As God has created the world, so He also sustains it and continually cares for all His creatures, particularly man. Just that is what we mean when we speak of God's providence (providentia, πρόνοια, διοίκησις). Augustine says: "God is not a workman who, when he has completed his work, leaves it to itself and goes his way." Gerhard: "God, the Creator of all, did not desert the work which He framed; but by His omnipotence up to the present time preserves it, and by His wisdom He rules and controls all things in it."
While the fact of divine providence may be known by men from the contemplation of nature, Rom.1, 19. 20; Acts 14, 17, and of history, Acts 17, 26-28, Holy Scripture, because of the blindness and perverseness of the human mind, Is. 1, 2. 3, teaches it with great emphasis and much detail, Matt. 6, 25-32. Gerhard (IV, 52) writes: "The knowledge of divine providence sought from the book of nature is weak and imperfect, not from the fault of nature itself, but from that of our mind; but more certain and perfect is the knowledge of divine providence which is obtained from Scripture." Doctr. Theol., p. 174. The Christian theologian regards Scripture as the only source (principium cognoscendi) of also this doctrine.
The providence of God manifests itself in particular: a) in His gracious preservation of all creatures (conservatio) ,· b) in His gracious cooperation with all that occurs (concursus); c) in His gracious direction and government of the whole universe (gubernatio). We therefore distinguish as special acts of divine providence: God's preservation, Ps. 36, 6; God's concurrence, Acts 17, 28; and God's government, Jer. 10, 23; Prov. 20, 24. A complete definition of divine providence therefore reads: "Divine providence is the external act of the entire Trinity (opus ad extra) whereby God a) most efficaciously upholds the things created, both as an entirety and singly, both in species and in individuals; b) concurs in their actions and effects; and c) freely and wisely governs all things to His own glory and the welfare and safety of the universe, especially of the godly."
The act of divine providence includes the preservation of all creatures not only in their being, Acts 17, 28; Col. 1, 17, but also in their activities, Matt. 5, 45; Acts 14, 17; Ps. 104, 10-30. In other words, the creatures have not only their being in God, but also perform their functions through Him. For this reason our dogmaticians have called the preservation of the world (conservatio mundi) a continuous creation (creatio continoota). Rightly understood, this expression is Scriptural. While divine providence is the work of the Triune God, it is of special comfort to all believers that Holy Scripture ascribes the preservation and government of the world especially to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, whom God has made the Head of His Church, Reb. 1, 3; Col. 1, 17; Eph. 1, 20-23.