Theology for every Christian.

Decrees of God his eternal purpose according to the counsel whereby by his own glory
(Westminister Confession). Tied to the Eternal decrees of God are his works of
providence. The most holy, wise, powerful preserving and governing all his creatures and
all their actions. And the word providence, although not found in the bible is a biblical
teaching and doctrine, and the word doctrine comes from the latin word pro-video
foreseeing / foreknowing Providence ahas to do with god knowing what he intendends to
do in the history of mankind. But providence is not passive it is not just his foreknowing,
not passive foreknowledge where he does nothing about it. it has to do with Gods
omniscience and his decrees, his decisions before time. Not only foreknowledge but
foreaction. Not just foreknowing but foreDOING. God only foreknew when he knows he
also provides. He gives what we need. The foreknowledge of God includes his
preservation (see Shorter Catechism). His preservation as well as his governance. God is
active in his provisions for men (what he has created). Here we have his most holy, wise,
powerful. Listen to the doctrine of creation. If there is providence there must be creation.
Once cannot do without the other. Some deny providence - they say that God created
then failed to maintain / sustain the whole universe. This is the heresy of deism. The view
of Deism says that God created the universe, he exists, but that he is no longer working.
He left the world to its own. There is also this idea of Fatalism linked to Deism, that bad
things happen, it is fate. This is a pessimistic view of life and the world. A world where
nobody cares. We do not que sera sera. Fatalism is fatal and irresponsible. Because
fatalism says that since God doesnt care, and God doesnt bother, there is no
accountability. He is an absentee God, so he thinks he can do what he wants. Man thinks
he can take matters into his own hands, there is no accountability to anyone, and it is all
determined by him. This leads to a chaotic life without meaning or direction. Bad things
that happen are reduced to fate and bad luck. There is no moral responsibility to strive to
do what is good and right for oneself or others. Fatalism and Deism are self destructive
philosophies. The bible teaches that God is creator. He supervises and oversees all things
that happen on earth, he knows what is going on and the details The hairs on your head
are not numbered, they are pre-ordered by God and God will carry out his plans
according to his will. This is why we should know Gods mind, who is truly is and what he
does. If we know him and we believe in him the Lord Jesus Christ who gave himself to us
to die for our sins, then life becomes very meaningful, life becomes full of hope and
optimisim because we know that God is in charge, he is in control. Every step and
occurrence and event in our life is ordained by God. We know that it is for our own good,
and this causes us to want to obey him, and worship him for who he is. The philosophy of
life must be determined by good theology. The theology of God is a precious and
powerful doctrine. God is on the throne and he is in control = Providence = God is on the
throne and he is in control. He will remember his own. Mans duty is to know his will and
his Word in order that we might to the Word and the will of God to succeed in our spiritual
life. Take note that providence is tied to another doctrine of scripture which is the
doctrine of predestination. Where can we find predestination and providence in the
scripture?
Ephesians 1:3-11 who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will (providence)
due to his predestination (election) of us to be part of his good plan. Tied to this is the
idea of salvation from beginning to end. Once he has started this good work he will
complete it. Turn to romans 8:28. If there is a God of providence, and he is watching over
this whole wide world, then we can have confidence that nothing happens by chance,
and whatever happens, we are already safe and secure in the Lord Jesus Christ. He will

lead and direct us in the correct way. He will cause us to turn in the right way. This is why
Paul can say all these words in
Romans 8:28 and we know that all things work together for good to them that love
God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he
also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his son.What shall we then say
to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?.
Romans 8:38-29 For I am persuaded that nothing shall be able to separate use form the
love of God which is in Jesus Christ our Lord.
This is all due to providence and predestination. Providence has two aspects. The first is
natural (ordinary) providence, it has to do with God providing for his creatures naturally,
through what he has already created, through the laws of nature, he provides for all his
creatures in a most gracious and good way. This is natural, ordinary providence. We see
this in
Matthew 5:44-45 Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that
hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you. He provides
what is needed by the people on earth to survive. for he makethn the sun to rise on the
evil and on the good, and sendth the rain on the just and the unjust.
He is good to his creatures, he uses nature which is his creation to provide for his
creation. Providing all these things through natural means, all because of his common
love for everyone. His common grace for everyone. Even to his enemies and judgement,
he also gives them good thing to enjoy, that he might live.
What is God? God is a being, infinite, eternal, -----------remember this!
Goodness, the providence of God reflects his Goodness.
We read of this also in Matthew 6:25-33. Therefore take no thought, saying, what shall we
eat? Or, what shall we drink? Or, wherewithal shall we be clothed? (for after all these
things do the gentiles seek for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all
these things.
Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness. We should be concerned for the
spiritual life that he gives to us, but the physical department is Gods department, and he
takes care of the sparrows, and all the insects and the flowers of the field and the grass.
He will take care of it through natural means. One example of the outworking /
demonstration of his natural providence is God using things of this world through natural
causes, one example in the bible in the days of Exodus turn to exodus chapter 12, we
know that the Israelites were slaves in Egypt. They have very little, they are going to
depart from Egypt, are they going to leave empty handed? Well God provided for them
through their slavemasters themselves. That they should part with their goods and give
their goods to the Israelites. They slew the Egyptians. They requested for all these
material things and borrowed of the Egyptians jewels of God and raiment and the
Egyptians said go away, good riddance. This is Gods provision, providing for them
through natural or ordinary providence, and in your situation, for example you might do
Gods work, he will provide for your needs. God will provide to them that do his work. God
will provide for the things that you need.you will practically study for free. This is Gods
provision for you, natural and ordinary providence, God will provide for you through his
church and through his people.

If you know what Gods will for you is, go do it. God will definitely provide. The Lord
knows how to provide.

Separate from natural providence is special providence (extraordinary). This providence

is God providing for us in a supernatural way. Sometimes God may provide for us in a
supernatural way. He acts immediately and directly. Sometimes people like.
Matthew 14:19-21 Th famous account of God feeding the multitude with 5 loaves and 2
fishes. He fed about 5 thousand men With these 5 loaves and 2 fishes he distributed. It
was miraculous. It was supernatural, God providing for people in a supernatural way. God
also provided for people in his exodus, in a supernatural (special) way. How did God
provide for people?

Exodus 16:10-15 manna what is it the bread which the LORD gave from the sky.
Miraculous provision of the food. He did not have to plant any crop. No threshing no
harvesting. It just appears and is used to make bread. We also find God providing the
water supernaturally out of a rock. This is supernatural providence. Can God provide for
us in such a way today? Through extraordinary miraculous providence? God can
intervene, because he is on the throne, he can act out any moment. Normally he will use
natural means, but in very critical moments, when there is no time, and hewants to
deliver the best for his people, can he intervene intermittently to provide what he needs?
Yes he can. God can heal us through natural means, through Doctors and medicine. He
can heal our diseases. Help us get well through all these means. But God can also heal
miraculously directly from heaven, in answer to prayer according to his will. Although we
dont believe he has the gift of healing, it was given to apostles, we have all passed
away, the gifts of healing are no more, and all these gifts have ceased. Can he do so
directly without any intermediary agents? All these gifts have passed away. Such a gift is
no longer there, all we can do is pray. Pray for Gods healing that God will use the needs,
to prescrive the natural means for us to get well. But in a critical moment, in a crises, it is
possible for someone to be healed. God can heal immediately and miraculously, only if
he wills. His kingdom come, his will be done. There are times when God provideces in a
natural and special way.

Natural and special providence. 1 Kings 17:9, it sometimes appears to come all at the
same moment from the same men. Here you have Elijah, there was a drought in the land,
and how is Elijah to survive? Where God commanded a widow Elijah through the widow
(natural providence) using people to provide for what he needed. Then when Elijah asked
her to fetch water and bread. But widow had no cake.but widow only had one lastmeal,
she said that she had no food to give Elijah. Elijah told herto fear not, and just make the
cake, and make it for Elijah and the widows son. So God used the widow to provide, but
there is also special providence, when the widow obeyed the voice of the prophet and did
as she was told, the Lord provided for her supernaturally such that the barrel of meal was
never empty and the cruse of oil would never run dry. Gods providence by natural
means through his people and his church.

The sevenfold will of God shows how God goes about doing his will.

1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
8)

This is the way of remembering there are 3 Ps 3Ds and 1C.

Preceptive
Permissive
Punitive / Chastitive
Desiderative
Directive
Decretive
Cooperative

Remember the 7 points. ******************************

1) Decretive will of God. Tied to the providence and predestination of God. The word
decretive comes from the word decree. His decrees. We read of his decrees. His
decretive will in Colossans 1:16-17. For I think were all things created that were
in hevavn and in eartg visible or invisible all things were created by him and for
him and he is before all things and by him all things consiste. This is his decretive
will, he has decreed the creation, and decided way before time that he is going to
put human beings on earth and deal with them. With creation also comes
providence, we see his decree of creation and his providence.and he is before
all things, he is pre-existence being God and by him all things consist This is his
providence. He is sustaining and running and governing all the things he creates.
And also what happens in history, all things have already been decided. The
whold empires for instance who will be the super power? Who will be the world
rulers? The world empires? God has already decreed these things. Daniel 2: God
has decreed, but he has not revealed everything to us. These are the secretive
things,we only know of his decrees if he has revealed to us what he plans to do in
the bible that we might know. He reveals all his decrees through his prophecies.
But we do not know all of Gods decrees. One example would be Daniel 2 the
world empires God decreed who should rule the world in times past today and in
the future. See Daniel 2 where God revealed things to Nebuchannezar through
Daniel. The image of Nebuchanezzar in his dream. Then was the secret revealed
unto Daniel in a night vision, God revealed his decrees to Nebuchanezzar who told
Daniel who revealed the meaning. The secret which the king had demanded, did
not the Lord provide for there is a God in heaven who reveals the secretsneo
persion by greek by roman (time of jesus) then revived roman power. These
are decreed by God. We have the blessing of hindsight and we look at history,
studying world history, we can see that all these world empires are rising and
falling one by one according to what God had given and prophesied. We have the
profit of hindsight. These things will come to pass in due time in the future. Seek
ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things shall be
added unto you. The decrees of God have been given, even our salvation and
election, God has decreed it all. And everything that happens in our lives and in
this world, birth and death and marriageEcclesiastes 3 he has made
everything beautiful in his time. In Gods perfect time, this all shows that he has
decreed what is to happen, he knows the best time to give us what we need or
what we ask for. Sometimes even if we ask for something good he does not give it
to us immediately. Deutoronomy 29:29 - the secret things belong unto the LORD
our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children
for ever, that we may do all the words of this law.
2) 2 Peter 3:9 the lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count
slackness, not willing that any should perish, that all should come to repentance.
In the decretive will of God we know that he has chosen only a certain number to
be saved. Out of this lot of sinners God chose a certain number to bse saved (he

has decreed). He decreed to save some. But how about the rest who die in their
sins? The desiderative will comes in. He is not cruel. Our god is good. Gods will is
not that we should all perish. It is not his will that we should all go to hell.
3) 2 Peter 2:9 the Lord knoweth how to deliver the Godly out of temptation and
reserve the unuust till the day of judgement . There was a wicked king Agrippa in
Acts 12 he had executed James, the brother of John, and later on, we find him
speaking, showing off, in a boastful way. The angel of the LORD smote him
immediately and he was struck dead. The LORD is able to deal with men in this
way. But does God punish his children? The word punish is used with reference to
the wicked. When God punishes his children the biblical word is called chastise. It
comes from the word chaste which means to be pure. To chasten us and to make
us chaste. The chastitive will of God. These apply strictly to his children whom he
loves. Hebrews 12:6-7 excellent verse about the chastitive will of God If ye
endure chastening God what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? For
whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth.
4) Permissive will of God, God permits certain things to happen so that he will fulfil
his plan. We see the permissive will in the life of Job. In Job chapter 1. And how Job
was tried and tested by the devil, but the devil cannot do anything to Job unless
God gives him the permission. Behold, all that he has is by his mouth, this is part
of the permissive willof God. Without Gods permission, nothing can happen. This
means that satan cannot touch us unless God allows it. This is the permissive will
of God at work. So that at the end ofit iall god will rpove that he is really a ruthful
God. Job himself had genuine faith after all the sufferings he went through he held
true to his faith and gave a good testimony. This is the permissive will of God. All
the evil things that happen is part of the permissive will of God. Satan was the
one who did all these, and God allowed it to try his servants faith. Genesis 50:20
and as for ye, ye thought evil against me, but God meant it unto Good.
5) Directive Decretive and Cooperative are interlinked.
6)
7)