Lutheranism

===Divine providence===
[[File:Der breite und der schmale Weg 2008.jpg|thumb|''The Broad and the Narrow Way'', a popular 1866 German Pietist portrait]]
According to Lutherans, God preserves his creation, cooperates with everything that happens, and guides the universe.<ref>Mueller, J.T., ''Christian Dogmatics''. Concordia Publishing House. 1934. pp. 189–195 and Fuerbringer, L., ''[https://archive.org/details/concordiacyclope009499mbp Concordia Cyclopedia]'' Concordia Publishing House. 1927. p. 635 and [http://www.lcms.org/ca/www/cyclopedia/02/display.asp?t1=P&word=PROVIDENCE Christian Cyclopedia] article on Divine Providence. For further reading, see [https://books.google.com/books?id=IxsRAAAAIAAJ&q=editions:0qGARztO5CYpYL7QTFJ The Proof Texts of the Catechism with a Practical Commentary, section Divine Providence], p. 212, Wessel, Louis, published in Theological Quarterly, Vol. 11, 1909.</ref> While God cooperates with both good and evil deeds, with evil deeds he does so only inasmuch as they are deeds, but not with the evil in them. God concurs with an act's effect, but he does not cooperate in the corruption of an act or the evil of its effect.<ref>Mueller, Steven P.,''Called to Believe, Teach, and Confess''. Wipf and Stock. 2005. pp. 122–123.</ref> Lutherans believe everything exists for the sake of the Christian Church, and that God guides everything for its welfare and growth.<ref>Mueller, J.T., ''Christian Dogmatics''. Concordia Publishing House: 1934. pp. 190 and Edward. W. A.,''A Short Explanation of Dr. Martin Luther's Small Catechism''. Concordia Publishing House. 1946. p. 165. and [http://www.wlsessays.net/node/1122 Divine Providence and Human Adversity] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100707130929/http://www.wlsessays.net/node/1122 |date=7 July 2010 }} by Markus O. Koepsell</ref>

The explanation of the Apostles' Creed given in the ''Small Catechism'' declares that everything good that people have is given and preserved by God, either directly or through other people or things.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bookofconcord.com/smallcatechism.html#creed|title=The Small Catechism|access-date=5 March 2015|archive-date=10 October 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081010210410/http://www.bookofconcord.com/smallcatechism.html#creed|url-status=dead}}</ref> Of the services others provide us through family, government, and work, "we receive these blessings not from them, but, through them, from God".<ref name="bookofconcord1">{{Cite web |url=http://www.bookofconcord.org/largecatechism/3_tencommandments.html |title=Luther's Large Catechism, First Commandment |access-date=9 March 2009 |archive-date=17 May 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080517083644/http://bookofconcord.org/largecatechism/3_tencommandments.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> Since God uses everyone's useful tasks for good, people should not look down upon some useful vocations as being less worthy than others. Instead people should honor others, no matter how lowly, as being the means God uses to work in the world.<ref name="bookofconcord1"/>