quote:

ORIGINAL: BookerG

What all the various translations of pequddah and paqad have in common is paying close attention to whatever or whoever has been entrusted into your care or your responsibility, and making sure that everything is done as it should. In Numbers the point is taking good care of the sanctuary and paying attention that those entrusted with its care are doing what needs to be done. It is supervision, not as an emphasis on being a boss, but on the one who has the ultimate responsibility that things are taken care of. The combination of pequddah and shamar in Job 10:12 says that the care of my soul is entirely in God's hands. The word providence, likewise, focuses on both God paying close attention, not just of what's happening now but even what will happen in the future (pronoia, forethought), and taking care of everything, providing whatever is needed so that his will is done.

quote:

ORIGINAL: cognitivemagic

Theo_book:

If by "providence", you mean to say that God "provides" for mankind, then nothing really controversial results from this.

Humans also possess providence, by you're definition:

"Masters, give your bondservants what is just and fair, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven" (Col. 4:1)

"But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever" (1 Tim. 5:8)

"If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of food, and one of you says to them, 'depart in peace, be warmed and filled,' but you do not give them the things that are needed for the body, what does it profit?" (James 2:15,16)

"And I will give you the keys to the Kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven". (Matt. 16:19)

"And on some have compassion, making a distinction; but other save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh" (Jude 22,23)

See also Romans 12:3-8

Therefore, according to the scriptures, we too possess "providence".

Where the issue of "providence" becomes controversial, is the degree to which it is thought to extend to human salvation. No one will disagree that God provides the means of salvation (i.e. the Incarnational life, death, resurrection, ascension and return of the Lord Jesus Christ). You have already noted some of this yourself.

However, there will be great disagreements as to whom the "means" will be effected (i.e. some or all people).

My take on this is that God has made us "heirs" and "fellow co-workers" with God. Even more remarkable is that, through the Lord Jesus Christ, God has made us partakers of His Divine nature (2 Pet. 1:1-4).

Therefore, any so-called "theology" that truncates man's dignity with exhaustive sovereignty (i.e. Augustianism/Calvanism), essentially undermines the Gospel; how else could we be said to be "partakers of the Divine nature" if the Divine nature determines all there is and ever will be? In that case, there would only be the Divine nature.

But perhaps you weren't intending to imply such sovereignty.

quote:

ORIGINAL: cognitivemagic

Theo_book:

If by "providence", you mean to say that God "provides" for mankind, then nothing really controversial results from this.

Humans also possess providence, by you're definition:

"Masters, give your bondservants what is just and fair, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven" (Col. 4:1)

"But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever" (1 Tim. 5:8)

"If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of food, and one of you says to them, 'depart in peace, be warmed and filled,' but you do not give them the things that are needed for the body, what does it profit?" (James 2:15,16)

"And I will give you the keys to the Kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven". (Matt. 16:19)

"And on some have compassion, making a distinction; but other save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh" (Jude 22,23)

See also Romans 12:3-8

Therefore, according to the scriptures, we too possess "providence".

Where the issue of "providence" becomes controversial, is the degree to which it is thought to extend to human salvation. No one will disagree that God provides the means of salvation (i.e. the Incarnational life, death, resurrection, ascension and return of the Lord Jesus Christ). You have already noted some of this yourself.

However, there will be great disagreements as to whom the "means" will be effected (i.e. some or all people).

My take on this is that God has made us "heirs" and "fellow co-workers" with God. Even more remarkable is that, through the Lord Jesus Christ, God has made us partakers of His Divine nature (2 Pet. 1:1-4).

Therefore, any so-called "theology" that truncates man's dignity with exhaustive sovereignty (i.e. Augustianism/Calvanism), essentially undermines the Gospel; how else could we be said to be "partakers of the Divine nature" if the Divine nature determines all there is and ever will be? In that case, there would only be the Divine nature.

But perhaps you weren't intending to imply such sovereignty.