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