The biblical doctrine of divine providence is highly practical. It affects the way one responds to people and circumstances. Do you really see all things as coming from the hand of a wise, holy, and loving God? How you respond to trials, afflictions, persecution, setbacks, and disappointments is telling you how big your God really is. The doctrine of divine providence also does away with carnal boasting and presumption, for if there is anything good about what we are or what we have, it is God who has done it. He must receive all the praise and glory.

The opening chapters of the 1689 London Baptist Confession are concerned with the foundations of the Christian faith. Among these foundational concerns are truths pertaining to the original creation. Chapter 4 (Creation) is concerned with the establishment of the original creation, and chapter 6 (Sin and the Fall) with the defilement of that creation. Between these two we find a chapter on divine providence, which addresses the government of the original creation. This placement underscores the doctrine’s foundational importance and abiding relevance.

There is also an important connection between the chapter on providence and chapter three, which concerns the decree of God. We can think of God’s decree as His plan drawn up in eternity, and God’s providence as His execution of that plan in history. Whatever God has planned in eternity will come to pass in history. All that comes to pass in history was planned in eternity. The orderly progression of thought in the opening chapters of the confession is clear to see. God plans (chapter 3), creates (chapter 4), and directs (chapter 5).

So, what is the doctrine of divine providence? The first paragraph of chapter 5 explains:

“God the good Creator of all things, in His infinite power and wisdom does uphold, direct, dispose, and govern all creatures and things, from the greatest even to the least, by His most wise and holy providence, to the end for the which they were created, according unto His infallible foreknowledge, and the free and immutable counsel of His own will; to the praise of the glory of His wisdom, power, justice, infinite goodness, and mercy.”

In this paragraph, the authors of the Confession outline eight features of divine providence that we should note:

1. Its Author

According to Paragraph 1, the Author of divine providence is “God the good Creator of all things.” We read in Genesis 1:31, “And God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good.” The divine Author of creation is also the divine Author of providence. The Baptist Confession refers to God as “the good Creator,” while the Westminster Confession describes Him as “the great Creator.” It appears that the writers of the Baptist Confession were concerned to emphasize the goodness of divine providence.

2. Its Foundation

The foundation of divine providence is described in Paragraph 1 as “His infinite power and wisdom.” The framework of both creation and providence is God’s infinite power and wisdom. “He has made the earth by His power, He has established the world by His wisdom…” (Jer. 10:12a). Christ, the wisdom of God, through whom all things were created, upholds all things by the word of His power (Heb. 1:3).

3. Its Essence

God “doth uphold, direct, dispose, and govern.” These are the four essential activities of God in His providence. He upholds, directs, disposes, and governs all that He has created. He “works all things according to the counsel of His will” (Eph. 1:11). God actively works upon, in, and through what He has created.[1]

4. Its Extent

Divine providence extends to “all creatures and things, from the greatest even to the least.” In Matthew 10:29-31 Jesus said, “Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.” Jesus argues from the lesser to the greater. If even the sparrows are kept by God, how much more are you? In context, the practical application of all this is that we should put away sinful anxiety, especially in the face of opposition and persecution.

5. Its Nature

God directs and governs all things “by His most wise and holy providence.” The psalmist declares, “The LORD is righteous in all His ways, Gracious in all His works” (Ps. 145:17). The Confession uses two words to describe the nature of divine providence: wise (meaning that there are no errors), and holy (meaning that there is no evil).

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