LESSON 26 – THE WILL OF GOD Lesson Plan

Is There a Purpose… Ever heard or thought the following? “It sure doesn’t seem like there is a purpose! The world appears to be progressing from bad to worse. Chaos reigns, evil is rewarded, nature is unpredictable and people are confused as to why they are here. If there really is a God, why doesn’t He just take control?” Are we left to conclude that God either has no plan or has a plan but is too weak to enforce it? It simply comes down to this: Does God have a will whereby we can trust Him that all things are happening according to His purposes or is everything occurring by random chance because God is either unconcerned or unable to make a difference? Though it may not seem to be the case, the Bible clearly affirms that God is in complete control, we say He is sovereign, and has a master plan or will to accomplish His wise purposes. Isaiah 46:10 tells us God is “declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things which have not been done, saying, ‘My purpose will be established, and I will accomplish all My good pleasure.’” As a matter of fact, everything, and I do mean everything, is happening exactly as God intends it to happen. Even though humans and demonic forces have freewill to make their own decisions, every decision they make is perfectly coordinated to God’s will. God may be grieved by our choices, but He is never wringing His hands in frustration, apathy, perplexity or defeat. In Daniel 4:35 we read, “All the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, but He does according to His will in the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of earth; and no one can ward off His hand Or say to Him, ‘What have You done?’”

Wait a Moment…

“I thought God was good and loving? For example, how can you say it is His will if a woman is murdered or a teen is killed by a drunk driver or a baby is aborted?” That’s a great question because on the one hand we know that God hates these acts of murder, but on the other hand we know that God is in ultimate control of His universe and not a helpless bystander obligated to write the plan as it goes based upon the actions of His creation. The Bible says He has ordained all of our days before we are ever born (Psm. 139:16)! So we can say it is God’s will that people not murder, but it is also God’s will that people die when they are appointed and He occasionally permits act of murder to accomplish those purposes. Since both sides are clearly taught in Scripture, theologians have suggested that God has two wills. Not two contradictory wills, but two wills that run side-byside that are observed while we live in a fallen word. Only in heaven is God’s moral will done in perfection and it is to this end that we are to pray during our stay in a sinful world. “Your kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” (Mt. 6:10). Some have differentiated the two wills of God like this: Sovereign Will-Good and evil is happening according to God’s sovereign plan. Hidden Will-Much of God’s will is a mystery to us. Decreed Will-Whatever comes to pass is according to God’s will.

vs. Moral Will-God has moral expectations placed upon us that mirror His image. vs. Revealed Will-There are many things we can know for certain about God’s will that are recorded in the Bible. vs. Preceptive-God has given us commandments that we have the power but not right to break.

Walter Elwell said, “There is unquestionably a great mystery here as to how a holy God who cannot even look upon evil (Hab. 1:13) can work His will through evil, but that He does is the clear teaching of Scripture. If something could get outside the will of God, it would become a god unto itself and a rival to God. Such can never be the case. God alone is God; there is no other” (Evangelical Dictionary of the Bible, p. 653).

Here’s a Great Example… Was it the will of God that Jesus die on the cross? Think about that for a moment before you answer the question! Going back to what was just stated, you have to answer “no” and “yes.” No, it is not God’s will that anybody be murdered, much less the innocent Son of God!  Genesis 9:6, “Whoever sheds man's blood, by man his blood shall be shed, for in the image of God He made man.”  Exodus 20:13, “You shall not murder.”  John 19:11, “Jesus answered, ‘You would have no authority over Me, unless it had been given you from above; for this reason he who delivered Me to you has the greater sin.’” Yes, it was God’s will that Jesus Christ die for the sins of His people!  Isaiah 53:10, “But the LORD was pleased to crush Him, putting Him to grief.”  Zechariah 13:7, “‘Awake, O sword, against My Shepherd, and against the man, My Associate,’ declares the LORD of hosts. ‘Strike the Shepherd that the sheep may be scattered.’”  1 John 4:10, “In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” Even the Bible puts the “no” and “yes” together to reveal the two wills of God.  Luke 22:22, “For indeed, the Son of Man is going as it has been determined; but woe to that man by whom He is betrayed.”  Acts 2:23, “This Man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death.”  Acts 4:27-28, “For truly 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 purpose predestined to occur.”

First, Trust the Sovereign Will of God… Jerry Bridges put it like this, “Our duty is found in the revealed will of God in the Scriptures. Our trust must be in the sovereign will of God, as He works in the ordinary circumstances of our daily lives for our good and His glory (Trusting God, p. 114). Before we consider the revealed will of God we must first learn to trust His sovereign will. According to Psalm 115:3, “Our God is in the heavens; He does whatever He pleases.” When things happen that make us question God’s sovereign will, we must always remember that our finite minds will never comprehend the mind of God (Isa. 55:9). We must trust Him, knowing He is wise, good, loving and in perfect control. Furthermore, despite what may appear on the surface, we also have to believe that “God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose” (Rom. 8:28). Therefore Christians “walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Cor. 5:7). John Newton again, “If it were possible for me to alter any part of his plan, I could only spoil it” (Works, p. 624). This attitude will always keep us from getting angry with God.

Second, Desire the Revealed Will of God… First of all, before we can “do” the will of God, we must “desire” the will of God. By God’s grace we must come to the point where we trust God and find our ultimate delight in seeing God’s will accomplished in our own lives. We must come to the point where we gladly agree with Scripture that God’s will is “good and acceptable and perfect” (Rom. 12:2). We must want His will and not our will made possible by God. Here is how John Newton put it: “What Thou wilt, when Thou wilt [and] how Thou wilt.” According to D.A. Carson, “In the first garden ‘Not Your will but mine’ [modeled by Adam] changed Paradise to desert and brought man from Eden to Gethsemane. Now ‘Not My will but Yours’ [modeled by Jesus Christ] brings anguish to the Man who prays it but transforms the desert into the kingdom and brings man from Gethsemane to the gates of glory” (Matthew, p. 545).

Third, Do the Revealed Will of God… Though we have no control over God’s sovereign or hidden will, we do have a responsibility to make wise decisions as it pertains to aligning ourselves with God’s moral or revealed will as it is found in the Bible. In the never-ending quest of humans to “know the will of God,” one needs to turn no further than the pages of Scripture with a heart that desires to be obedient! Stop and think about that for a moment. Identify some things that are God’s will for all humans revealed in the Bible? Here are a few examples:              

Loving God. Loving others. Sexual purity. Pure language. The fruits of the Spirit. Concern for the weak and helpless. Respect of life. Strong work ethic. Modesty. Humility. Honesty. Forgiveness. Honoring and obeying parents. Submitting to governmental authorities.

And how important is it to obey will of God revealed in the Bible? Listen to these words from Jesus, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter” (Mt. 7:21).

Yeah, But… God has definitely given us clear insight into His will from the Bible, but we all know that there are many decisions we need to make throughout the day where specific answers are not found in the Bible, chapter and verse. For example, what

career should I choose, whom should I marry, what product should I purchase, how should I school my children and what movies should I watch? So what do we do when we need to make a decision and receive direct guidance that cannot be gleaned from the Scriptures? 1. Pray Ask God to give you wisdom to help make an informed decision that will bring Him the greatest honor. James 1:5, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.” Proverbs 3:5-6, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” 2. The Bible Although the specific answer you may be looking for is not contained directly in the Bible, the Bible does provide general principles (staying within the context!) to help you sense the will of God for your life. Here are a couple principles from 1 Corinthians that you may find beneficial:  Is it helpful? – “All things are lawful for me, but not all things are profitable” (1 Cor. 6:12).  Does it bring me under its power? – “All things are lawful for me, but I will not be mastered by anything” (1 Cor. 6:12).  Does it hurt others? – “Therefore, if food causes my brother to stumble, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause my brother to stumble” (1 Cor. 8:13).  Does it bring God glory? – “Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Cor. 10:31).  Am I comfortable involving Jesus with this decision? – “Jesus is Lord” (1 Cor. 12:3). Some enjoy sifting all decisions through the grid of Philippians 4:8, “Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.”

The more you saturate your mind with the Word of God, the more the Holy Spirit will enable biblical decisions to come “naturally.” 3. WWJD “Hang this question up in your homes – ‘What would Jesus do?’ and then think of another – ‘How would Jesus do it?’ For what Jesus would do, and how He would do it, may always stand as the best guide to us” (C.H. Spurgeon). 4. Circumstances Though the will of God can sometimes be seen in circumstances, we must be careful not to give this area more consideration than it deserves. What may seem like a “closed door” could only be opposition from the evil one which calls for our perseverance. 5. Peaceful Feelings While it is true that God gives us peace when we are walking in the center of His will - “And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:7; cf. Isa. 26:3) – be careful since the peace we feel at times may be a deceptive false peace not coming from the Lord. Always align the feelings of peace with a “renewed mind” (Rom. 12:2) using the Word of God. 6. Wise Counsel Quite often other mature believers have faced similar situations. Often they can provide keen insight based upon the mutual experiences and godly wisdom. Proverbs 13:20, “He who walks with wise men will be wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm.” 7. Act in Faith If you feel after prayer and wise counsel that you are operating in the proper boundaries of Scripture and conscience, execute your decision in faith knowing

you did all you could to honor God with this choice. Romans 14:23, “Whatever is not from faith is sin.” According to A.W. Tozer, “The man or woman who is wholly or joyously surrendered to Christ can’t make a wrong choice – any choice will be the right one.”

Questions for Discussion…  What do you believe is the key to knowing and doing the will of God?  Hebrews 1:1-2 says, “God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son.” Based on this verse, how did God communicate His will in the past and how does He do it today?  Why can feelings be misleading with regards to God’s will?  How does “waiting on God” apply to this lesson?  How does the Holy Spirit fit in this process?

Bible Memorization… Ephesians 1:11- “[God] works all things after the counsel of His will.”