Miraculous to the Mundane
My son and I have started studying the book of Genesis together. This book is foundational to the entirety of the Bible. It begins with God: “In the beginning, God…” God created the habitat of all things we know in six days (Genesis 1, 2). He created it all out of nothing. This is beyond our scientific laws as we know that something cannot come from nothing. Thus, we have the supernatural or miraculous. The Creator created. Out of nothing, the heavens and the earth came to being. Created from the earth came vegetation: grass, herbs, and fruit trees. He created the stars, planets, moon, and sun which did not exist. Sea creatures, fish, marine life were spoken into being. Beasts, cattle, creeping things – God created all. Even man was created in miraculous fashion from the dirt of the earth itself. However, His creation was established with defined scientific laws so that it would be orderly and not chaotic. The creation exists in such a way that it is able to provide for the life of its inhabitants and they are able to thrive without the need for the miraculous. Within the creation, God’s provision enabled life to reproduce after itself. This natural function of life may seem mundane, common, or uninspired, but in reality it is the inspire will of God which cannot be thwarted (Isaiah 55:11). This miraculous to “natural” pattern is also seen in God’s spiritual plan for man.
What miraculously began continues in common fashion.
From before time, God had a predetermined plan for man’s salvation from sin (Ephesians 1:4-5). The plan involved the revelation of God’s pattern of redemption by the Holy Spirit through man. The Spirit would provide man with the mind of God in the form of the Bible (2 Peter 1:20-21). This was revealed to man over time through supernatural dreams, visions, and prophetic influence of the Spirit (Joel 2:28) and confirmed through the signs, wonders, and miracles (Acts 2:22, Mark 16:20). However, following the pattern which God established by His will in the creation of all things, God also brought the miraculous aspects of revealing His plan for the redemption of mankind by the hands of man to an end (I Corinthians 13, Ephesians 4) and left the dissemination of that revelation to be accomplished by natural means. Man must study the word of God (2 Timothy 2:15). He must choose to be a Christian (Acts 2:38, Mark 16:16). The Christian is then charged to enroll others as scholars of that Word (Matthew 28:18-20) that they too might reproduce Christians in the same natural manner. In all cases where the Word is recorded to have been delivered whether miraculously or naturally the choice as to whether or not to heed God’s Word is up to each individual, but the consequences of those choices are determined (2 Thessalonians 1:6-10).
What about God’s providence in the salvation of man? God is a patient God. He desires none perish, giving them ample time to choose to repent (2 Peter 3:9). The providence of God is simply His provision for His already established Will to be done. God has provided mankind with His Word which enables salvation (James 1:21). The Word of God has not been hidden in a corner, but has been spread throughout the earth (Colossians 1:23). God has sent forth messengers to all sharing the Word via the Church (Mark 16:15, Acts 8:4, I Corinthians 1:21, 2 Timothy 4:2). Through the wonders of Creation God has called man’s attention to seek him (Romans 1:20). God has promised that those who would seek would find (Matthew 7:7) and only those who wish to deny it will find the gospel message hidden (2 Corinthians 4:3-4). Man may look for a sign, wonder, or angelic visitation as evidence of God’s providence, but these will simply be false wonders and a vain effort. God’s plan has been revealed and it is spread in common form. His providence keeps it ever present before man. It may seem mundane to develop one’s faith by hearing the Word of God (Romans 10:17), but this is God’s divine pattern and has been from creation.