God’s providence brings:
“There is no attribute more comforting to His children, than that of God’s sovereignty. Under the most adverse circumstances, in the most severe trials–they believe that sovereignty has ordained their afflictions, that sovereignty overrules them, and that sovereignty will sanctify them all. There is nothing for which the children of God ought more earnestly to contend, than the doctrine of their Master over all creation–the kingship of God over all the works of His own hands–the throne of God and His right to sit upon that throne.
On the other hand, there is no doctrine more hated by worldlings, no truth of which they have made such a football–as the great, stupendous, but yet most certain doctrine, of the sovereignty of the infinite Jehovah. Men will allow God to be everywhere, except on His throne. They will allow Him to be in His workshop to fashion worlds and make stars. They will allow Him to be in His almonry to dispense His alms and bestow His bounties. They will allow Him to sustain the earth and bear up the pillars thereof, or light the lamps of heaven, or rule the waves of the ever-moving ocean; but when God ascends His throne–then His creatures gnash their teeth!
We proclaim an enthroned God, and His right to do as He wills with His own, to dispose of His creatures as He thinks well, without consulting them in the matter. Then it is, that we are hissed and execrated; and then it is, that men turn a deaf ear to us–for God on His throne–is not the God they love. But it is God upon the throne that we love to preach. It is God upon His throne, whom we trust!”
--Charles Spurgeon, “Divine Sovereignty”; Sermon Preached on the Text “Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own?”—Matthew 20:15, May 4, 1856
Recommended Reading
Books:
Ruth: A Sweet and Bitter Providence by John Piper (free ebook here: http://www.desiringgod.org/books/a-sweet-and-bitter-providence)
Spectacular Sins and their Global Purpose in the Glory of Christ by John Piper (free ebook here: http://www.desiringgod.org/books/spectacular-sins) - Short book that walks through seven of the greatest sins recorded in history and reveals the work of God in bringing glory to Jesus and good to his people in the midst of them. Greatly recommended. Impossible to read without pausing in awe and worship of God.
The Mystery of Providence by John Flavel (Puritan Paperback) smaller work, but written in archaic language.
All Things for God by Thomas Watson (Puritan Paperback)
Chapter 16 “Providence” in Systematic Theology by Wayne Grudem – This chapter in Grudem’s Systematic was ground-breaking to me in college. Grudem clearly, conversationally and winsomely lays out the Bible’s teaching on providence in a way that provide catalytic to my understanding.
Articles:
http://www.desiringgod.org/blog/posts/the-advantages-of-providence
Video:
Dr. Bruce Ware – Coordinated Hands of God and Men
http://theresurgence.com/2007/04/17/coordinated-hands-of-god-and-men-providence-in-the-reformed-tradition-video
Audio:
Dr. John Piper – Ten-Part Couse on Providence
http://www.desiringgod.org/blog/posts/the-providence-of-god-ten-part-course-from-john-piper
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