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.
 
 

 

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<BR>
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."