Exposition by Max A Forsythe
Question 11:
Q: What are God's works of providence?
A: God's works of providence are, his most holy, wise, and powerful preserving and governing all his creatures, and all their actions.
In the introduction to Thomas Watson's A Body of Divinity, no less a champion than C.H. Spurgeon pens the memorial to the Puritan master whose work is so very valuable in the course of our brief studies. Dr Watson comes from a time, when pastors served their churches or not, at the pleasure of political circumstance. After sixteen years of labor, he was banished from preaching and had to do so in secret for a time. After the great fire in 1666 he was able to preach for several years in the home one Sir John Langham before returning to Essex, where he died suddenly about 1689.
Charles Hadden Spurgeon also had his spiritual trials two centuries later when modernism first began to affect the Church. Both men struggled in their day to preach the truth to generations who generally cared not for which they labored. Even in our own time, the true teachings of the Reformation are hard to come by. One of my friends has had an earnest desire to see a local fellowship where these same truths may be upheld. We made up a list of thirty some contacts who might possibly be interested and were disappointed at so little a response. In Mansfield, a small group came together a couple years before we started here, and only in the last year or so have they been able to gather together in any strength at all. And this week, we heard by email from a couple in another part of the country who must drive 130 miles to find a Reformed Church. In good weather, they are able to worship two to three times a month.
They send us thanks for ministering to the scattered "CHURCH" throughout the world. And well scattered indeed is Christ's Church even on the web! From the mountain valleys of Switzerland to the land down under, our contacts are earnest and faithful friends in praying for the increase of the Reformed Gospel. Since January we have had 2,107 visitors to our virtual church and through that ministry have seen two people join us on a regular basis here in Reynoldsburg. I suppose it will be another seven weeks or so before another visitor comes our way from this electronic outreach.
I have never understood why our growth here is so slow when so many charlatans with nothing to say and outrageous demands in time, money and commitment can raise up instant congregations where people gather to have their fancies tickled and their spirits entertained. In a small booklet, Jonathan Edwards joins the observation of Thomas Watson, that "providence is a Christian's diary, but not his Bible. Sometimes a bad cause prevails and gets ground; but it is not to be liked because it prevails. We must not think the better of what is sinful, because it is successful." In Edward's classic work entitled God at Work?, he observes that some happenings do not prove anything one way or another that God is really at work. These assorted nine happenings include the unusual, increased talk about religion, unwise and irregular conduct, or much preaching about the horrors of hell. Of the last one, Edwards well knew of what he was speaking! He goes on in this marvelous little book to describe the things that the Scriptures say prove that God is at work. These include five points:
The British Pastor, Gary Benfold who introduces Edward's work for a modern audience observes "We too live in days when true Christianity is in a poor state. For the most part, there are few real conversions in our churches; even worse, nobody seems to mind very much. Then, from time to time, we hear remarkable reports of strange things happening." One only has to note the laughable transgressions of the Toronto "curse" or the wildly acclaimed growth of the "Willow Creek" institutions to understand that strange things are indeed brewing? Even the Promise Keepers phenomenon must also eventually be measured by Edward's biblical standards!
Yet with these three phenomena growing within Christ's Church we have to admit the fact of certain statistics in these last few years: church attendance is going down as a general trend! In times such as these, the observations of our Fathers in the faith, Spurgeon, Watson, Edwards and all the rest do indeed help us to reflect on our spiritual estate within and according to the providences of our God and King.
Dr Watson makes three points for his generation which are equally valid for our own. These include the understanding that there is a providence. Second, that this providence is nothing more than God's ordering all issues and events of things, after the counsel of his will, to his own glory. Finally, like Jonathan's brilliant observations on the revival of his day, Watson makes several astute propositions about God's providence. To these three points we shall spend the remainder of this morning.
The first point is not an issue to the true believer. We well know from God's presence in our lives that there is indeed a providence! Do you love the person's of the Trinity more than you once did? Has God spoken to you through the Holy Scriptures? Have you been enabled to live a more holy life? Do you hate sin more? Do you wish to be free from the effects of sin? Have you wrestled with personal decisions lately? Do you see the hand of God at work in the affairs of mankind? If you can say yes to any one of these, there is no need to argue with you that God's providence is being worked out!
Watson's second point is the almost ancient wisdom of our catechism question. As we look at the words in the instruction of question eleven, we may quickly assume the American dictum that the government that governs least governs best! And of that dictum, we are gaining more and more experience to prove the opinion. But, I wonder if we don't have things twisted around. What if we observed that when God governs, his government that governs more governs best. Oh wouldn't the radical secular humanists rail at that premise? And yet, from our knowledge, all things work out for his will and purpose in spite of fervent opposition! Are we ever guilty of opposing the working out of God's will in our lives, the lives of our children or His wise counsel in the public affairs where we are charged to speak for Him? Perhaps we have not opposed His will directly, but if we have aquiesed in going along to be with the in crowd we are just as guilty. I cannot fathom the thinking of several people who voted for good old Bill because he might do something for them even as they are appalled at his character and activities of his boss.
Finally, we come to Watson's observations about the providence of our Holy God. His first proposition is that God's providence reaches to all places, persons and occurrences. In other words, absolutely nothing happens outside of the allowances of God the Father. We should do well to observe that all of the assorted natural plagues that have afflicted this North American continent are God's increasingly heavy hand laid upon the nation to call us to repentance for all the wickedness that has been set loose in the last few decades. I can only suppose that these disasters, small and large shall increase in intensity until all of those who oppose our God and King either repent or are politically and spiritually crushed?
Secondly, the disorderly and irregular events in and around the world are nothing more than the providential wisdom of our God in heaven. Dr Watson observes that even when Christians are in a low estate, it is for our good: "Perhaps the hearts of the godly were lifted up with riches, or with success; now God comes with a humbling providence to afflict them and fleece them. Better is the loss that makes them humble than the success that makes them proud."
Third, even as God's hand is in the ordering of all things, he still is righteous and holy and therefore has not encouraged the wicked to do more than they would normally do anyway. Again, Dr Watson observes that the Lord may permit sinful things to happen, "but he has no hand in sin"! In all of history when we read of the wickedness of the Pharoah's, the Caesar's and the Hitler's in our long and sordid past, we may be assured that these people were bent on wickedness from the depths of their own hearts. What God has done in all cases is removed the restraining presence of His Spirit and allowed the wicked to do all that they can do!
Fourthly and finally we may understand that God is to be "trusted when His providences seem to run contrary to his promises." This last point is one that has been a special burden to me this summer. On the basis of several possibilities, I had hoped to at long last be free of public service to concentrate my work and witness within Christ's Church. Providentially it does not appear to be feasible this year. For several weeks that fact has really caused me personal distress. Then one of my friends called me and informed me that the rules for retirement may be eased in the coming year. And of course, in the last year, there were more students who grew spiritually than in many a year, perhaps there is another group that I must meet in the coming year.
As we grow in grace together and see what the Lord will allow for us in His future, may we all learn again and again the patience that is necessary to learn His will. And may we never ever be so arrogant to think that we know just what His Church needs and where to take it? As I have mentioned often in the last few years, the planting of a Church is like riding a surf board. The power of the wind and waves dictates your final destination, and the best that we who are onboard Christ's surf board can do is hang on and shift our balance as we sense where He is leading. It is a long way to our heavenly "beach" but we know who is waiting there for us and our duty is to follow providentially after our Lord and our Christ, so that He may assume all the glory for our work and witness.
Resources Used:
Green, James B. A Harmony of the Westminster Presbyterian Standards.
Edwards, Jonathan God At Work?
Hodge, A.A. The Confession of Faith.
(PCA) The Confession of Faith: The Shorter Catechism.
Watson, Thomas. A Body of Divinity, 10 Commandments & Lord's Prayer
Places Preached:
Christ Covenant REFORMED (Presbyterian Church in America)
Box 132049 -- Columbus, OH 43213-8049
WSC011 07 Jul 96
- Table of Contents