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Quotes by Walter Elwell

1

Providence, then, is the sovereign, divine superintendence of all things, guiding them toward their divinely predetermined end in a way that is consistent with their created nature, all to the glory and praise of God.  This divine, sovereign, benevolent control of all things by God is the underlying premise of everything that is taught in the Scriptures.

2

No one, not even the unredeemed, are ultimately outside the will of God (Pr. 16:4; Rom. 9:14-18; 1 Pet. 2:7-8).  They are not forced to be lost, but choosing to reject God’s offer of mercy does not somehow free them from the control of God.  Even their rejection has been included in the eternal plan of God.  This is perhaps the worst part of it for them.  In their attempt to be free from God by rejecting Him, even if at the cost of their own souls, they find that there is no such thing.  The net of God’s providence includes even the vain attempt to be outside the net.

3

There is unquestionably a great mystery here as to how a holy God who cannot even look upon evil (Hab. 1:13) can work His will through evil, but that He does is the clear teaching of Scripture. If something could get outside the will of God, it would become a god unto itself and a rival to God. Such can never be the case. God alone is God; there is no other.