On the Will of God, and how to know it

I, like everyone, am constantly trying to figure out what the will of God is. Who doesn’t want to know the Will of God? Should I go to this school? Should I go to that school? Should I take this job? Should I take that job? Should I go to this church? Should I go to that church? Should I go to church at all? Everyone does, right? Lots of people who claim they don’t even believe in God…when their life gets rough and they are all by themselves they will pray for guidance.

Why do you think this is? Is it perhaps that we innately know there is an order to things and a will beyond our own?Both believers in God and atheists want to know there is a benevolent being out there who can help us in our time of need. Who though wants to hear what He has to say when it isn’t what we want to hear?

The truth is we are all very confused when it comes to knowing the ‘Will of God.’ Most of us don’t really even know what the means much less how to know it. We all want the quick and short of it. Give me the answer. Show me the way…now!

I have to admit that I struggle with this a lot. As a young single man I am making all kinds of choices right now that will affect the rest of my life. I want to make wise ones. The choices I make need to be grounded on truth and centered on God’s guidance. As to what is the ‘Will of God’…well that can be a complicated thing indeed. If you make it complicated that is.

From scripture I believe we can see two different types of “Wills” when the bible talks about the ‘Will of God.” These two different types of ‘wills’ play out differently in our lives and often people will confuse one for the other adding to their original frustration. The two types of ‘wills’ in the New Testament are: God’s will of decree (God’s sovereignty) and God’s will of command. Take a look at descriptions of both types.

1. The will of decree or God’s sovereign will. This is God’s sovereign will of EVERYTHING that comes to pass. Nothing in this world happens that is not in His will.

a. Matthew 26:39/Isaiah 53. God’s will was for Christ to die, yet God hated it. God’s will sometimes is for horrible things to happen. Always in these horrible things, however, God is looking for some other greater good to come out of it. In Christ’s death it was so that we could all gain eternal life.

b. 1 Peter 3:17. Sometimes it is God’s will the Christians should suffer when they don’t deserve it.

c. Matthew 10:39/ Proverbs 16:1/Daniel 4:35. Everything is the will of God. God is never like…”Ohhh dang I didn’t expect that!” No one can hold back God’s hand or say, “What have you done?”

2. The will of command. This is what God commands you to do and what you ought to do. This command, unlike God’s sovereign will can be thwarted. He allows it to be.

a. Matthew 7:21. There are wills of God that are not done.

b. 1 Thessalonians 4:3/1 Thessalonians 5:18/1 John 2:17. We have a choice to follow the command of God or not to.

So, sometimes in scripture ‘will’ is referring to what God is going to cause to happen (or caused in the past). Other times it is a command that He expects you to obey yet gives you the choice not to. When we refuse to follow God’s will of command we sin. This is free will. It is your choice.

The real question then is how can I know what God’s will is for me. First, it should be obvious that God does not expect you to know His sovereign will. Only He knows all He is planning. You can know something about it however such as Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”"

My opinion is that we should not fret about what God’s sovereign will is. It is going to happen anyway…fact. That is like wanting to look into a crystal ball and learning the future. God wants us to learn to trust Him. If God simply threw out the answers to us every time we were faced with a problem we would never grow.

That is not to say that God never reveals His sovereign will. I do believe in prophecy.

This brings us to the second type of will, God’s will of command. This is (in my understanding) where God directs us and gives us answers the answers we are seeking. Sometimes these answers are spelled out in scripture. For instance, “Should I have sex with a woman that is not my wife?” Scripture tells you. No. Or, “Should I kick this puppy?” Ok, so maybe that one isn’t in scripture, but you get the point.

Other times there are choices that are not explicit in scripture. An example would be, “Should I study Engineering or Sociology?” You will not find a direct answer in the bible. God does, however, listen and He will give you direction.

Romans 12:1-2, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God-this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is-his good, pleasing and perfect will.“

Romans says that we need to be able to test and approve what God’s will is. This is God’s will of command. I believe this is one of those things that grows with time. Phillipians 1:6 says that God is constantly making you more and more like Him.

If you want to make a decision and you want to know God’s will then ask Him what His desire is. Then ask Him for the ability to see it.

Similarities between Atheists and Global Warming naysayers

Yes, I know that is a weird combination. This is just one of the oddities of who I am. Rarefied. Anyway, here is a list I have been thinking about lately. After reading lots of articles on atheism and global warming (generally not the same places) I have noticed several parallels. Of course, there are many exceptions, but this leads into my list….

10. Both positions provide a nutshell answer of the rest of their politics.

9. Neither admit they may be wrong.

8. Both caricaturize their opponents arguments.

7. Both ignore the repercussions of their choice.

6. Both form clubs and make t-shirts.

5. Both almost always come from specific segments of society.

4. Both allow themselves to stay uninformed.

3. Both pretend they have reached their conclusions based on logic when they base their stance on personal desires.

2. Both almost always use straw man arguments.

1. Both fear deeply they are wrong.

By global warming naysayer I don’t mean just someone who doubts global warming. Rather, I am referring to those who vigorously argue from a standpoint of fact.

One of the strangest things (by strange I mean what I would not have previously expected) is that blogs devoted to atheism usually don’t allow Christians to post comments on them. I have written comments on blogs to await moderation that eventually get rejected. If it were me I would delete a comment that was using a lot of expletives or threatening others, but I wouldn’t delete one just because it disagreed with me.