God interacts with the world in two big ways: creation and providence. He created everything out of nothing, and he continues to preserve it, govern it, and work through the choices of his creatures to accomplish his purposes. Humans make real choices and are responsible for them. Even evil and suffering can’t stop God’s plans. He is able to bring good out of what others intend for harm.
A God Who Is Involved
In Lesson 3, we looked at what God is like. Now we look at what he does. God isn’t a passive observer of the universe. He is a purposeful, personal being. The best way to understand his work is to consider his relationship with everything he has made.
Creation
From our perspective, God’s work begins with creation. He made everything out of nothing (Romans 4:17), simply by the command of his word (Psalm 33:6-9).
Hebrews 11:3 By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God’s command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible.
The whole Trinity was involved in creation (John 1:3; Psalm 104:30), and everything God made was “very good” (Genesis 1:31). God didn’t need to create anything. He created to display his glory (Revelation 4:11).
Creation is distinct from God, yet completely dependent on him. Four popular views fall short of what the Bible teaches:
- Materialism says there is nature, but no God.
- Pantheism says nature and God are one and the same.
- Dualism says nature and God have always existed side by side.
- Deism says God created the world but isn’t involved in it.
Much of contemporary science assumes materialism, which can create an apparent conflict between the Bible and science. But when everything is known about the universe, science and Scripture will agree. Theories of origins that leave God out entirely can’t be reconciled with the Bible. But among views that affirm God as Creator, biblical orthodoxy isn’t defined by a particular view of how God created. It’s defined by the fact that God created all things.
Providence
Creation is finished (Genesis 2:1-2). Providence is God’s ongoing relationship with what he made. God “rested” from creating, but he is still actively involved in the world and in our lives. That means things don’t just happen by chance, and we can face the future with confidence. Theologians describe three aspects of providence.
Preservation
God keeps everything he made in existence (Nehemiah 9:6). No part of creation is self-sufficient.
Colossians 1:17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.
A deist thinks the world is like a self-driving car. Christians believe God’s hands are on the steering wheel. Jesus sustains “all things by his powerful word” (Hebrews 1:3). What scientists call the laws of nature are simply God’s regular ways of sustaining his creation, which is why we can count on them.
Governance
God doesn’t just preserve creation. He governs it, directing everything toward his purposes (Ephesians 1:11).
Psalm 103:19 The Lord has established his throne in heaven, and his kingdom rules over all.
God controls the forces of nature (Job 37:6-13). He provides for the animals (Psalm 104:27-29). He directs history and the destiny of nations (Acts 17:26). He works in the circumstances of individual lives (Romans 8:28). He even rules over what looks like chance (Proverbs 16:33). History is always moving toward the fulfillment of God’s plans. And because God’s rule reflects his righteous, loving, and wise character, we can trust him no matter what happens.
Concurrence
Concurrence means God works together with his creatures in every action, directing them to accomplish his purposes through their own choices. We can talk about concurrence whenever an event has more than one cause.
Proverbs 16:9 In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.
It’s one thing to say God rules over nature and animals. But two big questions arise when we consider how God’s rule relates to human actions.
Human Freedom and Responsibility
If God governs the world, do humans have free will? Yes and no. We are not free in the sense of acting completely outside of God’s will. But we are free in the sense that we make willing choices with real consequences. That’s why we are responsible for what we do.
It helps to think about two kinds of causes. The primary cause is what God plans and initiates. Secondary causes are the actions of his creatures. God governs history through human actions, but that doesn’t make people any less accountable for their choices.
The crucifixion is the clearest example. The people who killed Jesus acted on their own motives. God didn’t coerce them, and they were responsible. Yet God was accomplishing his plan through them.
Acts 2:23 This man was handed over to you by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross.
Luke later describes how Herod, Pilate, and others conspired against Jesus, yet “they did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen” (Acts 4:27-28). God didn’t just allow the cross. He willed it for our salvation, and he worked through human choices to guarantee it.
This also explains why we pray. If everything happens according to God’s will, why bother? Because God is pleased to use our prayers, freely offered, as a secondary cause to bring about his purposes.
The Problem of Evil
If God rules creation, why does evil exist? Philosophers have framed the problem this way: if God is able to prevent evil but unwilling, he isn’t good. If he’s willing but unable, he isn’t all-powerful. Consider two responses.
First, the possibility of evil came with the creation of human beings. God doesn’t create evil, but he created people capable of meaningful choices, and that includes the capacity to choose wrong. Second, God’s goodness isn’t measured by a human definition of good, but by his superior wisdom. We have to consider the final results and the bigger time frame.
Joseph’s brothers committed a clear evil when they sold him into slavery. But years later, Joseph saw the bigger picture. “It was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you,” he said (Genesis 45:5).
Genesis 50:20 You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.
Another example is Pharaoh. God said he would harden Pharaoh’s heart (Exodus 4:21), and the Bible also says Pharaoh hardened his own heart (Exodus 8:15). Both are true at the same time. God never does evil, but he can righteously work through evil events. He uses them as judgment for sin, to bring sinners to repentance, and to accomplish good purposes. The ultimate example is the cross, where the worst evil in history became the source of our salvation.
The Takeaway
God created the world from nothing, and he hasn’t walked away. He preserves everything, governs history toward his purposes, and works through human choices without erasing our responsibility. Even in suffering, we can trust that God is able to bring good out of evil. In Lesson 5, we’ll turn to the center of God’s plan: Jesus.
