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THE FACTS OF LIFE -
THE WILLS AND WON'TS OF LIFE
In the
previous lesson, we discussed the fact that God has a Plan to
save all mankind from the condemnation of sin and unto a new
life in Christ. Today, we'll look deeper into this mystery,
hidden from before the foundation of the world, and see what
this Plan has in store for you as an individual. This Plan
first addressed the needs of mankind as a whole, providing
redemption from the consequences of sin through the
substitutionary death of God's son. For the first time,
this great salvation is freely available to all mankind, both
Jew and Gentile alike. All can now enjoy all the
benefits of salvation by simply believing in the person and
work of Jesus Christ. However wonderful this might be, the
salvation from the consequences of
sin, is but a part of what's available to each believer
through God's Grace. It is what the believer is saved
unto that embodies the ultimate purpose of
His Plan. Salvation from sin and its consequences is a
momentary transaction, whereas the new life unto which we are
called, requires a lifetime of living. Indeed, the major part
of the New Testament is dedicated to the "unto" part of this
great salvation, so it is to this fact we now turn our
attention.
Recalling
from the previous lesson, God looked down the annals of time
from eternity past and, even before the foundation of the
world, He saw you, loved you and chose you to become His
child. But His plan to bring you into His family by the new
birth, is but the beginning of His wonderful plan and purpose
for your life. First He gives you life, then He instructs you
on how to live that life to the fullest. (John 10:10). This
detailed Plan for your life, usually referred to as the "Will
of God", is the focus of today's study.
DECODING THE TERMS: But, before we move into the
subject matter, let's take a moment to clarify some terms to
avoid confusion. Most Bible students realize that the New
Testament was written in Koine Greek, a common dialect of
Jesus' day. And, because our English version of Scripture is a
translation, sometimes, a word or verse needs clarification
before its meaning can be accurately conveyed. Aside from
language differences, there are also cultural influences
prevalent in the period of time in which the Scripture was
written which may be unknown or misunderstood by 21st century
readers. For example, the archaic use of the word "man". For
any number of reasons, some of which we may discuss at a later
time, the word "man" or "mankind", is used generically to
represent all human beings, regardless of gender or age. We
depend a great deal on the context to figure out if its
talking about "man" as a generic term in which case it would
also include men, women and children.
But, before
we move into the subject matter, let's take a moment to
clarify some terms to avoid confusion. Most Bible students
realize that the New Testament was written in Koine Greek, a
common dialect of Jesus' day. And, because our English version
of Scripture is a translation, sometimes, a word or verse
needs clarification before its meaning can be accurately
conveyed. Aside from language differences, there are
also cultural influences prevalent in the period of time in
which the Scripture was written which may be unknown or
misunderstood by 21st century readers. For example, the
archaic use of the word "man". For any number of reasons, some
of which we may discuss at a later time, the word "man" or
"mankind", is used generically to represent all human beings,
regardless of gender or age. We depend a great deal on the
context to figure out if its talking about "man" as a generic
term in which case it would also include men, women and
children. But, by far, the most likely problem arising from
the interpretation of Scripture, comes from our
misunderstanding of a particular Greek word which may carry a
much richer and more profound meaning in the original text
than in the translation. This is certainly true in regard to
the topic now under consideration: God's Will. So let's take
the rest of this lesson to explore several significant aspects
of this important subject.
THE
WILLS AND WON'TS OF THE PLAN: In the previous
lesson, you may have noticed some perplexing issues about the
"Will of God" which, by the way, have troubled theologians
from the days of the Apostles until now. When you read that
powerful passage from Ephesians 1:4-10, describing God's Will
to predestine you for adoption into His family, you might have
wondered about what part, if any, your own human will plays in
that process. "If God chose me", you might ask, "what happens
to my free will to choose Him as my Savior?"
That's a
good question, and one which has been debated in the church
for thousands of years without consensus. But, don't be
concerned, instead of focusing on that age old debate, it will
be more instructive to simply point out a few less debatable
facts about the topic of "God's Will". Clarifying a few
things, at this point, will be helpful to later discussions
about it. If you are at all interested in knowing more about
the subject, I suggest you Google "God's sovereignty and man's
free will" in your browser and you'll find an abundance of
material on the subject. For purposes of this study, however,
I want to establish just a couple of points which will,
hopefully, clear up some of the confusion surrounding this
subject.
WHEN
A WILL CAN BE A WON'T: During my early Christian
life, I was very interested in the subject of God's Will. As
time went by and my knowledge of the Scripture grew, I
discovered certain distinctions in the use of this term which
helped clear up some of my own confusion on the subject.
For example, when the Scriptures tell us that it's God's Will
that "all men be saved", (I Timothy 2:4) we know from other
Scripture, as well as personal experience, that all men are
not saved before they die! Now, this may seem like a
contradiction but, in fact, it is not. It only appears so
because of our limited understanding of how the term is used
across all Scripture. Let's take a brief look at these some
of them distinctions now. I think it safe to say that most
Bible scholars agree that there are two distinct meaning
attached to the phrase "the will of God". That being the
case, it's no wonder the subject is confusing if it actually
has two distinct meanings.
1.
GOD'S SOVERIGN WILL: THE DECREE: Most of the time,
we think of God as the Almighty, the Omnipotent Lord of the
universe. As such, His Will is absolute and inviolable!
His Word is like a King's decree, a Pontiff's edict, or a
Sovereign's mandate: it cannot be refused, it will be obeyed.
For example, this sovereign aspect of God's Will is seen in
Daniel 4:35: €œHe does according to his will among the
host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and
none can stay his hand or say to him, €˜What have you
done? €™ €
Perhaps the
most poignant example of this occurred in the Garden of
Gethsemane just before Jesus went to the cross. Facing a
horrible death in bearing the sins of mankind, the humanity of
Jesus recognized the sovereignty of God's plan of redemption
in the words: "...not as I will, but as you will". Matthew
26:39. The fact that Christ's death was the Father's
sovereign Will is reiterated in Acts 4:27 €“28 where we read:
€œTruly in this city there were gathered together
against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod
and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of
Israel, to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined
to take place. € In reality, this act of self sacrifice
by Jesus Christ had already been decided in eternity past.
Christ, the Son, God the Father and the Holy Spirit designed
this remarkable plan of redemption for all mankind before the
world began. The Plan called for a willing choice, made by
Jesus Christ Himself, to submit His own Will to that Sovereign
Will of the Heavenly Father.
Now, let's
extend this idea of God's Sovereign will to the realm of
mankind. It is here we find elements of our lives in which
the Will of God is carried out regardless of our choice in the
matter. Peter points this out in his first Epistle chapter
3:17: "It is better to suffer for doing good, if that
should be God €™s will, than for doing evil. € This
indicates that there are times in our lives today, just as in
the case of God's Son and for purposes known only to Himself,
God allows events into our lives which, although painful, are
all in accord with His Sovereign Will. Keep in mind,
however, that they are for a purpose and that, right along
with painful experience, God also promises that it will never
be too severe for us to bear. In I Corinthians 10:13, for
example, we are assured that in each of these difficult,
painful experiences, God will "make a way of escape". This
leads us to the second meaning of God's Will: His commands!
2.
GOD'S DECLARATIVE WILL: THE COMMAND:
Not surprisingly, the Bible also uses the phrase, "the will of
God", when it refers to His desire or wish for mankind. For
example, God gave a command to Adam in which He expressed His
Will regarding the forbidden fruit. His command "do not eat"
was obviously for Adam's good and it was clearly consistent
with the purpose God had for His creation. However, this
command, whether we call it a wish, will or desire, was
declarative, not sovereign. Otherwise, Adam could not have
disobeyed. This distinction between God's sovereign will and
his declarative will is further clarified by Jesus in Matthew
7:21 when he says; €œNot everyone who says to me, "Lord,
Lord" will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does
the will of my Father who is in heaven.
The use of
the word "will" as a command or charge by God is seen time and
time again as being contingent on man's willingness to obey
it. In 1 Thessalonians 4:3, for example, the Apostle Paul
writes: "This is the will of God, your sanctification: that
you abstain from sexual immorality." But the
fulfillment of His will, in this case, requires also man's
willingness to obey. This use of the term "will" entails a
collaborative effort, between God and man, to bring it to
completion. In previous studies, we saw that the simple
action of "thanksgiving" added to our prayers, was the key to
God's blessing and answered prayer. "Give thanks in all
things for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you" I
Thessalonians 5:18
In summary,
there are times in Scripture in which the writers use the
phrase "will of God" as the inviolable, inexorable, implacable
decree of a sovereign creator in which case the edict will be
obeyed regardless of man's disposition. In most cases,
however, it refers to God's command, His wish or desire for
mankind, the completion of which depends upon man's
willingness to collaborate and obey. So, for the individual
believer, the Will of God is expressed through both Scripture
and through the Holy Spirit's personal instruction. But
although, the Holy Spirit may clearly reveal God's Will to
each of us, obedience is required before God will fulfill it
in actuality. This collaborative relationship between the
Father's Will and the believer's obedience, is the major
element in the completion of this perfect Plan for your life
and mine.
HIS
GOOD PLEASURE: Now, let's look at the mechanics of
this process and see how it works in everyday life. It begins
with the acknowledgement that Scripture is the Word of God,
the primary source of instruction, correction, and determining
God's Will for our lives. (II Timothy 3:16-17) So, as we
read, study and assimilate God's Word, we also discover which
attitude, act or behavior is not pleasing to Him. Then, we're
faced with the decision to either continue that displeasing
behavior, in accord with our own will, or change it into
something pleasing to God. Occasions such as these,
although stressful, should be considered "growth points" in
that they mark a clearly defined change in our thinking about
some behavior or absence thereof, which is contrary to God's
Will for us individually. We are then faced with the choice
of continuing that displeasing behavior, in accord with our
own will, or pleasing God by obeying and changing that
behavior in accordance with His Will.
From my many
years experience in the ministry, I've found that there is a
great deal of misunderstanding and confusion about this
subject. It is precisely at these "growth points", that the
obedient believer is faced with the opportunity of changing,
through obedience, an undesirable behavior into one pleasing
to God. An old, long held habit, thought, value or attitude
may, as we grow spiritually, be revealed as displeasing to God
by the indwelling Holy Spirit. If we acknowledge that thought
or act to be sin, surrender it to God on the altar of
consecration and ask the Holy Spirit to continue His work
in us, growth occurs and we are
changed a little more into His likeness. If, on the other
hand, we ignore the promptings of the Holy Spirit and evade
the pangs of conviction, God's Spirit is grieved, growth stops
and blessings cease. (Ephesians 4:30).
WALKING BY SIGHT OR LIGHT: One of the most common
objections to this growth process comes from fear of the
unknown! "What will I have to give up if I become a Christian
and dedicate my life to God?" It would be a lot easier if
there was just some way of looking ahead and knowing that
God's Will for my future is going to be good. Usually, my
first response to that comment is, "If that were possible, you
wouldn't have to trust God and walk by faith". People get
very upset if they happen to read a "spoiler" on some movie
they haven't seen yet or the end of an NFL game they have yet
to watch. They don't want to know the outcome because they
want to enjoy watching the process. The same principle
applies to the Christian life. It's so much more exciting to
watch God lead day by day into the unknown so we can, by
faith, enjoy the thrill of walking in the light. I John 1:7
Every time I
use that verse in I John, I recall an incident that happened
to me years ago in the Amazon jungle of Peru. We had been
visiting villages, holding evangelical services and
encouraging the many small churches up and down the Amazon
river. One evening we arrived a bit late to one such village
located about a quarter mile inland. By the time we docked
and unloaded our equipment, it was dark and, in spite of the
two helpers sent down by the church to assist us, each of us
ended up with a heavy load to carry. Since we were already
late and the village was at least 15 minutes away, one of the
guides suggested we take a short cut along a seldom used
path. We happily agreed, so off we went, baggage in hand, led
by our national guide and an ancient Aladdin lamp. I might
point our here that an Aladdin lamp, fairy tales
notwithstanding, is very much like the more familiar Coleman
gas lantern, often used in camping. It uses a mantle which,
fuelled by kerosene, give off a brilliant light in all
directions. Although the stars were out in all their
splendor, the night was moonless and the jungle canopy
effectively filtered out the starlight, so the surrounding
jungle, including the trail, was shrouded in impenetrable
darkness. Our only light source was the Aladdin which bathed
us all in a circular pool of light. As the four of us walked
along that narrow, seldom used trail, we were able to see
ahead only about 15 feet, not near far enough to detect any
jaguars, pumas, gators or snakes that might be lying in wait.
Finally, in a joking manner so as not to give away my concern,
I chided our intrepid guide and asked, "If it possible to turn
up that lamp so we can see twice as far ahead?" To my dying
day, I shall never forget his wise response: "If you want to
see twice as far, then you'll have to walk in the light we
have". In that moment, I John 1:7 flashed through my mind
along with a profound insight for my personal life: if I want
to see what God has in store for me down the line, I must
first walk as far as I can in the light He has already given
me after which, more will be shown to me.
Practical
Homework: Take a few moments in prayer right now and, after
speaking to God, wait in silence and let Him speak to you.
Ask Him about those to show you the next step in the path
toward His perfect Will for your life. Then ask the Holy
Spirit to guide you and empower you to take that first step by
faith.
QUESTIONS
1. What is
the first step in discovering God's will for your personal
life. Romans 12:1
2. What is
required to continue finding God's will for your life? Romans
12:2
3. What
words characterize God's Will in Romans 12:2
4. To what
end does God allow things, both pleasant an unpleasant, into
our lives? Romans 8:28
5. To what
purpose has each believer been called in God's Plan? Romans
8:28-30
6. What is
the family relationship between Christ and believers? Romans
8:29
7. What is
the promise of God to those who do His Will? 1 John 2:17
8. What was
the foremost goal of Jesus in coming to earth? John 6:38
9. What is
God's will according to Jesus' statement in John 6:39-40
10. Which
aspect of God's Will, the Sovereign or Declarative, is
referenced in I Timothy 2:4
11. What is
God's will for all believers in Hebrew 13:20-21
12. How does
the study of Scripture profit the believer II Timothy 3:16
13. What is
the ultimate goal in reading and studying Scripture? II
Timothy 3:17
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