Not long ago, I had a conversation with ChatGPT about God’s provision for His people. This is the part of the Christian Faith that I struggle with the most. Jesus seems to promise in Matthew chapter 6 that if you first seek the Kingdom of Heaven, God will provide for your earthly needs, particularly food and clothing. If God takes care of the flowers in the fields and the little sparrows, how much more will He care for His people?
The Cure for Anxiety
25 “For this reason I say to you, [q]do not be worried about your [r]life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink; nor for your body, as to what you will put on. Is life not more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the sky, that they do not sow, nor reap, nor gather crops into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more important than they? 27 And which of you by worrying can add a single [s]day to his [t]life’s span? 28 And why are you worried about clothing? Notice how the lilies of the field grow; they do not labor nor do they spin thread for cloth, 29 yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith! 31 Do not worry then, saying, ‘What are we to eat?’ or ‘What are we to drink?’ or ‘What are we to wear for clothing?’ 32 For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. 33 But [u]seek first [v]His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be [w]provided to you.34 “So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will [x]worry about itself. [y]Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Matthew 6 NASB — Charitable Giving to the Poor and — Bible Gateway
A million thoughts constantly swarm in my head about this. If God cares for His people, then why are there starving children in Africa? God cares for the birds, but what about the small-beaked finches that starved in the Galapagos? Will God really care for me, or will some theological excuse be made for these passages by Christians, as I starve to death in a ditch somewhere?
I decided to test this doctrine by looking into what the Bible says on this topic, and examining what Christians have believed throughout the ages.
So, I did the following AI interview with ChatGPT.
Me: Can you write me an essay on God’s promise for provision, especially physical provision, quoting the NASB, and Christians from throughout history?
Chat: Throughout the Bible, God has made numerous promises to provide for his people, both spiritually and physically. In this essay, we will focus specifically on God’s promise of physical provision and examine how it has been understood by Christians throughout history.
The promise of physical provision is evident throughout the Bible, from the manna that sustained the Israelites in the wilderness to the miraculous multiplication of loaves and fishes by Jesus. In the book of Matthew, Jesus tells his followers not to worry about what they will eat or drink or wear, but to “seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” (Matthew 6:33, NASB).
This promise of physical provision is not just limited to the Bible, but has been understood and experienced by Christians throughout history. One example is the story of George Muller, a 19th-century Christian missionary who founded orphanages in England. Muller believed that God would provide for the needs of the orphanages without any fundraising or solicitation of funds. Despite facing financial difficulties, Muller remained steadfast in his faith, and God provided for the needs of the orphanages in miraculous ways. Muller’s faith in God’s provision was so strong that he once said, “The beginning of anxiety is the end of faith, and the beginning of true faith is the end of anxiety.”
Similarly, the story of Corrie ten Boom, a Dutch Christian who helped hide Jews during the Nazi occupation, illustrates God’s promise of physical provision. When Corrie and her family were arrested and sent to a concentration camp, she was amazed at how God provided for their physical needs in the midst of such dire circumstances. She wrote, “We were lying in the mud, but it was only mud. We had no blankets, but it was not cold. I looked at Betsie [her sister] and she looked at me, and we knew that we were in God’s hands.”
The promise of physical provision is not just for individuals or small groups, but also for nations. In the book of Isaiah, God promises to provide for his people, saying, “I am the LORD your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go. If only you had paid attention to my commands, your peace would have been like a river, your well-being like the waves of the sea” (Isaiah 48:17–18, NASB).
In conclusion, God’s promise of physical provision is a recurring theme throughout the Bible, and has been understood and experienced by Christians throughout history. This promise is not just for individuals or small groups, but for nations as well. As we seek God’s kingdom and his righteousness, we can trust that he will provide for our physical needs in ways that we cannot even imagine. May we, like George Muller and Corrie ten Boom, have faith in God’s provision and rest in his loving care.
Me: Can you also tell me what Augustine said about this?
Chat: St. Augustine, one of the most influential Christian theologians in history, wrote extensively on the topic of God’s provision, both spiritual and physical. In his famous work “The City of God,” Augustine discusses how God provides for his people in this world and in the next.
Augustine believed that God’s provision for his people is not just a matter of material goods, but also encompasses spiritual blessings such as faith, hope, and love. He wrote, “For it is not only material things which God has promised to His people, but also spiritual things of such great importance that the former are valued only for the sake of the latter.”
At the same time, Augustine recognized that God does indeed provide for his people’s physical needs in this world. He wrote, “God does not neglect the temporal needs of His own, and He is able to provide for them in such a way that their faith may be strengthened.”
Augustine also emphasized the importance of trust and faith in God’s provision. He believed that when we trust in God’s provision, we are freed from anxiety and worry. He wrote, “Therefore, let us trust in God, and not be anxious for what we shall eat, or what we shall drink, or wherewithal we shall be clothed; for all these things do the Gentiles seek after, and your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of these things.”
In summary, Augustine believed that God’s provision for his people encompasses both spiritual and physical blessings, and that trust and faith in God’s provision frees us from anxiety and worry. His teachings on this topic continue to influence Christians today, reminding us to place our trust in God and rest in his loving care.
Me: Have there been any major influential Christians from before the 20th Century who do not believe God promises physical provision?
Chat: While there have been Christians throughout history who have emphasized the importance of spiritual blessings over material ones, it is difficult to identify any major influential Christians prior to the 20th century who did not believe that God promises physical provision in some form.
One example of a Christian thinker who emphasized spiritual blessings over material ones is St. Francis of Assisi, who famously renounced his wealth and embraced a life of poverty in order to follow Christ more closely. However, even St. Francis believed that God would provide for his physical needs in some way, as evidenced by his reliance on the generosity of others to support himself and his fellow friars.
Another example is St. Teresa of Avila, who emphasized the importance of detachment from material things and the pursuit of spiritual union with God. However, even she believed that God provides for his people in tangible ways, writing in her autobiography that God miraculously provided food for her and her fellow nuns during a time of famine.
It is important to note that throughout history, Christians have had different interpretations of what it means for God to provide for his people physically. Some have emphasized the importance of simplicity, poverty, and dependence on God, while others have emphasized the importance of hard work, prudent planning, and responsible stewardship. Nonetheless, the idea that God promises physical provision in some form has been a foundational belief of Christianity for centuries.
Me: Can you talk about a few major examples of this in Scripture?
Chat: Yes, there are several major examples in Scripture that emphasize God’s promise of physical provision for his people. Here are a few:
1. The Israelites in the wilderness — After God delivered the Israelites from slavery in Egypt, he led them through the wilderness for 40 years. During this time, he provided for their physical needs by miraculously providing food (manna and quail) and water (Exodus 16–17). The Israelites had to trust in God’s provision and follow his instructions for gathering the manna, which was a test of their faith and obedience.
2. Elijah and the widow of Zarephath — In 1 Kings 17, God sent the prophet Elijah to a widow in the town of Zarephath, who was on the brink of starvation. Despite having only a small amount of flour and oil left, the widow obeyed Elijah’s instructions to make bread for him, and God miraculously provided for their needs by multiplying the flour and oil. This story demonstrates God’s ability to provide for his people even in the midst of dire circumstances.
3. The feeding of the 5,000 — In all four gospels (Matthew 14:13–21; Mark 6:30–44; Luke 9:10–17; John 6:1–15), there is a story of Jesus feeding a large crowd of people with just five loaves of bread and two fish. This miracle demonstrates God’s power to provide abundantly for his people, even when the situation seems impossible.
These examples, among others, illustrate God’s faithfulness in providing for the physical needs of his people. They also serve as reminders of the importance of trusting in God’s provision and following his instructions for how to live and serve him.
Me: What can be said theologically about those times when people have experienced famine?
Chat: The experience of famine raises important theological questions about God’s provision and the nature of suffering in the world. Here are a few theological perspectives on famine:
1. The Fall and sin — According to the Christian doctrine of the Fall, humanity’s sin and rebellion against God has brought about a brokenness and distortion in the world. This includes natural disasters, diseases, and other forms of suffering such as famine. Famine can be seen as a result of humanity’s sin and the brokenness of the world.
2. The Sovereignty of God — Another theological perspective on famine is the belief in the sovereignty of God. This means that God is ultimately in control of all things, including the occurrence of famine. While it may be difficult to understand why God allows famine to happen, believers can trust that God is working all things together for good, and that his purposes will ultimately be accomplished.
3. The Call to Action — In response to the suffering caused by famine, Christians are called to respond with compassion and action. The Bible commands believers to care for the poor, the hungry, and the vulnerable (e.g. Isaiah 58:6–7, Matthew 25:35–40). Christians can work to alleviate the immediate suffering caused by famine through providing food aid, while also addressing the root causes of poverty and hunger through advocacy and sustainable development.
Overall, the experience of famine reminds us of the brokenness and suffering in the world, and the need for compassion, action, and trust in God’s sovereignty. It also calls us to address the root causes of poverty and hunger, and work towards a more just and equitable world.
Me: Where does the “just and equitable” part of that response come from?
Chat: The call for a more just and equitable world is rooted in the biblical principles of justice and compassion. Throughout the Old and New Testaments, God repeatedly calls his people to care for the poor, the oppressed, and the marginalized, and to work for a more just and equitable society.
For example, in the Old Testament, God commands his people to care for widows, orphans, and foreigners (Deuteronomy 10:18–19), and to ensure that justice is administered fairly and impartially (Leviticus 19:15). The prophets also spoke out against social injustices such as exploitation of the poor and corruption in the courts, calling for a society where justice is done and mercy is shown (Amos 5:24, Micah 6:8).
In the New Testament, Jesus himself identifies with the poor and marginalized, and calls his followers to care for them (Matthew 25:31–46). The early Christian community also shared their resources with one another, ensuring that everyone’s needs were met (Acts 2:44–45).
Thus, the call for a more just and equitable world is deeply rooted in the biblical vision of God’s kingdom, where justice and compassion reign. Christians are called to work towards this vision by advocating for policies that promote justice and equality, by supporting organizations that serve the poor and marginalized, and by living lives characterized by generosity, compassion, and service.
Me: What is the difference between justice and compassion?
Chat: Justice and compassion are related concepts, but they are distinct in their focus and application.
Justice is concerned with ensuring that individuals and groups are treated fairly and equitably. It involves upholding and enforcing the rule of law, and ensuring that individuals are held accountable for their actions. Justice seeks to establish and maintain a society that is characterized by fairness, impartiality, and the protection of individual rights.
Compassion, on the other hand, is concerned with empathy and care for those who are suffering. It involves recognizing and responding to the needs of others, particularly those who are marginalized or oppressed. Compassion seeks to alleviate suffering and to bring comfort and support to those who are hurting.
While justice and compassion are distinct, they are often intertwined in practice. For example, seeking justice for victims of oppression or discrimination often requires a compassionate response, as we seek to understand and address the harm that has been done. Similarly, acts of compassion often involve advocating for systemic change or policy reform in order to address the root causes of suffering.
Ultimately, both justice and compassion are important values for Christians, as we seek to follow Jesus’ example of love and service. We are called to work for justice and to care for the vulnerable and marginalized, recognizing that these are not separate concerns but rather two sides of the same coin.
ASIDE: [At this point, I asked ChatGPT several semi-humorous questions at the prompt of another FTNCI author. These had more to do with internal poking fun rather than the main topic. I am omitting that funny aside for the purposes of this article.]
Me: How would you summarize what we talked about today? And what would be your take-home message about God’s provision?
Chat: Today, we discussed the biblical concept of God’s provision, particularly in relation to physical needs such as food, shelter, and clothing. We looked at various passages from the Bible, as well as the teachings of influential Christian thinkers throughout history, to gain insight into what God’s promise of provision entails.
We also discussed the fact that while God promises to provide for our needs, this does not mean that we will never experience hardship or suffering. We live in a fallen world, and there are times when people may experience famine, poverty, or other forms of physical deprivation. However, even in these difficult circumstances, God is still present and able to provide for us in ways that we may not expect.
My take-home message about God’s provision is that while we can trust in God’s promise to provide for our physical needs, we should also be mindful of the ways in which we can work to promote a more just and equitable society. Christians are called to care for the poor, the oppressed, and the marginalized, and to work towards a world where everyone’s needs are met. This involves advocating for policies that promote justice and equality, supporting organizations that serve the vulnerable, and living lives characterized by generosity, compassion, and service.
Me: Thank you!
Chat: You’re welcome! If you have any more questions or if there’s anything else I can help you with, feel free to ask.
ASIDE: [Here I once again asked several funny questions poking fun at my fellow FTNCI author, and we had a good time laughing about it.]
Me: How does the Biblical view of equity you described differ from a NeoMarxist view of equity?
Chat: The Biblical view of equity that I described earlier is based on the idea of fairness and justice, in which people are treated equally and with respect regardless of their social status, race, or gender. The Bible teaches that all people are created in the image of God and are therefore deserving of dignity and respect.
In contrast, the Neo-Marxist view of equity is based on the idea of social and economic equality, in which the goal is to achieve equal outcomes and redistribute resources and wealth to address perceived inequalities. This view is based on the Marxist idea that society is fundamentally divided into oppressor and oppressed groups, and that the only way to achieve true equality is through a revolution in which the oppressed rise up against the oppressors and establish a new social order.
While both the Biblical view of equity and the Neo-Marxist view of equity seek to address issues of inequality, they have fundamentally different approaches and goals. The Biblical view emphasizes individual responsibility, moral character, and the value of work and productivity, while the Neo-Marxist view emphasizes collective action, social justice, and the redistribution of resources.
Additionally, the Biblical view of equity recognizes that people have different talents and abilities, and that it is not always possible or desirable to achieve equal outcomes. Instead, the focus is on treating people fairly and with respect, regardless of their station in life. In contrast, the Neo-Marxist view of equity seeks to eliminate all differences in income, wealth, and social status, and views any differences as evidence of systemic oppression and injustice.
Overall, while both the Biblical view of equity and the Neo-Marxist view of equity are concerned with issues of fairness and justice, they differ significantly in their approach and goals, and are rooted in fundamentally different worldviews.
My Thoughts
My overall experience interviewing ChatGPT was nothing short of amazing! I was very intrigued to learn what Christians have said on this issue throughout the ages. In the Bible, God promises to take care of the earthly needs of His people, with the command to “seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be provided to you.”
I will admit that I was not a fan of the Tim Keller type of terminology that ChatGPT used in the responses. That said, I very much appreciated the distinction between Biblical and Neo-Marxist views on “equity.” AI is interesting, because it takes a large amount of information that is fed into its systems, from a multitude of sources, and then processes that information to give a result.
In terms of my struggle with the question, “Will God take care of me?” I cannot say that I am complete in my faith. This is the area where I am the weakest. That said, God has taken care of me for my whole life and provided for me. Most recently, that included graduating with my master’s degree, and a 4.0 GPA, while working full-time during most of my studies.
I can conclude that the Bible is very clear that God provides for the physical needs of His people. The Bible is not a book of tea leaves, it either means what it says or it doesn’t. That does not mean that we will not misunderstand what the Bible is saying — our minds are imperfect, but it does mean that at some point, we have to take the words of Scripture at face value. God promises to provide for the physical needs of His people, and that is something that I need to trust.
There is so much more I want to explore on this topic. We see promises throughout both the Old and New Testaments that God will take care of His people.
Yet there does seem to be the caveat that we must follow Him. In the Old Testament, Israel was commanded to follow God’s Law. When they blatantly disregarded God’s commands and began to marry pagan women, worship pagan gods and sacrifice their babies, it was then that God turned away from them. (Yet in Jeremiah 29, we see God promising to return exiled Israel back to their homeland.)
The same is happening in many ways in the modern American Church. In the name of a church-ish political correctness, we tell Christians they can support the Democrat party, which is just an American version of the Temple of Baal. God’s commands are disregarded with the wave of the magic wand of “unity” and “political preference.”
When Jesus says to seek first the Kingdom of God, perhaps this parallels Old Testament commands to Israel to follow God’s Law. The implication seems to be that God’s physical provision is not unconditional but is built on the premise that I follow His Word and His path for my life.
I still have a lot of questions that I want to explore. If Christ means what He says, then why are so many children starving in Africa and other regions? Will God genuinely take care of my needs? Will God allow His people to be swept away as the tide of evil continues to grow in this world?
But these questions are just too big for one article.
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