The Doctrine Of Universal Providence

But who is able

to build Him

a temple,

since heaven

and the heaven

of heavens 

cannot contain Him?

Who am I then,

that I should

build Him 

a temple,

except to burn 

sacrifice before Him?

2 Chronicles 2:6

     In an effort to know God, many people attempt to anthropomorphize Him. Any attempt to make God to be as we are is in an attempt in futility. God is infinite and not limited in any way as we, man, are, seeing attending to things one at a time. This is not so with God. An example that we might use is the sun. Its rays flood everything everywhere, and this diffusion is omnipresent at all times flooding upon plants as well as the heavens its fusion of light rays. God is present everywhere and infinite, and as a omnipresent God as the Scriptures declare with all plainness then God as an omnipresent God has control over every part of the universe, no matter how big, or how small. God is not in one place for He is everywhere present. The Scriptures make it plain and clear that God is a personal Being who has infinity wisdom, goodness, and power. He is the Father of Spirits: "Then they fell on their faces, and said, 'O God, the God of the spirits of all flesh,....." (Numbers 16:22). God is personal, this then carries with it the rational that being personal includes that He would be concerned for the good of His creatures, His creation. It would not be consistent with Scripture concerning God that as a loving, and good God, would create life and not maintain that life controlling all that is included in life. Being a God that is good then He would keep His creation from evil; this is the nature of God. God does assume all that occurs in His creation, nothing is to trifle for Him. 

     That the statement that God being good would keep His creation from evil will surely raise the "hackles" of some people and they will cavil over that statement because there is evil in this world. From that concern, and seemingly contradiction they oppose, or for some, that there is a God or a God that is personal and cares for His creation. What is exhibited is trouble, tribulation, poor morals, and death. How can this seemingly contradiction be explained to keep with the fact that Scripture states that God is good? I will at a later point in these blogs attempt to show that God is good and the reason(s) that there is evil in the world. At this time, it is the Sovereignty and Providential God that is our concern because if He is not Sovereign and not Providential then there is not reason to exhaust any effort in combating the supposed contradiction. As a Sovereign God who has purposed to elect some for eternal life with Him before the foundation of the world (Romans 8:28-29)  His purposes are His will and all that He wills is accomplished, therefore, we must not become impatient with God. He is infinite, we are finite. We cannot fully understand the workings of God that are not revealed to us in Scripture (Deuteronomy 29:29). God did not make us puppets. We are not attached to some strings that He pulls to cause things to happen so that His will is accomplished. God gave to man a will, therefore, man is responsible for what He does in this life: "And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books" (Revelation 20:12). Yet, no matter how far removed a person is from God, no matter how evil this world becomes (due to sin, the original sin) God Providentially causes all things to work for good: "But s 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" (Genesis 50:20). God is good and all that He does and the method and manner He uses to bring about that Good is Good: "So He said to Him (Jesus) 'Why do you Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments" (Matthew 19:17). This admonishment by Jesus had its immediate application and applies to all thereafter: Do you want to enter into Life? Then, keep His commandments. A fact to remember: God's patience is not God's permission. God as Sovereign and Supreme in all that He is maintains His creation Providentially and gives to man, His chosen ones especially, what is needed to have life everlasting, how we are to please Him, how we are to be in His will. The proof of this Doctrine is found in the Scriptures. When we exalt our conceptions of Him, the less we shall be troubled by that which we cannot and are not known, or given to us by God. Our faith, saving faith, is found in Him. He gives it by Grace and not by anything we do to earn that favor. 

Behold, I am coming

     as a thief, blessed 

is he who watches,

     and keeps his 

garments, lest he 

     walk naked

and they see his 

     shame.

              Revelation 16:15

Today, Read God's Word

Richard L. Crumb

Sovereignty and Providence Requires A Government

For unto us a

Child is born,

Unto us

a Son is given;

And the government

will be upon

His shoulder.

And His name 

will be called,

Wonderful, Counselor, 

Mighty God,

everlasting Father, 

Prince of Peace.

Isaiah 9:6

     Sovereignty and Providence has no meaning without there be a government. One requires the other with God, otherwise, all would be construed in a haphazard manner. It can be certain that there is no haphazardness in the design of the universe and as an example, in man. Yes, there is sickness, death, etc, but this is not to be construed as being haphazard, rather, that God does not override our will. Upon examination, man's cells alone depict design and a designer, all works in perfect order causing a person to live. If not for Sin then man would be able to live forever, this too is Providentially provided for in the Person of Jesus Christ. Sin enter into the world by the decree of God, but in His economy, His government, His dispensation, He controls His creation. He Preserves that which He created. Providence must include government, as it does preservation. What is meant by government? Government includes the ideas of design and control. Allow some expansion on this thought; government, and Providence supposes that there be an end to be attained. If there be an end to be attained then the provident One must have within Himself the ability to direct towards the end to be achieved, and, the disposition to achieve the end. The word disposition is not to be assumed to be an emotional response, rather it is meant to be as defined, the arrangement; therefore, God in His Sovereignty and Providence has arranged and directs His creation to His desired end. There is a supreme end to be achieved, but this does not preclude that there be an indefinite number of subordinate ends also to be achieved. God, therefore, controls the sequence of all events, rendering the accomplishment of all His purposes.

     The Scriptures plainly teach that this Providential government is universal, in that all creatures are included, including their actions. The external world is as well under the control of Providential care of God. This Providential care excludes both necessity and chance from the universe. Yes, there are those who contend with that statement and believe and teach that the universe is not so controlled and that the universe operates by chance. This is not what is actually found when one examines this world, the universe, and man. There is harmony and purpose, this is not haphazard, by some chance universe and man and all creatures are not so constructed. God's government is powerful as the Scriptures so clearly explain. It is in this universal manner that God embraces and accomplishes His purposes, making certain the accomplishment of His supreme purpose. We find that His design and government are wise, therefore it is to be found that the ends that God purposes is consistent with His wisdom, and that the means employed to achieve His purposes are wisely adapted to His creatures, and within His control suited to their nature, our nature, and within His purpose and government we are exercised. Next, God is Holy! His Providence is Holy, that is, there is nothing of the ends proposed that is adopted, the agency by which He accomplishes His ends that are not Holy. For His ends to be unholy, is inconsistent with a Holy God. God is the highest of moral standards, and those standards are revealed to man in His Word. 

     All the above are to be found and revealed in God's Word, the Holy Scriptures. That revelation should be enough, but it is not. There are those who demand and insist upon answers to questions, such as; How does God govern the world? What is the relation between His agency and the efficiency of second causes? How can God's absolute control be reconciled with the liberty of rational agents? Let us take note: these questions cannot be solved, but we must address those answers given by such as are philosophers, and theologians, that we find to be in conflict with Scripture, showing their fallacy because they do conflict with established facts. Before we take the time to consider these questions, it will be proper to present a brief outline of His relation to the world in argument, and in support of the truth of the Doctrine of Sovereignty and Providence. 

     As Christians we do not not want to have a notion of God and of Jesus Christ. We need not to allow hope to become so great a desire that it resides far from faith. We discussed this earlier that hope is part, an element of faith, but we decide which has the greater impact and effect upon us. Our faith is an assured faith, our hope is based upon our faith. It is true that much of what is written is deep, and sometimes hard to understand. But, we must become the "Ambassadors" of Christ, those who have the message of Reconciliation. We don't just absorb what is taught and preached, we take the time to examine, and pray allowing the Holy Spirit to direct us and guide into the truth. Not by some vision or revelation, rather, by the very Word of God. This can only be done if we do the work, and read the Bible, examine commentaries, ask the five question, who, what, when, where, why, and how. God in his economy directs, and guides, and accomplishes His purposes through us. But as the saying goes: "you cannot turn a parked car." Be a moving and living example of our faith, grow your faith, increase your knowledge, and rest upon our God for as Jesus said, "Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls" (Matthew 11:28-29).

Behold! My Servant 

    whom I have chosen,

My Beloved in whom

    My soul

is well pleased! I will

    put My Spirit upon Him,

And He will declare justice 

    to the Gentiles.....

And in His name

   Gentiles will trust.

                     Matthew 12:18, 21

   

May the Lord May Your Paths Straight

Richard L. Crumb

The Nearness Of God

Men shall speak 

of the might 

of Your awesome acts,

and I will declare Your

righteousness....

The LORD is righteous 

in all His ways,

Gracious in all

His works.

The LORD is near

to all who 

call upon Him,

To all who call 

upon Him in truth.

Psalm 145:6;17-18

     The gaining of understanding on this doctrine of preservation is important for God in all His Sovereignty preserves what He creates. Not as some would have this doctrine say, rather, that God in in economy, and in all His dispensation allows for His creation to act and do according to His Eternal Decree. The Westminster Confession of Faith, chapter three; pp. 1 & 2, state: 1. "God from all eternity did, by the most wise and holy counsel of His own will, freely, and unchangeably ordain whatsoever comes to pass: (Eph. 1:11; Rom. 11:33; Heb. 6:17; Rom 9:15,18), yet so, as thereby neither is God the author of sin (James 1:13,17; 1 John 1:5), nor is violence offered to the will of the creatures, nor is the liberty or contingency of second causes taken away but rather established (Acts 2:23; Matt. 17:12; Acts 4:27-28; John 19:11; Prov. 16:33). 2. Although God knows whatsoever may or can come to pass upon all supposed conditions, (Acts 15:18; 1 Sam. 23:11; Matt. 11:21,23), yet hath He not decreed anything because He foresaw it as future, or as that which would come to pass upon such conditions (Rom. 9:11,13,16,18). There are two extremes offered, one that represents preservation as a mere negative act, a not willing to destroy, unfortunately when this extreme theory is carried out to its end, the efficiency of God is destroyed. Then, this denial of the reality of second causes is denied by those who hold to the above theory. In between these theories is the plain teaching and doctrines of Scripture that teaches that the world in continued in its existence by the omnipresent power of God. That which by His Word is created is upheld by that power of creative act. You may ask, "How?" This is a vain question for it cannot be answered just as we cannot answer how our minds can operate, or how the soul is present and operative in the whole body. This attempt to know everything is what has many people in a quandary for they desire to have everything in life to be "black and white" an attempt that is futile as any sentient person recognizes. So why would man, any man, attempt to know everything about God? He is a Being that is entirely different from that which He created and only reveals what is to be of necessity to know of Him, about those things which are important leading us to recognize Him, and to worship Him. It requires of us, humility. 

     The theologians of the seventeenth century attempted to reason this doctrine by calling preservation by the influx of God into all His creatures.  Taking that "hard look" into this doctrine we must ask ourselves: "what do we gain by knowing that the soul operates in every part of the body?" We already understand that God operates everywhere in the universe and that He preserves His creatures. Now, the mode in which His efficiency is exerted, that which is consistent with the nature of His creatures leads us to have revealed His Holiness, and goodness and that He is inscrutable. Therefore, rest, rest yourselves in the plain truth of the Scriptures, for attempting to know that which has not been revealed is like: chasing after the wind; if you caught it, what would you have gained? Enjoy the wind, enjoy what God has revealed, enjoy the very fact that God upholds and preserves His creatures and that He exists, not waiting for something to happen, then He acts, rather that He has decreed all things for the good of all that He has created for He has given to each of His creations that which He has empowered them with, all the properties necessary for all and for which He has created them. While we cannot understand all of God we do have enough of information revealed so that we can know Him, love Him, and enjoy all that He has given to His creatures. Further this God from the beginning, before all time, before all creation, determined to save some for everlasting life with Him. He enables, calls, preserves, and has atoned for their sins by the sacrifice of His Son as the payment necessary for sin. How do we know that we are of those who He preserves for eternity? Do you desire to serve Him? Do you desire to read His Word? Do you desire to communicate with Him, by prayer? Is He becoming in your life all that is, above all that you own, all that your family, friends? If so, then this is only capable of being true if He has given to you the faith necessary to do so, and He will sanctify you in this life as you acquire and apply the knowledge of Him. 

I thought it good

     to declare

the signs and wonders

     that the Most High God

Has worked for me.

     How great are His signs,

and how mighty His

     wonders!

                     Daniel 4:2,3a

This Week Begin With Prayer

Richard L. Crumb

The Destroying Effects Of Continuous Creation Exposed

For since the creation

of the world

His invisible attributes 

are seen,

being understood

by the things that 

are made,

even His eternal power

and Godhead,

so that they 

are without excuse.

Romans 1:20

     How often do Christians apply this verse to the unbeliever? Often! It is true that this Scripture is speaking to those who will not and cannot see God in the external things He has made. Yet, Christians will also fail in seeing the Godhead and His invisible attributes that are prominently displayed for all to see. Many objections are raised against God, even the idea of a God and the theory of continued creation is just one objection; this objection is what is being discussed. The Sovereignty of God in some ways are disgusting to those who wish to be autonomous, or even antinominian, as this idea of someone else having control over our lives is repulsive. "Oh! I do believe in God, and I am glad that He allows me to be whatever I wish to be, in fact, I know that whatever I do, He will forgive." This might not be your exact statement but so often this is the way we live our lives. But God is Sovereign and He does not reduce His Sovereignty in anyway just to allow us to be what we might want to be, or do what we might want to do; God is Sovereign and any reduction in Sovereignty reduces God and makes Him ineffective. Any part of false teaching, no matter who is the teacher, (as many take their pastor as being so holy do) is wrong. We may not hold completely to the theory of continuous creation but we may have part of it in our thinking and actions. So why is continuous creation so wrong? 

     It destroys all continuity of existence. How? If God creates something at this moment, then, decides to recreate that something, then, that former something is no longer existent. The new is not the former and is a new thing separate and different from the former. Similarity is not the same thing between things, there is a disconnection between them, a gulf so wide that both things are not and cannot be the same, there then is no continuity of existence. What was before is only nothingness!

     The Doctrine of Continuous Creation destroys all evidence of the existence of an external world. How? What if we say that the impressions upon our senses of things outside ourselves are only inward mental states of consciousness that are constantly being changed and recreated by the energy of God? This is a form of Idealism, and being so, it is logical then to see that in history that this form or theory has existed and drawn from such conclusion. Furthermore, if all necessity for the existent world be done away with, as it would be necessary if all was constantly being recreated, then, existence must be done away with and discarded as being assumed philosophically. 

    There is a denial of second causes. Examine this carefully and see if you can find where this theory in this case has led to false religion, especially in some countries. If this is followed then God is all there is that is. God is the sole cause of all that happens in the universe. All the changes that occur in the universe, the pulsations as seen in the heavenly bodies, and everything they contain are nothing more, then, the universal life of God. Looking upon this theory in this manner we are forced to conclude that every thought of man, every material thing that exists, every human soul, every feeling, is only a product of the divine omnipotence of God and in part, or in whole, creation. If this be true then there is no causation out of God. God is not in cooperation with the creation, and this belies the plain Scriptural references, such as when He said: "And God said, 'Let there be light;' and there was light" (Genesis 1:3).God caused light to be, therefore out of God there is causation. It is further understood from Scripture that man was given the right and ability to think, have purpose and feelings, all which is of their nature and character. This man is, this we are, and this is not caused by God, it is a second cause from man. 

     Continuous Creation: with it there can be no responsibility, no sin, and no holiness. Why? Because if all is from God, as He is deemed to constantly recreate all things, then, sin must be referred to God as much as is holiness, because all then is from or out of His creative energy. Man operates his life today as if this was true. In fact, most of what is to be found on the internet, or in movies, or just in attitudes, is this form of thinking that leads their lives. They hold to the belief that they are not responsible for what they do unless it hurts someone else. They suppose that they have the "right" to do whatever this wish to do. It is promoted in such things as to be found easily on the home pages of the internet, such things as; 'So and so is wearing a bikini, or so and so is showing off much skin, or so and so is getting divorced (and frankly getting much money from their spouse), all with impunity. If you don't believe in a God that is Sovereign then you are left to believe in something, and that something is far too often; "yeh! there is a god but he doesn't have a role in this life, he created then left,' or 'If he is a good god then why is there so much trouble, death, sadness, etc." There is no feeling of guilt for one's actions or sins.

     One thing that this system of continuous creations causes is a belief that is Pantheistic: that is, that God is merged into the universe, and has no effect other than what nature affords. It is a removal even of, continuous creation for god, this Pantheistic god, is not personal, no has any special reference to that which exists. There is no power of God, no real existence of God, in fact for some religions all there is in the universe is this non-existent or spirit that all will one day become, therefore God has no purpose, no causality. If we hold to the fact that God preserves everything out of continuous creation then God does effect everything and the creature nothing. This can only be developed in this sense: out of God there is no causality, not out of man, in fact this causality is not even occasional. Therefore, to say that preservation by God is His continued creation leads to the conclusion that is opposed by Scripture. From Scripture it is adduced not just proposed, that there is in reality, second causes and that we are responsible and authors of our own acts. It is further shown that we continue exactly as before, there is continuation of creation and the substance that was originally created by God. We are not created out of nothing from moment by by moment. 

     Good news! Yes, we are responsible for our actions, but God is merciful, and does forgive us our sins. It is God who created us and gives us life, a life that we can enjoy and not by some "strings" being pulled by God so that we cannot have a will in the matters of life. God forgives, so should Christians, it is what John the apostles so aptly put: "Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God" (John 4:7).
 

We know that we

     are of God,

and the whole world

    lies under the sway

of the wicked one.

                     1 John 5:19

May Your Confidence In God Grow

Richard L. Crumb

     

The Objectional Doctrine Of Continuous Creation

Thus the heavens and earth,

and all the host of them,

were finished.

And on the seventh day

God ended His work

which He had done,

and He rested on the 

seventh day from all 

His work

which God had created

and made.

Genesis 2:1-2

     In the midst of all various theories regarding the creation, or formation of the earth the doctrine of Continuous Creation is found to be objected on several grounds; this representation will be examined and commented upon as to their objectionable theory.  It is true that creation and preservation, and government are in fact different. If they are confounded then all that has been done is to create confusion, and more importantly error. Creation is the calling into existence what before did not exist. Preservation is the continuing, or causing to continue what has already is and exists. Creation cannot be found to have any cooperation and is solely the act of God. With preservation there is to be found a concursus, an intermingling of creation or first cause with second causes. We never find those two things to be confounded in the Bible. Paul in writing to the Church in Colossae states: "And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist" (Colossians 1:17; cf. Hebrews 1:3). Therefore God is a priori and it would be gratuitous to state such an unscriptural assumption that denies all difference between will and efficiency; between power and act in God. Furthermore, to say that God's acts are not successive and that He never does in time what He does not do from eternity means that that language has no meaning for us. How? We cannot comprehend the relation which the efficiency of God has to the effects produced successively. Any Christian would admit that God does act, that He has acts and He does produce effects and those acts and effects are successive. Therefore, those acts and effects represent and are concerned with our relation to God and to the world around Him. Those acts and effects are exactly what would have been if those acts were really successive. God as a priori, and as preserver, and within His government or dispensation towards His creation, then all things are as they would have been no matter successive or not. But to state that there is a continuous creation is in error as will be shown. Mostly, we must not depart from the Scriptures and those plain representations of God and His government, preservation, and creation. If we were to conceive of God and our relation to Him as the world attempts to make Him would make God an unknown Being and merging into all His perfections the general idea of cause. 


     As to the preservation of the world, it is as much due to the preservation of the world for it is held together by the immediate power of God as it is His creation. Not for one minute should be confuse or prove that preservation is something that was created out of nothing as was all the external beings, things, etc. Creation is out of nothing, preservation is that which hold all things together in unity according to God's government. This doctrine of continuous creation is abhorrent as it leads to error and is dangerous. 


     There are five reasons that will be given in the next blog as to the objections to this doctrine and its falseness and error and why it is so dangerous. You may admit to not holding on to such error as that God is continually creating; yet, a form of this doctrine is far-reaching into society and into the secular world as it is being taught in schools. Furthermore, some pastors and teachers in the Christian realm hold to a similar doctrine misleading their congregants. This false teaching can be found in such theories as evolution, and the "gap" theory, or that the earth was not created in seven literal days. While at this time I will not address such theories in completeness I will show how this doctrine has invaded the Christian Church influencing Christians to not believe or hold to the plain teaching of the Bible. 


Praise the LORD,
     For His mercy
endures forever.
              2 Chronicles 20:21b


May God Today Teach You 


Richard L. Crumb

Objections To The Providence Of God

One generation

passes away,

and another generation

comes;

but the earth

abides forever....

There is no remembrance 

of former things

that are to come

by those who 

will come after.

 Ecclesiastes 1:4;11

     This misunderstanding of God being Sovereign and as to His providence has led many into error. Sometimes that error is simply heresy, other times it is a wrong understanding as to what the Scriptures are teaching us as to God and His providence. Error breeds a religion that has often similitude to true Christianity allowing individuals to feel as though they are in harmony with God and His Word. Similarity is far from  actuality; this misunderstanding causes one to worship God in manners that are not pleasing to Him: those actions that are far removed from true Christianity. Often this misunderstanding of God's providence directs a person's beliefs so that God has become deistic, in total or in some belief leading to actions that are not to be found in His Word. It is easy to believe, after-all, is there not trouble in this world, accidents, and murder, lying and cheating, as though there is no God in charge. This is deistic, that God created all then sat back and did nothing more allowing what would happen, to happen, and possibly someday He will come and straighten things out to meet His purpose. Then there are those who believe that all things happen by God, that nothing does not happen that God did not at least participate in that action. Further, they confound creation and preservation. There are various views of this nature of God. So, I will do my best to explain them and to show their error.

     At times it is said that in the divine act of God, preservation and creation are both the same act of God. The two are identical. It is not that they deny the reality of the world, nor do they deny the efficiency of second causes, they intend by this mode of representation to deny any successive acts of God. In other words, He cannot be viewed as acting in time, furthermore, He does not act in time what He has not done from the beginning. At first glance this representation does not seem bad, or wrong, except this mode of God is to make preservation a continued creation. Follow carefully because to not take time to understand will lead to misunderstanding. Others would represent preservation not only as a continued creation, but to mean that the divine efficiency is active in one, the creation, as in the other, preservation. What is meant is to deny anything that comes out of God has the cause of continuance in itself. This this is meant that out of themselves and not by the agency of God is their preservation. That which was created is not in of itself inherent as to their preservation; only God is left out in in His constancy to preserve that which He created. For those who hold to this mode of representation of preservation, God is continually, if He is to be the preserver, to recreate continually which is in opposition as to what the early theological Reformers taught. It was Heidegger in His, Corpus Theologia, loc. vii.22, tiguri, 1732, p. 251: "Conservation continued creation of God is active. For if the creation and conservation if they were two distinct actions, the first creation would cease, or the preservation of same and were then, which creation ceased, or the following moment began to be." In the same mode of teaching Ryssenius (approx. 1684) gave this account: "Well, the other the creation of Providence, it is said. For the same will, which God created all things, preserves all things, and differs only in the preservation of creation, of things that when it follows the existence of the will of God, this is called creation, when the same thing by the same will lasts, it is said preservation.(Summa Theologia, I. 209). So what are they saying? that God created all things by the word of His power, so also He upholds all things, by the word of His power. Another objection to this doctrine of preservation is held to mean that all efficiency of God are to be referred to His agency. In other words; there was no cooperation in God calling the world to exist from nothing so then there is no cooperation of God in second causes as to its continuance and operation. That is to say, God is continually creating from nothing each moment that it actually is existent. 

     This doctrine of continuous creation must be addressed as it has caused many to fall into error and to develop religions that are far removed from the true God and His true teachings as revealed in His Word. Therefore the next blog will address this doctrine and illuminate as well as elucidate upon the reason for true Christians to reject and object to this doctrine. 

Do not think

     that I came 

to destroy the Law

     or the prophets. 

I did not come to destroy

     but to fulfill.

                           Matthew 5:17

Remember, He Took Our Infirmities

Richard L. Crumb

The Sovereignty Of God Is Unlimited

But I will hope continually,

and will praise You

Yet more and more.

My mouth shall tell 

of Your righteousness

and Your salvation

all the day, 

for I do not know 

their limits.

I will go in the strength 

of the Lord God;

I will make mention

Of Your righteousness,

Of Yours only.

Psalm 71:14-16

     The discussion on the Sovereignty of God leads to the Providence of God. As is most necessary, the definition of the word Providence is to be able to gain an understanding of this doctrine as is any doctrine most necessary, so I will supply the definition from the dictionary and as is elucidated by Scripture. The word is often capitalized and carries the meaning of divine guidance or care; and, God conceived as the power sustaining and guiding human destiny (Online Miriam Webster Dictionary).  I would be easy to make quick conclusions that if God is Sovereign then he is also Provident. If this be true then, God's works of providence are His most holy, wise, and powerful preserving and governing action towards all His creation. Therefore, Providence includes the preservation of His creation and also His right to govern His creation. This doctrine is clearly taught in Scripture. God does sustain all things by His Word of power: "who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged out sins, sat down at the right of the Majesty on high" (Hebrews 1:3). Paul in writing to the Colossians: "And He is before all things, and in Him all this consist" (Colossians 1:17). When Nehemiah during a fast, confessing and reading from the Book of Law cried out with a loud voice: "You alone are the LORD; You have made heaven, the heaven of heaven, with all their host, the earth and everything on it. the seas and all that is in them, and You preserve them all. The host of heaven worships You" (Nehemiah 9:6). While some Scriptures will hold to the above presentation others will refer to the regular operations or powers of nature. These they declare are preserved in their efficiency by the power of God. These Scriptures are found in the Psalms 104; 148. Some Scriptues refer to that which relate to irrational animals. Finally, there are those Scriptures that relate to rational creatures, who are said to move, live, and have their being in God. This the Scriptures clearly and plainly teach: (1) The universe does not as a whole continue in being of itself. It it did it would cease to exist. (2) That all creatures, plants, animals, in all their separate genera, do not exist by that which is life of itself, but by the will of God. (3) That this preservation is contained in more than substance, it is what the form and what the essence is to that creation, and also to the qualities, properties of all created things. 


     This doctrine is so plainly elucidated and illuminated in Scripture that it is not denied by the religious nature of man, especially among Christians. But, there is a question among others that demand an answer: it is to the nature of the divine efficiency to which the continued existence of all things is to be referred. There are several different opinions and they must by the ncessity for truth by answered. Therefore, this is what is to be the content of the next blog.


Watch therefore,

     for you know

neither the day or hour

     in which the Son of Man

is coming.

                           Matthew 25:13

Be Awake Today

 

Richard L. Crumb

The Divine Attributes Are Not Separate From God

 But the LORD

is the true God;

  everlasting King.

At His wrath

the earth will tremble,

and then nations 

will not be able

to endure His indignation.

Jeremiah 10:10

     As this discussion pertains to the Sovereignty of God and those attributes which are ascribed to Him it must be made clear that those attributes are not separate entities realized due to necessity; rather God is, and all that is is God. It is exactly as God spoke to Moses when He said: "And God said to Moses, 'I AM WHO I AM.' and He said, 'Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, 'I AM has sent me to you" (Exodus 3:14). It is not that God has an attribute of something separate from Himself such as we say, that God is good, therefore we expect God to do good. God is not applying that which He has determined bad and in need of good, furthermore, to apply good to bad in order to make that something good; rather, God is Himself Good and cannot do anything that is bad. All that the Sovereign God does is Good because He is good. Even Satan realized that he could do nothing outside of God's permission as when he approached God and pointed out Job to Him and doing what is good only because God was protecting Job is some special way so Job was faithful. This story is so misrepresented because we cannot reason, or in some way find rationality when all that Job had was taken away and even became diseased. God allowed this to happen. God decreed that this was to happen therefore it happened. All  that God decrees happens, all that God wills happens, all that God does not will does not happen. Many then because of this narrative of Job have a difficult time reconciling God's goodness with His Sovereignty. It must be remembered that the very nature of God is Good, and that He does not need to give us reasons for what He does outside of what is revealed to us in His Word. God's purposes will stand and be accomplished in His order and time. But, we are so like Job and have a difficult time understanding God and we question Him, i.e.,"Why did you allow or do this or that?" But let us admit as did Job: "You asked, 'Who is this who hides counsel without knowledge?' Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know?(Job 42:3). "Many, O LORD my God, are Your wonderful works which You have done; and Your thoughts toward us cannot be recounted to You in order, if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered" (Psalm 40:5). So it must be admitted, we do not have all there is to know of God within us; all we have is that which is revealed to us by God (Deuteronomy 29:29:). 

     God being Sovereign has all the right anyone could have to do as He pleases and being Good all that He pleases or decrees is Good. We may not fully understand but what we as children of God do understand is that God Good in all that He does. We are not left destitute to rely solely on our rational or in our ignorance as to what God requires from us and how He has decided to accomplish His purpose. That purpose is in this respect; to have His creation, man, to be His special creatures and to live with Him forever. To do this His justice must be satisfied, i.e., the sin of man, an injustice that man himself cannot atone for must be paid if God is to have a people for Himself. As a just God, all that can be done in justice is to destroy sinful man. Yet, God, a merciful God, His nature and being is merciful, provided just for that accomplishment, His purpose, and so two things were done before all creation: He, Himself, provided the necessary means to atone for His justice. That atonement was in His Only Begotten Son, His Wisdom, His very essence, who came to earth, put on human flesh, the incarnation, just to bring the truth to this world, to answer and be the promised "seed" that was promised to Adam and Eve. It was by the death of Jesus, His resurrection, and His ascension into heaven to be the propiation for our sins and that fulfillment is eternal. Second, He chose and decided who would be His elect to be the "Bride" of Christ and to be with Him for eternity. It was to them that Jesus came and died and provided salvation. The apostle John so writes: "Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore theworld does not know us, because it did not know Him" (1 John 3:1). Paul writes to the Roman Church and counsels that God had predestined and elected some but not all; (Romans8:28-29).  This we know as being true, for does not the Scripture indicate that there are some who will be thrown into the Lake of Fire? (Revelation 20:15). We may not fully understand this doctrine at first but I will continue in the next blog more on the subject of the Sovereignty of God.

Then He said to Me,
     'Thise words are faithful
and true.' And the Lord God
      of the holy prophets
sent His angel to show His servants
      the things which must
shortly take place.
                         Revelation 22:6

He Comes Quickly

Richard L. Crumb

Avoiding The Extremes Of His Attributes of His Essence

The LORD reigns,

He is clothed 

with majesty;

The LORD is clothed,

He has girded Himself

with strength. 

Surely the world 

is established, so that it 

cannot be moved.

Your throne is established

from of old;

Your are from everlasting.

Psalm 93:1-2

     Extremes to be avoided are first, we must not represent God as a composite being, that is having a composition of different elements. Secondly, we must not confound the attributes, making them all mean the same thing because that is nothing more than making them all together to be equivalent. Those who have and do hold to a realistic theory, that is that general terms express not merely thoughts or abstract conceptions, rather that the terms point to a real or substantive, objective existence. Therefore to the Realist God's attributes differed fro each other as one thing differs from another. It was the Nominalist who held to the theory that the general terms are mere words that give answers to the mind that has abstract thoughts in regards to God's attributes. Therefore, to the Nominalist words only speak of different attributes by different words to describe one and the same thing.  The Lutherans and the Reformed theologians taught that the unity and simplicity of the divine essece precludes not only all physical composition of constituent elements but also of all metaphysical distinction such as act and power, essence and existence, etc. 

     Theologians were accustomed to say that the attributes of God differ from His essence and and that which is determined to be rational. That is to say that things differ from their nature therefore God's attributes operated on things separately from Himself and are essentially different as is the soul and the body. The sun is often used to illustrate this by saying that from the sun are rays and the rays operate objects as to their diversity making the force the same, but the effects are different. A problem with type of thinking is that there is a denying that the relation of attribute and essence in God is analogous to the relation of intelligence and will to the essence of the soul in man and as the old Schoolmen would admit that God is acting with freedom from any action but this caused the attributes to be resolved into a mere causality. It was Schleiermacher (A German liberal theologian) who took this theory further and defined holiness of God to be that causality in Him which produces conscience in us.
     This theology that has permeated into the Church must be addressed and that is what shall be done. It is tough at first to follow the thinking and rationale that is given but the answer(s) will be easy to understand if one takes the time to ponder of what is written. The attempt will be to convey and correct the false representations which are so often made on the subject. 


But go and learn
     what this means:
"I desire mercy and 
     not sacrifice. 
For I did not come
    to call the righteous,
but sinners, to repentance.
                       Matthew 9:13


We Are The Sheep Of His Pasture


Richard L. Crumb

The Divine Attributes

Holy, holy, holy,

Lord God almight,

Who was and is

And is to come! 

You are worthy, O Lord,

to receive glory and honor

and power

for you created

all things,

and by Your will

they exist and

were created.

Revelation 4:8b,11

     It has been revealed to us as to God's essence, the fact that His infinite, eternal, and unchangeable, through our constitution and His Word. Those elements of God are called attributes and are essential to His Being and of course are necessary to our idea of God. To God is predicated those attributes in the concrete and are not abstract ideas. They, the attributes, indicate His relationship to His creatures, as the creator, preserver, ruler, etc. We know from the peculiarities that distinguish His characteristics as of the Persons of the Trinity. There are certain peculiarities that belong to the Father, those that belong to the Son, and those that are of the Holy Spirit. There are such things that are non-essential in as much that these qualities may or may not belong to a substance. They can be acquired or lost. The early created being, Adam holiness was not an attribute of his nature because he might lose it and still remain a man, but his intelligence was not something we would call an accident for it is and was an attribute. The attribute of intelligence involves his humanity, to lose it would then mean the loss of his humanity. This is not true of God, for being holy, and this is one of the perfections of God, and are of His attributes, that which He cannot lose for if He did lose that attribute He would cease to be God. 

     I am purposely keeping this blog short and allowing time for the reader to consider these things as the next blog will go deeper into the relationship of those attributes of God. Our faith in God is so construed that we know that He exists and we know something of His attributes but to delve into those areas whereby our faith grows and deepens then it is necessary to explain these attributes in relation the the Essence of God.

I know that You

     can do everything

and that no purpose

     of Yours 

can be withheld 

     from You

             Job 42:2

Consider Today God's Testimonies

Richard L. Crumb

God Is A Being

The LORD by wisdom

founded the earth;

by understanding He

established the heavens;

By His knowledge 

the depths 

were broken up,

and clouds

drop down the dew.

Proverbs 3:19-20

     The beginning to understand the Sovereignty of God we must admit that God is a Being. Not a being as man is, for God is not man. God has no dimensions, He is infinite. We cannot give Him a body in the sense to anthropomorphize Him so that we can picture Him in any way. but to say that He is a Being is to say that He is real, substantive, and is existent. In other words He is substance or essence. God is not just some force or power as taught by some. This idea of God did not just happen, we get this idea from our consciousness. Are we not conscious of feelings, volitions in their varying acts? Within is a law that constrains us to believe that there is something which is matter and mind, a manifestation. It is found to be impossible to think of action without acts, or of motion without there be something that moves. To say that nothing exists and that the mind is only a series of acts or states, a force, is to assume that nothing or nonentity can produce effects.

     It is then true that God in His nature is substance or essence, that which is eternal, infinite, unchangeable, the common agent for all divine acts. Try as we may, we can go no farther for we have no definite idea of substance, or of matter, mind, as to be distinct from attributes. The two are inseparable. To know one is to know the other. An example would be that to know that something is hard is only to say that we know hardness. This is the same for the knowledge of the essence of God, as we do for the substance of soul. When we say that is a God, we are not just admitting of something in the mind of some idea of infinite Spirit; rather we assert that He is entirely independent of our idea of Him, that such a Being exists.

     The infinite God is of divine essence, eternal, unchangeable, exists, and this essence existed before the founding of the world, it exists distinct from the world. We do not make God to be as us, material, that is Materialism that denies any spiritual substance, or some ideal, that is Idealism, that denies reality, and denies all real objective existence, and affirms that the subjective alone is real. Further, this idea of God is not Pantheistic, that which makes all that exists a form of God, this makes only God to be real existence, making God everything. No! God is separate, infinite, unchangeable, and the creator of all that exists, the One who existed before all things came to be. To say that we cannot understand God, His existence is not to say that God does not exist, or is real, only that we who are finite cannot possibly know all there is to know of God. All we know of Him is that which is revealed to us and that revelation is found in His Word. Next we shall define God and His attributes.

In the beginning

     God created

the heavens and 

    the earth.

              Genesis 1:1

When God Calls; say "Here am I"

Richard L. Crumb

The Nature And Attributes Of God

I know that You can do

everything,

and that no purpose

of Yours 

can be withheld

from You.

Job 42:2

     In approaching this subject of God's Sovereignty it must be asked: "How can we define God?" We have never seen Him, nor touched Him, nor heard His voice thundering from the heavens speaking audibly in our ears. So then, how do we define God, let alone to be able to know and define Him to be Sovereign? We define God His nature as revealed in His Word, and by His attributes that are clearly outlined for all to know and be able to understand by what He has revealed and clearly shown in His Word. But, our definition depends upon what is meant by definition. Is it true that God cannot be defined? Cicero in his De Oratore, 1. would admit that God could not be defined. No creature could and especially man know that which is proper to God, therefore no exhaustive statement could be made of all that God is.  Is this true?
     To define a thing or person is to separate or bind, distinguish, so that the thing defined may be discriminated from all other things. How is this done? First, by stating its characteristics; second, by stating its genus and its specific differences; third, by analyzing the idea as it lies in our minds; and fourth, by an explanation of the term or name by which it is denoted. Each of those four elements are in actuality stating the same thing, that we can define God, and all that is meant is that we can analyze the idea of God as it lies in our mind. Furthermore, we can state the class of beings to which He belongs, and the attributes by which He is distinguished from all other beings. Some may object to that definition but let us remember that we are going to look at His attributes so that we can understand His Sovereignty. We therefore need a good beginning with a thorough definition. The best penned definition by man can be found in the Westminster Catechism. Under the title; "WHAT MAN OUGHT TO BELIEVE CONCERNING GOD" question #7: What is God? Answers thusly: God is a Spirit (John 4:24), in and of himself infinite in being (Exodus 3:14), glory (Acts 7:2), blessedness (1 Timothy 6:15), and perfection (Matthew 5:48), all sufficient (Genesis 17:1), eternal (Psalms 110:2), unchangeable (Malachi 3:6), incomprehensible (1 Kings 8:27), every where present (Psalms 139:1-13), almighty (Revelation 4:8), knowing all things (Hebrews 4:13), most wise (Romans 16:27), most holy (Isaiah 6:3), most just (Deuteronomy 32:4), most merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and aboundant in goodness and truth (Exodus 34:6). 
     This is a true definition for it states the class of beings to which God is to be referred. He is a Spirit; and He is distinguished from all other spirits in that he is infinite, eternal, and unchangeable in His being and perfections. Further, it is complete inasmuch as it is an exhaustive statement of the contents or of our idea of God. So then, how are these terms used such as "being," and "perfections," or "attributes" of God? In what relation do His attributes stand to His essence and to each other? these questions will be addressed so that when we come to certain doctrines that are to be found in the Bible we will have the ground upon which to come to know and understand them. As a caveat here though it must be given:; no doctrine saves a person, salvation alone is the work of God through the Holy Spirit. To know and understand doctrine allows us to deepen our faith as that knowledge is assimilated into our very being and having been based upon the Word of God and not some man's definition. It is Scripture interpreting Scripture. The next blog will address the "Being of God." 


I will love You,
     O LORD,
my strength.
     the LORD is my rock 
and my fortress
     and my deliverer;
My God, my strength,
     in whom I will trust;
My shield and the horn
     of my salvation, 
my stronghold.
              Psalm 18:1-2


Today, put your trust in the Lord


Richard L. Crumb

God Is Sovereign

Yours, O LORD, 
is the greatness,
the power and the glory,
the victory and the majesty;
for all that is in heaven 
and in earth
is yours; 
yours is the kingdom,
O LORD,
and your are exalted
as head over all.
1 Chronicles 29:11

     Much has been written in regards to our being able to know that there is a God, and that knowledge is of our constitution, our very nature. Therefore man is without excuse. To know there is a God is one thing, but to know, believe, and understand His Sovereignty is another matter. Many have attempted to grapple with the question of God's Sovereignty. The word sovereignty is almost pejorative in some Churches and hardly ever mentioned so that many churchgoers do not have much knowledge on this subject. I expect that some will object to the findings and others may even try to cajole me into some sort of middle ground; this will not happen for it will be Scripture itself that will illuminate and shine its light on this subject. Any disapproval is a disapproval of the clear teaching of the Bible. Even in the circles of theologians there is much debate, especially since many theologians themselves rely mostly on rationalism to determine what the Bible actually says and hold to many doctrines that are not Biblical. It is this leaven that has for many years, some 200 or more that has permeated the Church, that is those who go to Church and those who rely solely on what the pastor says, or teaches. They do not take the time to search the Scriptures even though those very Scriptures admonish us, even command us to be diligent in searching God's Word. Even among those theologians considered Orthodox will be found to be heterodox. They may be sound and on the "spot" with some truths, yet be found not sound in doctrine. What is seen is that many do not believe, teach, or regard the fact that man is in complete ruin, totally depraved. They speak of "free will" and insist that man can by his own power either accept or reject the Savior. There may be a few who accept the condition of the children of Adam as being entirely hopeless,yet there are fewer who will accept and believe in the absolute Sovereignty of God.
     What is meant by this expression: The Sovereignty of God? It is the supremacy of God, the kingship of God, the Godhead of God. It is to declare that He is God, that God is God! It is to say that He is the Most High and doing according to His Will among those in heaven and those and upon the earth.  God being Almighty then it is true that none can surpass His power, His counsel, His purpose cannot be thwarted, He cannot be defeated and He governs as the Governor of all nations. It is the Psalmist who declares: "But our God is in heaven; he does whatever He pleases" (Psalm 115:3). Furthermore, the Psalmist speaking of God (vs. 1) says: "For the kingdom is the LORD's, and He rules over the nations" (Psalm 22:28). It is God who determines the course of nations and peoples: He does what pleaseth Him: "Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not yet done, saying, 'My counsel shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure" (Isaiah 46:10). God is our only potentate, the King of kings, the Lord of lords: "Which He will manifest in His own time, He who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of Kings and Lord of lords" (1 Timothy 6:15). This is the God of the Bible.
     How different is the modern day conception of God. Far from the Bible is the teaching within so many Churches today, those who profess to teach and heed the Scriptures. Unfortunately, the travesty is blasphemous of truth. It will be shown that to so many Christians and Christian Churches God is an effeminate Being who commands the respect of no really thoughtful man. Let me state this: For a pastor or anyone for that matter to say that God, the Father, The Son, the Holy Spirit has purposed to save mankind and that Jesus Christ died upon the cross to save the whole human race and that God and the Holy Spirit is seeking, now, to win the world to Christ, when with little amount of observation it is apparent that a great majority of mankind are dying in sin. To observe that many in the world are lost into a hopeless eternity is to say that mankind has disappointed God, that Jesus Christ is disappointed because, according to some, did He not die on the cross to save the world? All that then is being said is that God is "trying to do His best" to save mankind but the majority of mankind will not allow Him to save them. 
     What they are saying is that God is impotent and that the will of mankind is omnipotent. To say as that comedian from the past; Flip Wilson, "the Devil made me do it" is not sufficient for Satan is defeating the purpose of God, then God is not Sovereign. God cannot effect His purpose. This then is the thrust of these next blogs; to bring to light that God is Sovereign and that He is in control of all things, that nothing is done that is not decreed or preordained by Him. This will challenge some of you but if you become as the Bereans and faithfully check out all that is written, I believe you will come to the truth, not mine, not some writer no matter how sound they are, rather the truth, that is God's Word. This is the introduction, next comes the Doctrine of Sovereignty and all it entails. 


So the people stood 
    far off,
but Moses drew near
    the thick darkness
where God was.
                   Exodus 20:21


Remember in Your Times of Trials
God is present in those trials.


Richard L. Crumb

God Is What We Think Him To Be

We give thanks to You

O God,

we give thanks!

For Your wondrous works

declare that 

Your name is near.....

But I will declare forever,

I will sing praises 

to the God of Jacob.

Psalm 75:1;9

     To be able to say that God is Sovereign we must and are coming to know that we can know God and His attributes as is revealed to us in His Word. We can have faith, not just any faith, rather we can have saving faith, that includes sure hope, and a sure belief that our Sovereign God is all that we know Him to be. Furthermore, we are so constituted by God in His creation of man that we can know that there is a God and that this God is more than a notion, an idea, rather it is our nature to know of Him and that He is a personal God. We bear the image of God, we understand Him by the fact that we in our language to describe Him can and do, and to do so we must anthropomorphize Him so that we can relate to Him without making Him us, or as some religions do, just another, maybe a higher, human. It is proper to use this method as proof for it is trustworthy because it is a law of our nature. Examining those whose god is nothing more than fetichism we will find that they assume that they belong to that which he worships. In fact they assume that this god has attributes like their own. Polytheism does the same for it gives to their gods attributes of them being intelligent personal beings. It is the philosophers that have done damage to the idea of God. These philosophers have substituted tό όν which is neuter to ό ών which means the "I am" and τό θεόν they have neutered God from ό θείος the God and further they use the neuter τό άγαθόν , good, for the one that is good ό άγαθος. For the philosophers God is place transcendental and is something known by man, but only in the mind of man. Most men believe that things are what they perceive them to be. Philosophers would deny that and state that man only affirms those things are not perceived in of themselves but only certain ideas or images of things. By this then they say we have no knowledge of what God is, we only know taht we are led to think of Him in a certain way, but we are not authorized to believe that our ideas of God corresponds to reality. Therefore, to the philosopher God is not what we take Him to be. 

     Is it true that we do not have the authority to believe or have knowledge that God is what we perceive Him to be? Our conviction of God rests on the same knowledge we have of the world, it is what has been revealed to us. This foundation, that which has been revealed, the same foundation that is used to believe that the world is and exists, is the same foundation for our belief and knowledge of God. This law is impressed upon our nature. If not impressed upon our nature then how in any sense could we have any impetus to believe in a God? It is those who have become so enamored with transcendental ideas or has become part of their religious experience that Man is the dream of a shadow. We can find this idea in the religion of Christian Science that all that we know is nothing more than a dream. The question then is: Are we invincibility led to think of God as possessing the attributes of our rational nature? We cannot deny this for universality proves invincibility of this belief. It is historically a proven fact that man universally have thought of God. It is foolish to dream or draw up thoughts of God as being only  some portrait that humans have drawn up for whatever reason. It is in our constitution that we think of God, it is our nature and we are forced by that nature to think of God and believe that it must be true. Now, it is true then, that God really is what we take Him to be, when we ascribe to Him the perfections of our nature, without limitation, and to an infinite degree. 

     Jonathan Edwards the great theologian who was most responsible for the Great Awakening in the mid-1700's states:

"It were to be wished that the enemies of religion would at least bring themselves to apprehend its nature before they oppose its authority. Did religion make its boast of beholding God with a clear and perfect view, and of possessing him without a covering or veil, the argument would bear some colour, when men should alledge, that none of the things about them do indeed afford this pretended evidence, and this degree of light. But since religion, on the contrary, represents men as in a state of darkness, and of estrangement from God; since it affirms him to have withdrawn himself from their discovery, and to have chosen in his word, the very style and appellation of Deus absconditus; lastly, since it employs itself alike, in establishing these two maxims, that God has left in his church certain characters of himself, by which they who sincerely seek him shall not fail of a sensible conviction—and yet that he has, at the same time, so far shaded and obscured these characters as to render them imperceptible to those who do not seek him with their whole heart; what advantage is it to men who profess themselves negligent in the search of truth, to complain so frequently that nothing reveals and displays it to them? For this very obscurity under which they labour, and which they make an exception against the church, does itself evince one of the two grand points which the church maintains, (without affecting the other) and is so far from overthrowing its doctrines, as to lend them a manifest confirmation and support."

He brought me to the

    banqueting house,

and His banner over me 

    was love.

                Song of Solomon 2:4

The Lord Will Be Your Help

Richard L. Crumb 

How Do Wwe Know God

Let my cry come before You,

O LORD; 

give me understanding

according to Your Word.

Let my supplication come

before You;

Deliver me according to Your 

word.

Psalm 119:169-170

     God being inconceivable and incomprehensible and can only be known partial, then how is it that our mind can form an idea of God. We are not gods, we are not divine beings, we are finite and effort to form the idea of God is limited. God being invisible to our eyes, and only visibly seen by means of His Son incarnate while here on earth who is now not present in form or body; then how do we form an image or idea of God? In reading the earlier Church fathers we find that the Church has always maintained certain aspects of God. It is by the way of negation, eminence, and causality. What is meant by this is that Christians, the Church, does not limit God and we ascribe to Him all excellencies. We refer to God as the great First Cause and all works are attributed to Him. We are His children therefore we are like Him. This does not mean in any way that we are like Him in form, or substance, rather that we are so constituted that we can form by means of our minds the idea of God. Why? Because we can and are authorized to ascribe to Him all of our attributes of our nature and as rational creatures we do this without limitation, and to the most infinite degree. Therefore, if we are like God (in this manner) then God is like us (in this manner). All religions have in some degree this principle giving further credibility to that fact. Paul in speaking to the Athenians used this principle in his address to them: "Therefore, since we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, something shaped by art and man's devising" (Acts 17:29). Let us not fall into the trap that many have fallen into, that is, that God is unknowable and is only a figment of our imaginations and give only the idea that God is an abstraction, a name give to and for moral order, for man and for the universe, that He may be the unknowable cause of the universe, the cause of all things, simply an inscrutable force. 

     If we are His children, then God is our Father, and we bear the image of our Father, and we partake of His nature. We are not making God to be nothing more than a anthropomorphism in the sense that it is used, mostly to describe any effort to give to God human aspects which is when the word is used in a bad sense. Many blame and for good reason that some people, even Christians see God in that way. Rather the word anthropomorphism used properly in this sense that the Church has always used the word is that it expresses, at least in our terms of understanding giving form to our mind of God. This is the doctrine of the Church. As we confess to anthropomorphism that is inseparable to our conviction that man bears the image of God, we do not maintain that anthropomorphism, which has always been called Theism, is nothing more that atheism or fetichism. God is not man, God does not carry in His person the form or likeness of man, He is a Spirit, and is infinite, and is more than the First Cause, He is God. But is this a trustworthy method and proof? This is our next discussion.

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.

                      Acts 17:24

I will meditate On Your Statutes

Richard L. Crumb