Nothing happens but by ‘the counsel of his will’-the infinite wisdom of his plan (692–93).” … Therefore, the extent of his providence is total. Piper helpfully summarizes: “God has revealed his purposeful sovereignty over good and evil in order to humble human pride, intensify human worship, shatter human hopelessness, and put ballast in the battered boat of human faith, steel in the spine of human courage, gladness in the groans of affliction, and love in the heart that sees no way forward (13).” Moreover, “ providence is the purposeful sovereignty that carries those plans into action, guides all things towards God’s ultimate goal, and leads to the final consummation. In John Piper’s recently published Providence, readers will find deep convictions about the pastoral values of the doctrine. As Herman Bavinck (1854–1921) rightly stated, the Christian doctrine of providence is not merely a true explanation of the world, but also “a glorious confession of faith.” Because of the vital link between the doctrine of providence and the religious life of Christians, it can even be said that, without the correct understanding of divine providence, believers will have confusing responses to the reality they experience, and struggle to gain meaningful interpretations of their sufferings, trials, and even joys.
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