Sunday Sermons

The Will of God - Part 3

Mark Dunagan
04/21/02 - Sunday Morning

The Will of God 3

Various problems surface when we examine the theory that God has a detailed plan for the life of each believer that is not revealed in the Scriptures but rather is discovered through the inward leading of the Holy Spirit and confirmation by outward signs.

The Problem of Equal Options

In many of the choices one faces, two or more of the options seem to be equal in value. The above view would argue that in such cases the equality is only apparent. One option, and only one, is God’s will, yet we find in Acts 15:37-40 that Paul and Barnabas selected opposite choices and both options seem to have been acceptable, for neither man is censured afterward. Mark will turn out to be a reliable coworker (2 Timothy 4:11), yet he had to make this determination. Friesen notes “insistence upon only one ‘correct’ choice generates anxiety over missing the dot rather than gratitude for more than one fine opportunity”(p. 122). In addition, such a view completely ignores the fact that Biblical commands are both generic and specific. For example, the command to preach the gospel (Mark 16:15) leaves the “how” and “where” to the individual. The concept that there is only one right decision in everything I do eliminates the idea that there is any generic authority in the Bible.

Freedom to Choose

Instead of there being an ideal choice in everything we do each day, the Bible actually teaches that God has given us a good amount of personal freedom: (Genesis 2:16 “From any tree of the garden you may eat freely”; Genesis 1:30; 9:3; 1 Timothy 4:4 “Everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected, if it is received with gratitude”; 2 Corinthians 9:7 “Let each one do just as he has purposed in his heart”). Even in the area of work God said, “Whatever your hand finds to do, verily, do it with all your might” (Ecclesiastes 9:10); “Let him do what he wishes, he does not sin; let her marry” (1 Corinthians 7:36). Added to this, the Bible plainly teaches that without any command or law, there can be no violation or sin (Romans 4:15; 1 John 3:4). Therefore, seeing that the Bible does not specify which career I should select, which college I should attend or specifically which person I should marry, these are decisions in which I have some personal choice.

Personal Decisions

The Bible is also filled with examples of where faithful Christians simply made personal decisions and choices without demanding signs or inward impressions: “For Paul had decided to sail past Ephesus in order that he might not have to spend time in Asia; for he was hurrying to be in Jerusalem, if possible, on the day of Pentecost” (Acts 20:16). The phrase “if possible” tells us that this was Paul’s own decision, for commands from God are not given with the qualifier “do this if you can”. “We thought it best” (1 Thessalonians 3:1-2). That is, as far as they could tell, they thought it best to send back Timothy to strengthen the new Christians in Thessalonica. “But I thought it necessary” (Philippians 2:25); “I hope to send him” (2:23). “And when I arrive, whomever you may approve” (1 Corinthians 16:3); “And if it is fitting for me to go also, they will go with me” (16:4). Notice the language in these verses, never does Paul say, “I just know this is the Lord’s will” when it comes to his own personal decisions. Neither did he claim divine guidance in every choice he made; yet He does claim that God inspired him when he wrote Scripture (1 Corinthians 2:13). Let us all be impressed that the Bible already reveals what are and what are not the realms of personal choice. In realms of personal choice we do not need approval from God before we act, for He has already given His approval (1 Corinthians 10:25,27).

The Problem of Immaturity

Another problem is the inability of the above view to reckon with the immaturity of the decision maker. The individual will viewholds that there is one ideal choice to be made in every decision, and it holds that any sincere believer can discover this will. Furthermore, God gives the final guidance in each decision only to the specific person involved. In such a framework how do you argue with the babe in Christ who is about to make a foolish decision and replies, “God told me to do it”? The problem is only compounded when professed Christians then justify foolish behavior by announcing that it was God’s decision and not theirs, thus such a view tends to encourage immaturity, blame shifting (Genesis 3:12), irresponsibility, and makes God look foolish in the eyes of the world. Again, let us remember that the Bible stresses adherence to the word of God for discerning good and evil (Hebrews 5:14; 1 Thessalonians 5:21).

Setting Out The Fleece

“This is the practice of asking God to speak directly through a providential sign agreed upon beforehand. For example, someone might pray, ‘Lord, if You want us to sell our home, please have someone inquire about it next week without our advertising its availability’” (Friesen p. 51). The justification cited for such a practice is Judges 6:36-40). Please note that in that example, God has already spoken directly to Gideon (6:36,16). Therefore, this account has nothing to do with someone seeking to find an unrevealed will of God for his or her life; Gideon already knew exactly what he was supposed to do. The point being that Gideon is not seeking to discover what God wants him to do, he already knows that. Neither is he asking for clarification. He is not asking for guidance but for confirmation of specific instruction already given. “You will notice that he was aware that he was treading on very thin ice. ‘Please Lord, don’t be angry, but we are going to have to run through all this again. I am afraid my test wasn’t good enough’” (Inrig p. 115). It seems reasonable that this is one reason why God condescended to Gideon’s requests. To reveal to all future generations the inherent problems when we do not just believe what God has said in the first place. “If they do no listen to Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be persuaded if someone rises from the dead”(Luke 16:31). God’s instructions to Gideon were clear, and God had already demonstrated that He was with Gideon (6:21). Smith reminds us, “Far better to admit weakness and ask for strengthening than to go into battle with a cocky faith” (p. 155). On other occasions God punished people for doubting His word (Luke 1:20). In addition, let it be noted that Gideon was wanting miraculous or a very rare confirmation and not just some coincidence. Friesen notes, “He had already received several supernatural demonstrations; the angel of the Lord spoke to him (6:21); his offering was consumed by fire from the rock (6:21); God spoke to him (6:23-26); and the Spirit of God came upon him (6:34). After such supernatural manifestations, it is inconceivable that Gideon would ask for a sign that was merely ‘circumstantial’” (p. 223).

The Problem of the Right Results

Some argue that one means of finding 100 percent certainty in God’s will is through results. So the right results in a decision can give you certainty by confirming that the choice was correct, yet the “right” results are often interpreted as some form of outward success. The problem with this is that often-faithful people in the Bible experienced opposition and failure rather than success (2 Corinthians 4:8-9; 11:23ff, we could also mention Noah, Jeremiah, and all the prophets, Matthew 23:34-37).

The Danger of Trying to Read the “Signs”

First, from pure outward circumstances, it would appear that God blesses the wicked and resists the faithful (Psalm 73). It would also some times appear that God blesses religious groups who depart from the Scriptures (Matthew 7:22; 2 Timothy 4:3). We also have various examples in the Bible where trying to read the circumstances resulted in failure: The natives who saw a viper bite Paul concluded that he must be a murderer (Acts 28:4). Then when he remained unaffected by the venom, they determined that he must be a god (28:6). The disciples had concluded that the blind man in John 9, was either blind because of his or his parents sin (John 9:2-3). In like manner Jesus corrected the popular misconception that the Galileans murdered by Pilate somehow deserved such (due to their own wickedness) (Luke 13:1-3), and noted that there was no special guilt in the eighteen who perished when the tower of Siloam unexpectedly collapsed (Luke 13:4-5).

No Running Commentary

Friesen makes a good point when he notes that God has wise reasons why various things happen or are allowed to happen, but He does not regularly give man a running commentary of His reasons. In the last lesson we noted that it was not even revealed to the apostle Paul if there was any divine providential plan behind the escape of Onesimus, Philemon’s servant(Philemon 15-16). Here is a situation that even with hindsight, without revelation from God, Paul still did not know for sure whether this was part of some providential plan or just a coincidence. In such cases, we are not expected to interpret the situation, but rather make the best use of it.

· “An event cannot communicate a message apart from divine revelation. There are many instances in which such explanations are given in Scripture. Israel’s crop failures and plagues were often the result of God’s judgment—judgment announced in advance by the Lord’s prophets (Deuteronomy 11:17; Amos 4:6-8). The prophet Joel declared that an invasion of locusts was not a tragedy of chance (Joel 2:1-10), but an act of discipline from the Lord designed to bring Israel to repentance (Joel 2:11-17). Without such a divine commentary, locusts are just locusts. A famine is just a famine. Even in the New Testament, when the prophet Agabus predicted a coming famine, he did so, not to explain its meaning, but to warn the saints so they could adequately prepare (Acts 11:27-30)” (Friesen p. 215).

· Unfortunately, many religious people seem unable to maintain their faith in God without trying to attribute God’s hand in some current event, yet such is seeking to live by sight and not by faith (2 Corinthians 5:7). Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God (Romans 10:17). God does not tell us to find faith in seeing Him working in current events, but rather to have faith in Him in light of what He has already revealed about what He did in the past (Romans 15:4).

· There is such a realm as time and chance, that is, events that happen not because God is blessing anyone or cursing them, but things that just happen without any moral purpose behind it: (Ecclesiastes 9:11 “I again saw under the sun that the race is not to the swift, and the battle is not to the warriors, and neither is bread to the wise, nor wealth to the discerning, nor favor to men of ability; for time and chance overtake them all”; Luke 10:31 “And by chance a certain priest was going down on that road”; “Now a certain man drew his bow at random” (1 Kings 22:34).