10-19-08 Sermon Review

Knowing God's Will
John 4:34

In our last sermon, we looked at Jesus' satisfaction in doing God's will and finishing His work. Now, I know we're spending a lot of time in this chapter, but I did want to spend a few weeks on a very important topic: Knowing God's will. Why? I never talked with a Christian who denied those fundamental truths that were taught in the last sermon. Actually, there are many people who are fired up about doing God's will. The problem is that many of these same people who are fired up about doing God's do not know how to discern God's will. I have met many people in my college days, many collegians that were passionate about following after God. It breaks my heart to see these people living completely against God's will and thinking that they are in God’s will at the same time. This is a very serious issue. You will be like them, if you're not serious about knowing and discerning God's will.

This is why we're going to spend at least three weeks on this topic. Afterwards, I pray that you will know how to "prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect" (Romans 12:2).

God wants us to know His will. It is unquestionable that God desires for us to know His will. Paul expresses this repeatedly in his epistles. For instance, he writes, "So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is" (Ephesians 5:17). Again, "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed in the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is" (Romans 12:2). He prayed for the churches to know God's will: "For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding" (Colossians 1:9). Obviously, if doing God's will is important, it necessitates that we know God's will in order to do it.

The Bible teaches that there are two different types of God's will. We call one the Will of Decree, and the other the Will of Command. This might seem to you an unimportant nuance, but I want you to know that this distinction is clear in Scripture and that it is immediate, practical implications. Now, what is the difference between these two wills of God and which will are we to know and understand?

1. The Will of Decree - The will of decree is God's sovereign purpose that cannot be thwarted. For example, Daniel 4:35 states, "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 the earth; and no one can ward of His hand or say to Him, 'what have You done.'" Therefore, God's will here is always accomplished, and he is not responsible towards man to explain what He has done. Isaiah also writes, "For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is no one like me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient of times things which have not been done, saying, 'My purpose will be established, and I will accomplish all My good pleasure'" (Isaiah 46:10). God is in complete control of all that happens and everything that happens can be said to have been God's will; He declared the end from the beginning.

2. The Will of Command - The Will of Decree does not leave us with nihilism (i.e. do whatever you want because God's doing it). Remember that God, though he declares all things to be, is not responsible for your sins or any evil (James 1:13). We also need to understand we are under the authority of God's Will of Command. This will can be disobeyed, and our response to this Will of Command has eternal ramifications (i.e. we are held responsible). For example, Jesus states, "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heave, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter" (Matthew 7:21). This implies that men are capable of disobeying God's will and are responsible for their actions (unlike God's Will of Decree)! This Will of Command is revealed to us in His Word.

It is very important for us to understand this. Let's say one of us was molested as a young child by our father. Was it God's will for us to be molested in that way? NO! Of course not! God's will of command surely teaches that it is abominable in the sight of the Lord for men to have indecent acts with one another, and especially with young children. Jesus tells us that it is better for one to put a millstone around his neck and throw himself into the sea than to let one of these little ones stumble. So it is definitely not God's will. But at the same time, YES! It is God's will! And though we do not know why God would allow such a horrible thing to be done to me, I trust in His sovereignty, in His Will of Decree that He will cause all things to work together for good to those who love Him, to those who are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28). Understanding these two wills of God reminds us of our responsibility to not only obey His will, but also to trust in His will.

God wants us to know His will of command. I will give you two reasons why I believe so.

1. Deuteronomy 29:29 explains that "the secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our sons forever, that we may observe all the words of this law." Therefore there are things that we ought not to dabble in, and there are things we ought to devote our lives to knowing. The secret things are God's Will of Decree. The revealed things are God's Will of Command.

2. The Greek word repeatedly used for "will" is thelema. It is different from boulema in that thelema expresses desire while boulema expresses decision. We are called to understand and know God's thelema. Never is boulema used to express the will of God that we must know and understand.

We are called by God to know His will. We are called to know His desires rather than His decisions. In our next sermon, we'll discuss how we can start knowing God's will from what is revealed. But let me leave you with a foretaste by quoting to you what John Piper has said on this issue: "God's will of command is revealed finally, decisively only in the Bible." Let's get serious about knowing God's will; let's get serious about knowing God's Word. Stay strong and God bless!