1. Systematic Theology I Theology Proper
God and the Universe

2. God and the Universe
By universe we mean whatever is created, either material or non-material…everything that is not God.
God’s relationship to the universe can be analyzed under the following major headings:
Predestination or Decree: God planned the universe.
Creation: God made the universe.
Preservation: God upholds the universe.
Providence: God controls the universe.

3. Predestination: God Planned the Universe
God’s Decree: Definition and Delineation
God’s decree is His eternal plan for all the events of the universe. It is:
Singular – God has one overarching, all-inclusive purpose and plan.
Freely Made – He purposes all things in accordance with the counsel of His own will (Eph 1:11). God does whatever He pleases (Psa 115:3; 135:6).
Eternal – God’s plan was established in eternity past and carries through to eternity future (1 Pet 1:20; Eph 3:11; 2 Tim 1:9; Isa 37:26).
Changeless – God has no alternate plan because He does not need one (Act 2:23; Psa 33:11).

4. Predestination: God Planned the Universe
God’s Decree: Definition and Delineation
Universal – God’s plan includes all entities and actions; nothing is outside of His purpose (Rom 8:28). This is evidenced by:
The stability of the material universe (Psa 119:89-91).
The rise and fall of nations and rulers (Acts 17:26; Rom 13:1).
The length of one’s life (Job 14:5).
The circumstances of each one’s life and death (James 4:13-15).
The free acts of human beings, both good and bad (Eph 2:10; Acts 2:23; Gen 50:20).
The salvation of believers, i.e., election (1 Pet 1:1-2; Eph 1:5).
The perdition of the ungodly (1 Pet 2:8).
Trivial matters (Job 36:32; Matt 10:29-30).

5. Predestination: God Planned the Universe
God’s Decree: Definition and Delineation
Unconditional – “its execution does not depend upon anything that has not itself been decreed” (Hodge, as cited in McCune, p. 319). God decrees both the means and the results.
Certain – God’s plan cannot be thwarted (Isa 14:27).
Preserves Human Responsibility – Scripture clearly teaches that God’s plan is certain and man is fully responsible for his actions (Matt 18:7; Luk 22:22).
Centered in Jesus Christ (Heb 1:2; Eph 3:11)
Concerns God’s Actions, not Person – God’s person exists independently of His decrees.
Directed toward God’s Glory – This is God’s ultimate purpose in all that He does.

6. Predestination: God Planned the Universe
God’s Decree: Three Aspects
The secretive aspect of God’s will (Deu 29:29; Dan 3:17).
This is what will happen.
The preceptive aspect of God’s will, that which relates to His commands, precepts, and exhortations, the “things revealed” in Deu 29:29.
The unspecified aspect of God’s will, that which comes through biblical wisdom and guidance.
These last two are what should happen, but in reality may or may not.

7. Creation: God Made the Universe
The Universe at One Point had no Existence
John 17:5 “And now, glorify Thou Me together with Thyself, Father, with the glory which I had with Thee before the world was.”
The Universe was Created at a Definite Point
Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.
The Universe was Created by the Triune God
The Father was the originator of creation, the Son the mediator, and the Spirit the executor.
The Universe was Created Freely as a result of God’s Will and Wisdom and for His Glory
Jeremiah 10:12 It is He who made the earth by His power, Who established the world by His wisdom; And by His understanding He has stretched out the heavens.
Many other texts refer to the creation as “the beginning”.

8. Further Characteristics of the Created Universe
The Universe was Created Supernaturally and Instantaneously
“Let there be…and it was so” (Gen 1:3, 6, 9, et al).
It was created ex nihilo.
The Universe was Created in Six 24-Hour Days
This is the straightforward reading of the creation account in Genesis 1.
Six day creation served as a pattern for man’s work week (Exod 20:8-9, 11).
The Universe was Created with Biological Boundaries
Species reproduce after their own kind.
The Universe was Created with the Appearance of Age
This includes mature trees, animals, and human beings.
The Universe was Created Perfect
Genesis 1:31 And God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.
Folks come up with all comes of alternative explanations, when a straightforward reading makes it very simple.

9. Preservation: God Sustains the Universe
The Definition of Preservation – The preservation of the work of the Triune God, whereby He upholds the universe with all it laws, properties, powers, and processes. It includes:
The protection of creation against harm and ultimate destruction
Provision for all of creation’s needs
The Proof of Preservation
Nehemiah 9:6 “Thou alone art the LORD. Thou hast made the heavens, The heaven of heavens with all their host, The earth and all that is on it, The seas and all that is in them. Thou dost give life to all of them And the heavenly host bows down before Thee.”
Hebrews 1:3 And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power.
The Specific Domains of Preservation, as Seen in:
The stability of the universe
The laws and processes of nature (Gen 8:22)
Preservation of human and animal life (Psa 104:10-12)

10. Providence: God Controls the Universe
Providence is God’s power in moving the universe toward its predetermined goal and design, the outworking of His decrees.
Providence and Human Freedom
Providence at times limits human actions (Gen 20:6).
At times it permits human actions or withholds God’s restraint (2 Chron 32:31).
At times it overrules (Gen 50:20; Acts 2:36).
At times it determines boundaries that cannot be crossed (Job 1:12; 2:6; 1 Cor 10:13).
Providence and Secondary Causation – God generally exercises control over the universe through secondary causes, but He may override natural law by the working of a miracle.

11. Read Chapter 10 in McCune, pp. 349-402
Next Week: Angelology
Read Chapter 10 in McCune, pp