Topical Bible: Man: God: Preserves

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The concept of God preserving man is a recurring theme throughout the Bible, illustrating God's ongoing care, protection, and sustenance of humanity. This divine preservation is evident in various aspects of life, including physical, spiritual, and eternal dimensions.

Physical Preservation

God's preservation of man in a physical sense is seen in His provision and protection. In the Old Testament, God's care for the Israelites during their journey through the wilderness is a prime example. Despite the harsh conditions, God provided manna from heaven and water from a rock, ensuring their survival (Exodus 16:35, Numbers 20:11). The psalmist acknowledges God's protective role, stating, "The LORD will guard you from all evil; He will preserve your soul" (Psalm 121:7).

Spiritual Preservation

Spiritually, God preserves the faith and integrity of His people. The Apostle Paul writes about God's faithfulness in preserving believers, saying, "The Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen you and guard you from the evil one" (2 Thessalonians 3:3). This assurance of spiritual preservation is echoed in Jude 1:24, where it is written, "Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of His glory with great joy" .

Eternal Preservation

The ultimate preservation is eternal, as God promises eternal life to those who believe in Him. Jesus assures His followers of this eternal security, declaring, "I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them out of My hand" (John 10:28). This promise of eternal preservation is a cornerstone of Christian hope, emphasizing God's unchanging commitment to His people.

Examples of Preservation

Throughout Scripture, numerous individuals experience God's preserving power. Noah and his family are preserved through the flood (Genesis 6-9), demonstrating God's ability to save the righteous from destruction. Similarly, Daniel is preserved in the lions' den (Daniel 6), showcasing God's protection over those who remain faithful to Him.

God's Sovereignty and Human Responsibility

While God is sovereign in His preservation, human responsibility is also emphasized. Believers are called to trust in God's promises and live in obedience to His commands. Proverbs 2:8 highlights this balance, stating, "He guards the paths of justice and protects the way of His saints" . This verse underscores the idea that God's preservation is often linked to the righteous living of His people.

Conclusion

The theme of God preserving man is woven throughout the biblical narrative, offering assurance of His constant care and protection. Whether through physical provision, spiritual safeguarding, or the promise of eternal life, God's preservation is a testament to His enduring love and faithfulness toward humanity.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Job 7:20
I have sinned; what shall I do to you, O you preserver of men? why have you set me as a mark against you, so that I am a burden to myself?
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Psalm 36:6
Your righteousness is like the great mountains; your judgments are a great deep: O LORD, you preserve man and beast.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Whether Charity Can Decrease?
... the man turns away from God, he no longer retains the effect of the Divine operation."
From this we may gather that when God preserves charity in man, He works ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether charity can decrease.htm

Of the Universal Peace which the Law of Nature Preserves through ...
... Chapter 13."Of the Universal Peace Which the Law of Nature Preserves Through All
Disturbances, and by Which Every One ... Peace between man and God is the ...
/.../augustine/city of god/chapter 13 of the universal peace.htm

Whether God Always Loves More the Better Things?
... absolutely speaking, more; but because the needs of man were greater ... God, he says,
loves more the contemplative life, since He preserves it longer ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether god always loves more.htm

God's Wooing.
... special revelation of Himself. In it, in the Book which preserves its records,
in the Man who came through it, God came nearer yet. ...
//christianbookshelf.org/gordon/quiet talks about jesus/gods wooing.htm

Of the Holy Fear of God
... The holy fear of God orders, governs, and rules the soul, and ... If a man possesses
any grace or any divine virtue, it is holy fear which preserves it to him ...
/.../ugolino/the little flowers of st francis of assisi/chapter iv of the holy.htm

God's Need of Men who Pray
... Prayer-leadership preserves the spirituality of the Church, just as prayerless leaders
make for ... neither of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.". ...
//christianbookshelf.org/bounds/the weapon of prayer/iv gods need of men.htm

Man is Endowed with the Faculty of Distinguishing Good and Evil ...
... to man] such mental power (magnanimitatem) man knew both ... of life, that is, disobedience
to God, may never ... at all, but that, knowing that what preserves his life ...
/.../irenaeus/against heresies/chapter xxxix man is endowed with.htm

Whether God Always Loves Better Things the More
... the nature of a man, but because man needed him ... and to draw near to God; but that
God loves the contemplative life the more, since he preserves it longer ...
/.../aquinas/nature and grace/article four whether god always.htm

Whether Creatures Need to be Kept in Being by God?
... removing the cause of its corruption, as a man may be said to preserve a child,
whom he guards from falling into the fire. In this way God preserves some things ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether creatures need to be.htm

To the Anziani and Consuls and Gonfalonieri of Bologna
... When the man ought to apply the flame of divine charity, and burn out the ... the truth,
they would see that only living in the fear of God preserves their state ...
/.../benincasa/letters of catherine benincasa/to the anziani and consuls.htm