What Does it Mean That 'God Is a God of Order'?

From Genesis all the way through Revelation, God shows Himself as consistent. All of Scripture points to the same message in a profound and orderly way. He promises in Genesis to make a way so that mankind can walk away from the sin that holds us prisoner. He sent messengers and prophets to speak of the future. He even sent His Son, not to condemn the world, but to save it. In John 19:30, Jesus bowed His head and cried out, “It is finished,” so our sins can be fully atoned for.

God promised and then made a way. He did this so none would perish, and all could repent, so all would have the possibility of eternal life with Him.

There is a certain order and congruence even in the Trinity of our one God. One God in three ways to show His perfect love to all of His children. God the Father created all that we see, as well as us. God the Son made a way for us to live under God’s headship instead of sin’s dominance. And God the Holy Spirit brings us comfort and peace even in the midst of an often disorderly life.

Yes, God is a God of order.

Where Does the Phrase "God Is a God of Order" Come From?

The phrase “God is a God of Order” comes from 1 Corinthians 14:33. It says, "For God is not a God of disorder but of peace, as in all the meetings of God’s holy people." The Greek word for peace adds the ideas of oneness and quietness. Living in an orderly way helps us to be in line with God. 1 Corinthians 14:33 is backed up by God’s entire creation. Everything He made is orderly and consistent, as well as complex and detailed.

What Does "God Is a God of Order" Mean?

All of God’s creation is orchestrated explicitly. Nothing about the universe, the earth, or the human body is haphazard. There are patterns and laws of nature. There are intricate plans built into the wonder of science. God is a God of order. Of systems. Of science. He designed everything on Earth so that human beings can live in a way that they wouldn’t be able to on any other planet. God is Lord over it all. He designed it all for our benefit because He loves His children. Because God is consistent, we can have hope because He is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8).

Since God is a God of order, we need to live our lives as orderly as possible. Jesus told us to love the Lord God with all of our heart, soul, and mind (Matthew 22:37). Loving Him with our minds can begin with thinking about the orderliness of all of His creation as well as the consistency of His loving personality. Everything began in an orderly way through the sound of His voice. This enables our commitment, loyalty, and faith to grow because we know that we are building our lives on the rock of His immovable love and grace. We are not basing our love for Him on simply how we feel. Emotions go up and down all the time. Emotions are real and they can be felt, but they don’t bring commitment. Actions bring commitment. However, when we commit our lives to the compassionate care of an infinite God, we gain love—His unwavering love.

1 Corinthians 14 speaks of order when we assemble to worship God. Worship includes singing to the Lord our God, but it is much more than that. Real worship is a way of living that honors God. An orderly life honors God. He is the way, the truth, and the life so it’s only fitting to line our lives orderly under His ways. When unbelievers see us living our lives in a way that makes sense, they may be pointed to the God who makes sense and never changes. When we live under God and His ways, there is a perfect rhyme and reason to this life. Even when we don’t understand, we know that there is a God of order that does.

Why Is it Important That We Serve a God of Order?

There is a plan for everything. Even the things we don’t like or understand.

We can’t always understand what we see but we can trust the One who designed everything perfectly. The fact that God is a God of order helps us to rely on Him completely. He loves the dear children that He created.

We can have confidence in God because He doesn’t lie and His promises are true (Titus 1:2). Lies are the essence of disorder and confusion. Isn’t it great that God is the opposite of that? He is Truth. Furthermore, God’s unchangeable orderliness makes it impossible for Him to lie so we can trust the hope in front of us when we are living in His presence (Hebrews 6:18).

Although God is a God of order, He still does many things that we cannot fathom. He is still higher than us. His thoughts are not like our thoughts and His ways are far beyond anything we can imagine (Isaiah 55:8). However, everything He does is perfectly in order even though we can’t comprehend all things that come out of that order.

God performs wonders, His plans for us are too numerous to list, and He has no equal (Psalm 40:5a). His timing and His ways, although orderly to Him, often fly right over our heads. God will always be above us in His understanding and wisdom and that is a good thing. He can see the many details that we cannot. He sees every repercussion that we are blinded to. The Lord sees all and orchestrates the details we don’t have a clue about, Then He gives us His peace at all times and in every situation (2 Thessalonians 3:16).

We have a hard time letting go of our problems and difficulties. We think with just a little more time and effort we can conquer them. This may sometimes work with the little problems in life, but it never works for the larger ones. We need the perspective of the One who holds all things together—the One who sees a much bigger picture than the one we see. Remembering that God is a God of order will help you to rest under His comfort and control. Then your worries will be fewer because God is holding the burden.

Keep praying about everything to the God who is a God of order, and His peace will guard your heart and mind.

Dear Lord, I pray that we will see you as the God of order that lovingly guides our lives. Help us to see you as the blessed controller of all things who brings order to our disorderly lives when we come to you for help. I thank you for bringing us peace as we trust the details to you. Amen.

Photo Credit: ©iStock/Getty Images Plus/fcscafeine

Jennifer Heeren loves to write and wants to live in such a way that people are encouraged by her writing and her attitude. She loves to write devotional articles and stories that bring people hope and encouragement. Her cup is always at least half-full, even when circumstances aren’t ideal. She regularly contributes to Crosswalk. Her debut novel is available on Amazon. She lives near Atlanta, Georgia with her husband. Visit her at her website and/or on Facebook.