Providential Salvation

In previous essays we have studied our eternal salvation from sin including salvation from sin's condemnation, salvation from sin's bondage, and salvation from sin's corruption and noted that God has sovereignly saved us by his grace. Then we proceeded to study many of the timely deliverance that come to God's elect including salvation from ignorance, salvation from a condemning heart, salvation from death of fellowship, and salvation from an untoward generation! We learned the
importance of the faith and good works of God's elect in effecting these timely deliverance.

In this essay we take an overview look at four providential deliverance (salvation) presented to us in the scriptures. God in his providence works in the daily lives of his children. Sometimes he delivers us from circumstances either to save our lives or to deliver our lives from what we would consider to be adverse circumstances. I invite the reader to consider the faith and works of God's obedient people that is demonstrated during these scriptural episodes.

The first episode we will look at is found in Matt. 8:23 27, "And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him. And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep. And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish. And he said unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then, he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm. But, the men marveled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!"

The second episode is Matt. 14:25 31, "And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear. But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer; it is I; be not afraid. And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.  And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt?"

The third episode we present is Luke 18:35 43, "And it came to pass, that as he was come nigh unto Jericho, a certain blind man sat by the way side begging: and hearing the multitude pass by, he asked what it meant. And they told him, that Jesus of Nazareth passeth by. And he cried, saying, Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy on me. And they which went before rebuked him, that he should hold his peace: but he
cried so much the more, Thou son of David, have mercy on me: and Jesus stood, and commanded him to be brought unto him: and when he was come near, he asked him, saying, What wilt thou that I should do unto thee?  And he said, Lord, that I may receive my sight. And Jesus said unto him, Receive thy sight: thy faith hath saved thee. And immediately he received his sight, and followed him, glorifying God: and all the people when they saw it, gave praise unto God."

The fourth episode is found in Heb. 11:7, "By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith."

While I only chose four episodes the old and new testament are full of such episodes of God delivering his people with such timely deliverance. I marvel when I hear some people say they don't believe in timely salvation. Are they reading the same bible I am reading? The fact is God is not only the God who has wrought our eternal salvation from sin, but he is the God who is with us in the midst of our lives and in the circumstances of our lives. He is not a God afar off, but one who is near. He has told us to cast our care upon him for he careth for us. If we would stop to consider God's providential mercy and grace upon each of us then we are drawn to the conclusion that we have been saved many times from many adverse circumstances and trials and tribulations in our lives. Furthermore, when we read of such deliverance in the scripture and consider our experiences of life and God's dealings with us in providence, then it encourages us to "lift up our eyes unto the hills from whence cometh our help" when we come face to face with future trials and trying circumstances.

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Predestination #2

The fact that God purposes, counsels, or wills to do something and then does it is readily apparent from a review of the scriptures:

A. Isa. 46:10, 11 "Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure: Calling a ravenous bird from the east, the man that executeth my counsel from a far country: yea, I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed it, I will also do it."

B. Dan. 4:25 "And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none shall stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?"

Now this is not to say that we don't sometimes purpose, counsel or will to do something and then try to do according to what we purposed, counseled or willed. The differences between God and us is that God has the nature and abilities to always bring to pass what he has purposed, counseled, or willed, whereas we lack both the nature and the abilities to ensure what we have purposed, counseled, or willed will come to pass. When God determined the final destiny of those he foreknew beforehand (predestinated) because of his nature and abilities he ensured the elect will reach that final destiny. In this essay we want to consider those things about God that imminently qualify him as the only one who can predestinate.

Many times we attempt to do something but simply lack the power or ability to do it. This is never a problem with God for he has all power in heaven and earth (Matt. 28:18). This power is demonstrated in the creation of the universe by God simply speaking it into existence.   Christ manifested that power by raising the dead, healing all manner of sicknesses, performing all manner of miracles, and manifesting his power over the elements. No force can stand against God or in opposition to God and prevail. By his power God can and will overcome all obstacles that could or would conceivably stand in his way of accomplishing his will.

Other times we make plans, but due to our limited knowledge fail to anticipate obstacles that derail or alter our plans. Since God knows all things past, present, and future there is nothing that can surprise him. The scriptures say that he knows our thoughts afar off and our down sittings and our uprisings. The hairs of our head are all numbered and a sparrow does not fall without his knowing it. All things are naked and open to the eyes of him with whom we have to do. Therefore God's purpose, counsel, or will cannot be derailed or altered by unknown past, present, or future happenings. We as finite creatures are limited in space. We cannot be at more than one place at a time. We may make plans and while we are attending to one problem another may arise at a different place that we are unable to attend to. God has no such limitations. He is everywhere present and no where absent. He is omnipresent and thus able to overcome and perform everything needed to accomplish his purpose at all places and at all times.

Again as finite creatures we are not only limited in space but also in time. Our stay on earth is at best only a very short time and we pass from the scene of this life. Many plans of men have failed to come to fruition because they died before they were finished. God has no such limitations for he is eternal. He has neither beginning or ending.  Thus what he purposed, counseled, or willed before the world began, he will still be around to accomplish even until time shall be no more on earth.

Thus based on God's omnipotence, omniscience, omnipresence, and eternal existence God is able to accomplish what he purposed, counseled or willed to do. As we will see, based on some things that God is unable to do, his purpose, counsel, and will are definitively assured to God's elect.

The first thing that God cannot do is lie. Titus 1:2 reads, "In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began." Likewise, Heb. 6:18 reads, "that by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us." Thus God's covenant promises stand on the fact that God cannot lie!

The second thing God cannot do is change. Mal. 3:6 says, "For I am the Lord, I change not, therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed."  Similarly James 1:17 reads, "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning." Thus, since it is impossible for God to change, he cannot change his mind. Those things which he has purposed, counseled, or willed to do will not be altered because God changed his mind. God cannot change!

The third and fourth things God cannot do is fail or be discouraged. This we read about in Isa. 42:4, "He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth..." Since God cannot fail, we are assured that what God purposes, counsels, or wills to do will be accomplished without failure. If God should ever try to do something and fail, then he would cease being God! Remember, it is impossible for God to fail. Likewise, since God cannot be discouraged, he will never
give up or faint at the task. No task is too hard for the Lord. All that he purposes, counsels, or wills will come to pass without failure or discouragement.

The fifth thing God cannot do is deny himself. Paul wrote in II Tim. 2:13, "If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself." For God to abandon his promises would be to deny himself.  God, however, is faithful to his work and to his promises. He cannot deny himself regardless of what man may do.

The sixth thing God cannot do is be tempted with evil. This is proven by James 1:13, "Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man." If a person can be tempted to evil, then he can succumb to evil. Since the man who executes God's counsel from a far country is Jesus Christ, he had to be perfect and keep the law perfectly to redeem his people.   Thus, God's purpose, counsel, and will were never in danger of failure because Christ could not be tempted with evil. Likewise, the seventh thing God cannot do is sin (I John 3:9). It was impossible for Christ to sin. Therefore our salvation is sure. 

The final destiny of God's elect began with God's covenant promises, purposes, counsels, and will before the world began. Because of the nature of God and because of those things God cannot do, that destiny is sure. God has predestinated the elect to it. 

In our next issue we will begin to look at the works of God that are essential in order that the elect reach that final destiny. These works are listed for us in Rom. 8:30 as "called, justified, and glorified."