Discerning God's Will Pt 2

Illus: Texas waffle

2 Views for Discerning the Will of God

Now that “will” is defined as God’s sovereign (secret, unchangeable, holy plan) and God’s moral (revealed commands concerning how people should behave and believe) we are ready to evaluate the 2 different views used to discern God’s will. I will give a brief summary before looking at each in more detail. First, is what is the most popular view known as the traditional view or the specific-will view. Henry and Richard Blackaby, Tim LaHaye, Jack Deere, Elisabeth Elliot, and Chuck Swindoll would be just a view names that have argued for this view in one way or another. The main principle in the traditional view is that each individual must find God’s will for their specific lives.

Second, Garry Friesen argues for the wisdom view. Joining Friesen would be John MacArthur, Kevin DeYoung, J.I. Packer, Sinclair Ferguson, Haddon Robison R.C. Sproul, Os Guinness, Gerald Sittser, M. Blaine Smith, Bruce Waltke, and Dave Swavely. The wisdom view argues that there is no such thing as the center of God will. Instead, we are free to make choices so long as they are obeying the commands and instructions found within the Bible.

Illus: phobias and fears

Glossophobia-fear of public speaking

The traditional view is by far the most popular view when it comes to discerning the will of God. For every decision we should ask what is God’s will for me in this decision. Then, we need to have confidence that God communicates to individuals, and that failure to obey what is communicated would mean that you were living outside of God’s will. Those following this thought process then add a third dimension to the definition of God’s will called the individual or center will. Sovereign and moral will are very similar to those in the traditional view but they see the moral will as not being specific enough to address our specific decisions on a daily basis.

How can one know if they are in the center of God’s will? The traditional view has several road signs to give you comfort. Road signs include the Bible, our circumstances, and inner impressions from the Holy Spirit. They also include counseling, personal desires, common sense, and supernatural guidance through the audible voice of God. After looking for the road signs one can have confirmation through the road signs lining up in agreement, or from hearing God speak while praying. Someone can try getting closer to God through communion or if one gets peace from the results of your decisions.

The traditional view has that name for a reason. It is widely taught and written about. Blackaby and King’s work in Encountering God is filled with proof texts, testimonies, and guidance. After taking the traditional view all in though, a reader is left with enormous pressure. This pressure comes from an unbiblical idea that if our life is not in the center of God’s will then we will go through trials and experience heartache. The traditional view errors in taking non-normative events in the Old and New Testament (Moses, Paul, Phillip, etc) and making them the expectation for every person. There is a difference between something in Scripture being descriptive (relating what happened not what is commanded) and prescriptive (what is commanded and should be followed).

Next, concerning the traditional view, it appears that the focus is given to thinking and worrying about myself instead of the Scriptures when anything does not go my way. What real desire would I have for reading the Scriptures and obeying them if everything was going smoothly in my life? On the flip side if things were going bad and I then started reading the Bible and praying what would drive my desire? If the situation got worse I’d give up and if it got better quickly I would give up. The traditional view then creates a self-centered works based righteousness to get what I want, not to obey the Scriptures. R.C. Sproul and David Swavely hit this right on the head.

Sproul says:

One of the great tragedies of contemporary Christendom is the preoccupation of so many Christians with the secret decretive will of God to the exclusion and neglect of the preceptive [revealed] will. We want to peek behind the veil, to catch a glimpse of our personal future. We seem more concerned with our horoscope than with our obedience.

Similarly Swavely says:

We should not try to make decisions by finding out what God has planned in His sovereign will; rather we should concern ourselves with the revealed will of God in the Scriptures. But although the sovereignty of God has no direct bearing on the activity of decision making, our understanding and acceptance of it is essential to our attitude in the process of decision making.

Sproul and Swavely argue that we should be concerned with knowing what we can know instead of trying to figure out what we cannot know. Bruce Waltke explains that trying to understand the sovereign or secretive will of God is the essence of what divination is which is forbidden in .

Illus: breakfast club at Florida

The second most popular view for discerning the will of God is the wisdom view. Paul says in

Colossians 1:9–10 CSB

For this reason also, since the day we heard this, we haven’t stopped praying for you. We are asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding, so that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and growing in the knowledge of God,

:

9 And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10 so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.

Paul here is praying that his readers in Colossae would be filled with…God’s will. What will can he be referring to?

Context is key in this passage because in the next verse Paul explains to know God’s will is equivalent to or should produce obedience to God’s moral law as you grow in your understanding of the Scriptures an obedience to them, thus increasing knowledge of God and fruitful actions. In other words we do not look for a hidden will or personal will and we do not practice divination by trying to seek the sovereign will of God.

Instead, Kevin DeYoung rightly says “when it comes to our future, we should take some responsibility, make a decision, and just do something.”

The Bible bears on every decision we make, either directly or indirectly. Scripture points us in the direction of the right decision, even if it does not tell us exactly what we must do. We do not need to wait for signs, feelings, fleeces, and especially voices.

John MacArthur bluntly states that we “…no longer have to worry.  The struggle is almost over, the search almost done.” Once you are seeking to know what God says through the Bible, you no longer worry. As Friesen convincingly argues, when there is no specific command, that God gives us freedom to chose. Not freedom to sin, but a freedom in knowing that I am not sinning, and that God is bigger than my actions and working everything for His glory.

Those in the traditional view do not like the wisdom view. Tim LaHaye thinks that the wisdom view ignores so that "it's only a matter of time before we begin to function independently from God.”

Proverbs 3:5–6 CSB

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding; in all your ways know him, and he will make your paths straight.

LaHaye has a valid concern but if one has embraced the wisdom view then they will have a hunger for God’s word. The point of is that those who trust God’s wisdom over their own and acknowledge God in each part of their life will see spiritual fruit.

Ironically, it would appear that LaHaye could, and should, heed warnings towards those under the traditional view regarding because the traditional view in and of itself creates a self-centered focus, whereby one cannot help but to lean until you own feeling and understanding.

LaHaye also argues that

"Inner peace is God's supernatural sign that decides 'safe' or 'out' as we attempt to discern His will.”

I disagree, again this is emotionally based assurance, not Scriptural based assurance. One could argue that they have had no troubles, lived a life of peace, and never sought to know God through the means of His word. Living in dependence on ‘peace’ then is not something that can be argued from Scripture as being an indicator of God’s will.

LaHaye again says, “It's wise never to make major decisions unless the umpire, the Holy Spirit-inspired peace of God that surpasses all understanding, calls the decision ‘safe’!"

Where in the New Testament are we called to be safe? Paul tells the Romans to be good citizen’s in , but he no where tells Christians to wait until one feels ‘safe.’ He tells Timothy and others to be bold, and to fear not ()! LaHaye also incorrectly argues that proves a third or individual will. He argues that there are different levels of being in God’s will, since Paul says good, acceptable, and holy. However, is filled with moral commands and verse two is best interpreted as being God’s moral will. is also very similar to which is clearly referring to God’s moral law. It is the word of God that transforms believers from conforming to the world, not finding a center will.

The wisdom we need to make important decisions comes from pouring our lives into the Scriptures and understanding what is said in them.

MacArthur states “God’s will is that you be saved, Spirit-filled, sanctified, submissive, and suffering.”

Once you have determined that you are in God’s will in those areas and you are faced with a decision, then, “Do whatever you want!  If those five elements are operating in your life, who is running your wants?  God is!”

Illus: the problem of options

Romans 12:9–21 CSB

Let love be without hypocrisy. Detest evil; cling to what is good. Love one another deeply as brothers and sisters. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not lack diligence in zeal; be fervent in the Spirit; serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope; be patient in affliction; be persistent in prayer. Share with the saints in their needs; pursue hospitality. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with one another. Do not be proud; instead, associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own estimation. Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Give careful thought to do what is honorable in everyone’s eyes. If possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Friends, do not avenge yourselves; instead, leave room for God’s wrath, because it is written, Vengeance belongs to me; I will repay, says the Lord. But If your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he is thirsty, give him something to drink. For in so doing you will be heaping fiery coals on his head. Do not be conquered by evil, but conquer evil with good.