God’s Moral Will

Today we will begin looking at what we are calling God’s Moral Will.

The difference between God’s Sovereign Will and His Moral will is very clear: God has hidden His Sovereign will but fully revealed His Moral Will.

Think of God’s moral will as that the Will of God that He has revealed to every believer.

And He has revealed it in the Word through His commandments.

But this is not a return to Law because the motive for seeking God’s Moral Will is based on LOVE.

Matthew 22:37–40 BSB

37 Jesus declared, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

Romans 13:8 BSB

8 Be indebted to no one, except to one another in love. For he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.

Galatians 5:14 BSB

14 The entire law is fulfilled in a single decree: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

Matthew 7:12 BSB

12 In everything, then, do to others as you would have them do to you. For this is the essence of the Law and the Prophets.

The Nature of God’s Moral Will

1: Its Origin:

The Moral Will of God is the expression, in behavioral terms, of God’s Character.

1 Peter 1:16 BSB

16 for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.”

The Moral of God is a reflection of God’s own moral Character.

God commands us:

Exodus 20:16 BSB

16 You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

Because God Himself:

Numbers 23:19 BSB

19 God is not a man, that He should lie, or a son of man, that He should change His mind. Does He speak and not act? Does He promise and not fulfill?

2: Its Revelation:

2 Timothy 3:16–17 BSB

16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for instruction, for conviction, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 so that the man of God may be complete, fully equipped for every good work.

Hebrews 1:1–2 BSB

1 On many past occasions and in many different ways, God spoke to our fathers through the prophets. 2 But in these last days He has spoken to us by His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, and through whom He made the universe.

God has revealed His Moral Will clearly and publicly.

Even going so far as to write it on every human heart, saved or not.

Romans 2:14–15 BSB

14 Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. 15 So they show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts either accusing or defending them

3: Its Scope

1 Peter 4:10–11 BSB

10 As good stewards of the manifold grace of God, each of you should use whatever gift he has received to serve one another. 11 If anyone speaks, he should speak as one conveying the words of God. If anyone serves, he should serve with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory and the power forever and ever. Amen.

The Moral Will of God is not only for a single area of our lives. It is to govern everything!

From our relationships, our finances, our families, our dealings with the world, our health, EVERYTHING!

4: Its Impact:

2 Timothy 3:16–17 BSB

16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for instruction, for conviction, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 so that the man of God may be complete, fully equipped for every good work.

The Nature of God’s Moral Will:

Any thought, action or attitude that conforms to Scripture is acceptable and pleasing to God.

Any thought, action or attitude that falls outside of God’s Moral Will is SINFUL.

1 John 3:4 BSB

4 Everyone who practices sin practices lawlessness as well. Indeed, sin is lawlessness.

Thus the highest priority of each Christian should be to learn the boundaries of God’s Moral will and then live in obedience to His will.

John 13:17 BSB

17 If you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.

So how do we live in obedience to God’s Moral will?

1: Reading

1 Timothy 4:13 BSB

13 Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, and to teaching.

2: Careful Consideration

2 Timothy 2:7 BSB

7 Consider what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all things.

3: Humble Searching

1 Peter 1:10–11 BSB

10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets who foretold the grace to come to you searched and investigated carefully, 11 trying to determine the time and setting to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when He predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow.

4: Diligent Study

2 Timothy 2:15 BSB

15 Make every effort to present yourself approved to God, an unashamed workman who accurately handles the word of truth.

5: Meditation

Psalm 1:2 BSB

2 But his delight is in the Law of the LORD, and on His law he meditates day and night.

Then as we grow in our understanding of God’s Moral Will, God expects us to be obedient to it.

Deuteronomy 10:12–13 BSB

12 And now, O Israel, what does the LORD your God ask of you but to fear the LORD your God by walking in all His ways, to love Him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, 13 and to keep the commandments and statutes of the LORD that I am giving you this day for your own good?

Knowing God’s Moral Will and doing it is the key to a blessed life.

Joshua 1:8 BSB

8 This Book of the Law must not depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. For then you will prosper and succeed in all you do.

Knowing God’s Will:

So far we have looked at 2 levels of God’s will.

1: God’s Sovereign Will which is hidden and unknowable by us.

Thus God’s Sovereign Will is not that which we actively pursue or seek because its not for us to know.

2: Then we saw God’s Moral Will.

This Will is for every single Christian around the world.

The Missing Piece

The Missing peace” God’s Individual Will for me.

Traditionally the christian has been told that there is a specific will of God for your life and its your job to seek out that will.

We imagine God’s will for our life as a set picture that we must conform too.

The Problem with this is that we can only conform to that which God has specifically revealed IS His will: Which it God’s Moral Will.

Where in the bible do we find more individual specific answers?

Where in the bible does it say who you must marry?

Where in the bible does it say which job you should take?

Where in the bible does it say which School you should send your children too?

Where in the bible does it say which medication you should take?

These are questions regarding NOT God’s Moral Will, but God’s will for our life, so if the answers to these questions are NOT in scripture, how do we know what God wants us to do?

This is where many of you will be quite shocked.

We will call this:

God’s Freedom Permitting Will.

This Level of God’s will is simple this:

Where there is no command God gives us both freedom and responsibility to choose.

Let us keep track now with a systematic list of God will:

1: Where God commands we MUST obey.

2: Where there is no command God gives us both freedom and responsibility to choose.