Description
God Governs in the Affairs of Men to Accomplish His Purposes in History
by Stephen McDowell
Providence signifies the biblical doctrine of the overruling power of God that governs in the affairs of men. Providence is “the care and superintendence which God exercises over His creatures.” The Bible teaches that God moves providentially in the lives of men and nations to accomplish His purposes in history. Our providential purpose is a part of God’s overall purpose for mankind.
God created all things and He is preserving His creation. Christ “is upholding the universe by His word of power” (Heb. 1:3). “In Him all things hold together” (Col. 1:17). This means that “if Christ were to cease his continuing activity of sustaining all things in his universe, then all except the triune God would instantly cease to exist.” God’s Word states, “In Him we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28).
God is actively related to and involved in His creation at each moment. A biblical view of providence discounts deism (the belief that God created all things then abandoned His creation to run on its own). The Founders of America were not deists. They did not see God as detached from His creation. Even non-Christians like Benjamin Franklin saw God as intimately involved in all aspects of His creation, knowing the number of hairs on our heads, aware of every sparrow that fell to the ground, and directing the rise and fall of nations.
The Founders understood and acknowledged the providence of God. In closing the Declaration of Independence, they expressed their “firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence.” In his proclamation for a Day of Thanksgiving, President George Washington said, “it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor.” Understanding and acknowledging His providence, accompanied with obedience and gratefulness, enabled the Founding Fathers to establish the free nation of America and set her on her destiny, showing the world the fruit that comes from Christian liberty.
