Everything That's On My Mind

To wrap up this series, at least for now, I want to review three decision-making “tools” that are seen in scripture and see how they apply to our decision-making process. These three tools are “open doors”, “fleeces”, and “casting lots”.

Open Doors

I’ve often heard Christians cite the “open door” policy when making decisions. What I mean is they say something like, “God opened a door, so I decided to go that direction.” It seems that many times, open doors are considered direct signs from God to be followed. Are open doors always a sign that God is leading us in a given direction? Do they short circuit the decision-making process? Let’s first look at the apostle Paul and how he handled “open doors”.

In 1 Corinthians 16, Paul finds an open door for ministry and decides to stay on at Ephesus to take advantage of that open door. Note, however, that the open door Paul recognized was not free of obstacles. To the contrary, Paul says there are many who oppose him.  Paul seems to define an open door differently than many do today. Nevertheless, Paul did use this open door in his decision-making process. In 2 Corinthians 2 we see Paul recognizing another open door for ministry at Troas. This time, however, Paul ignores the open door and moves on to Macedonia without taking advantage of the open door. His concern for Titus overrode the open door. Paul recognized the open door, but included other criteria in his evaluation and ultimately decided to ignore the open door. Paul clearly didn’t believe an open door overrode the decision-making process. It was just another piece of information he used in the process.

Open doors are perfect examples of circumstantial evidence, a term that is used commonly in the justice system. In the justice system, police officers use circumstantial evidence to guide their investigation of a case. They use it to help them find hard evidence. Once that case goes to trial, however, the prosecutors are not able to use circumstantial evidence to prove the case. In the same way, we should use circumstantial evidence to guide our decision-making, but it should not be the deciding factor in our decision-making. An “open door” does not relieve us of our responsibility to make a carefully determined wise decision. God certainly does open doors for us, but an open door in and of itself is not sufficient evidence to make a wise decision.

Fleeces

The story of Gideon in Judges 6 has inspired many Christians to lay their own “fleeces” before the Lord as a decision-making tool. I admit that as a young man I used this technique myself…with mixed results. Something along the lines of “if the phone only rings two times before she picks it up, then I should ask her out for a date.” Yes, that sounds really silly…and it is. Yet many Christians use similar techniques to make decisions.

Let’s analyze the idea of fleeces using Gideon’s story as a model. First of all, we must recognize that Gideon’s fleeces were miraculous. That is, there was no way that the result Gideon asked for could have happened without God’s intervention. There was no natural explanation for the ground being wet and the fleece dry, or the other way around. If we are to truly follow Gideon’s model, then our fleeces must be built the same way. We must ask God to give us a sign that cannot possibly happen naturally. Otherwise, the fleece is invalid.

Yet we must still ask the question, are fleeces a valid tool for making decisions? We must recognize that Gideon is portrayed as a man of very weak faith, constantly questioning God. Even before the fleeces, God had given Gideon a miraculous sign (Judges 6:22), yet Gideon asked for more. In addition, Jesus tended to reject and requests for a miraculous sign (See Matthew 12:38-39). Finally, it’s never advisable to build a doctrine based on a single passage of scripture, and we have no other explicit example of a “fleece” being used by anyone else in scripture. I’m not going to say that God cannot guide through fleeces. He certainly can. I just don’t believe the story of Gideon is meant to be a model for us.

Casting Lots

Unlike fleeces, casting lots was used many times in scripture, in both the Old and New Testaments, to make decisions. You can find examples in Joshua 18, 1 Chronicles 24, and Acts 1. Proverbs 18:18 even explicitly recommends casting lots. This may seem strange, since casting lots is the ancient equivalent of drawing straws or flipping a coin. How can this be a valid decision-making tool? The answer is found in Proverbs 16:33, “The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord.”

This seems to invalidate everything I’ve discussed in this series. If flipping a coin is valid, why shouldn’t we just use that to make every decision? The answer is found in the scriptural examples themselves. Casting lots was only used when there was no other way to make a decision. In Acts 1, the apostles had set up criteria for choosing a replacement for Judas, but found two candidates that fit the criteria equally well. In effect, they needed a way to break the tie. Only then did they resort to casting lots. In the same way, we cannot use the flip of a coin to avoid using the decision-making tools God has given us. We are responsible for making a wise decision. Casting lots is available to us only as a last resort when we have exhausted all other means of making a decision.

I pray this series has been helpful. It’s been helpful for me to revisit this subject in preparing this series. I don’t have another series planned at this point so the blog will return to being more "reactive" in nature, at least for the time being. In other words…we now return to our regularly scheduled programming.

Step 6: Choose the wisest option

I hear you saying, “Wait a minute, that’s it? You’re kidding, right?” No, I’m not kidding. If you’ve followed the steps above, you’re ready to make a decision. So make it already. In all seriousness, if you’ve prayerfully followed the previous steps the wisest option has most likely become very obvious by now. Good decision-making is not rocket science; it’s simply a matter of being deliberate and prayerfully choosing the wisest option.

The key word in that sentence is, of course, “prayerfully”. Each step of the process must be bathed in prayer. The Holy Spirit guides us in this process if we are paying attention. If an option violates God’s Moral Will, the Holy Spirit will warn us. If our motives are impure, the Spirit will convict us. He will guide us through our research and analysis, and God will grant us wisdom just as He promised through the Holy Spirit. If God so chooses, He will supernaturally intervene to influence our decision. In the end, however, we must decide and trust that His mercy and sovereignty will reign over the details that are beyond our knowledge or control.

As I’ve mentioned before, we’re talking about godly wisdom here as opposed to human wisdom. James makes it clear (James 3:13-17) that godly wisdom is guided by different criteria. For example, evaluating a career choice based on how our God-given talents can be best leveraged for the Kingdom, rather than simply based on salary and benefits. Choosing a true “helpmate” as a spouse or simply marrying a “hottie.” These are simplistic examples, but you get the point. Wisdom is an evaluation of criteria and as Christians we have different criteria.

Step 7: Make plans and stick to them until God gives other guidance

The decision-making process is not complete until you have decided not only what to do, but how to do it. Depending on the type of decision this may be a simple step or the most complex step of the entire process. Nevertheless, a good decision can be sabotaged by bad planning or a lack of perseverance.

Planning and perseverance are related topics that probably deserve their own series of posts. They both require humble submission to the sovereignty of God. No matter how thorough our decision-making process, our vision is limited. We don’t know what lies ahead. We make plans based on what we know, realizing that they may need to change in the future. James 4:13 does not discourage us from making plans, but it encourages us to do so humbly, with an understanding that only God’s plans are guaranteed to succeed.

Until God clearly points us in another direction, however, we must persevere. Opposition or difficulty is not automatically a sign that our plan is a bad one. Paul spoke of his plans to visit both the Roman church (Romans 1:13) and the Corinthian church (2 Corinthians 1:15-17), but in both cases his plans had thus far been frustrated. Nevertheless he persisted with his plans, seeing no reason to change them. If your decision was made wisely, stick to your plan until God makes it abundantly clear He has a new direction. Don’t quit just because things aren’t working out the way you planned. Until God clearly gives you a new direction, stay the course.

In my next post on this subject, I’ll address other decision-making “tools” such as fleeces. It will probably be my last post on this topic for a while…at least, that’s my plan.

Once the decision-making process has passed the test of God’s Moral Will, we can move on to the next steps. Before we move on, however, I have to re-emphasize the importance of steps 1 and 2. Too often we’re tempted to cop-out and give only a brief thought to these questions. Even when God’s Moral Will does not short-circuit the decision-making process, taking time to thoroughly evaluate God’s Word as it applies to our situation is infinitely beneficial as we move on through the rest of the process.

Step 3: Pray for wisdom

Paul prays for the Colossian church that God would fill them “with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding.” (Colossians 1:9) Here Paul explicitly states we receive knowledge of God’s will through spiritual wisdom and understanding. Paul prays a similar prayer for the Ephesian church in Ephesians 1:17. That’s not a denial of miraculous direct revelation. Such revelation is always a possibility and we must be sensitive to the voice of the Spirit just as Paul was in Acts 16. It seems clear to me, however, that Paul had a holistic view of the work of the Holy Spirit. Paul recognized the involvement of the Spirit in all he did, whether there was a miraculous revelation or not. We should have the same perspective, realizing that the Spirit speaks through the miraculous and the mundane. The key is to seek godly wisdom in all of our decisions. James encourages us, “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously without finding fault, and it will be given to him.” James1:5-6 Proverbs reminds us (in the voice of Wisdom personified) “I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me.” Proverbs 8:17 Be careful to note that I’m talking about godly wisdom here, not worldly wisdom. 1 Corinthians 1:18-21 makes clear that there is a distinct difference between the two. The wisdom that comes from God makes the spiritual and eternal things our highest priority, the wisdom of this world places the priority on the physical and the temporary.

Step 4: Do your homework

This is another step that many of us want to shortcut. There are no shortcuts, take the time to research your options and weigh the pros and cons. Nehemiah knew what he wanted to do, he knew it was God’s will for him to accomplish it. Yet the first thing he did when he arrived at Jerusalem was to evaluate the situation and gather information so he could proceed wisely. (Nehemiah 2:11-16) Joshua knew that God had promised him success in conquering the Promised Land, yet the first thing he does is to send out spies to scout out their situation. (Joshua 2) Even when we do receive direct, supernatural direction from God, it does not relieve us from our responsibility to be careful and wise in our decision-making. We cannot make good decisions without carefully counting the cost (Luke 14:28).

Step 5: Seek godly counsel

Once we’ve done our homework, it’s time to begin evaluating options. This should not be done in a vacuum. God has created us to be creatures of community, relying on the strengths of the body of Christ. No decision should ever be made without the input of wise friends and advisors within the body of Christ. This is true for all decisions at all levels. Even the Apostles made a corporate decision-making process. Flying solo in the decision-making process is a recipe for failure. (Proverbs 15:22)

When seeking out counselors, look for mature believers with a variety of perspectives. Don’t look for people who think just like you do. Seek the opinions of those who see things differently. If you’re an emotional person, seek out the opinion of someone who is more logical. If you’re an impulsive person, seek out the opinion of someone who is more deliberate. Get the perspective of the opposite sex. Seeking godly counsel is a research project of its own.

Hang in there, only two more steps to go!

In the next few posts of this series, I will attempt to outline seven steps for godly decision-making in light of a biblical understanding of God’s will. Some may find these steps to be “unspiritual”, especially for those raised in classical Pentecost. I believe, however, that these steps follow a scriptural model for decision-making that balances submitting to God’s sovereignty and understanding our responsibility to make godly decisions. Dallas Willard expressed it this way:

"[God] calls us to responsible citizenship in His kingdom by -- in effect or reality -- saying, as often as possible: MY WILL FOR YOU IS FOR YOU TO DECIDE ON YOUR OWN."
~ Dallas Willard, Hearing God

I am not suggesting (nor is Willard) that God is unconcerned about our decisions or that we should ignore God entirely in our decision-making. I am simply saying that God does not desire to micro-manage our lives. He generally* wants us to follow the guidance He has already given us in scripture, as the Holy Spirit enables us. Those guidelines are what I will attempt to outline.

Step 1: Evaluate the decision in light of God’s Moral Will.

This is the first and most critical step of the process. Our decisions must be ruled by God’s commands, first and foremost. When God’s Word speaks on a subject, the decision is made for us. This means it is vitally important for us to know God’s Word, just as David expressed in Psalm 119:11. However, it is rarely possible to read the entire bible looking for guidance each time we make a decision. That is why it is also necessary to bathe this step in prayer to allow the Holy Spirit to help us remember and recognize the areas of scripture that apply to our decision.

Another key point is that when I refer to God’s Moral Will, I mean all of His revealed will in scripture. It is not limited to sin-related commands (the “do nots”), but also positive commandments. For example, Romans 12:6-8 commands us to use the gifts we have been given for the benefit of the body of Christ. Whether or not you would consider it a sin to ignore this command (I would argue that it is), it is at least a moral imperative that must enter into our decision-making process. Likewise, it can be inferred that John 6:12 teaches us to not be wasteful (Proverbs 21:20 is more explicit), which I consider a part of God’s Moral Will.
 
Step 2: Examine your motives

Some would rightly consider this step to be part of step 1, and they would be right. Our motives are a moral issue before God, who knows our hearts. Jesus repeatedly condemned the Pharisees for doing the right things for the wrong reasons. (Ex. Luke 11:42) We must be concerned about the same in our decision-making. The “why” component of our decisions is just as important as the “what” component of our decisions. Our motives are an issue of God’s Moral Will, but because of the importance of motives and our tendency to forget about motives, I like to separate this into its own decision-making step.

No godly decision can be made before these two steps are completed. They are always the starting point. In fact, many decisions can be made simply by evaluating these two criteria. In any case, we can move forward in the decision-making process only if our motives are pure and our possible choices do not violate God’s Moral Will. Quite often, however, we must move beyond these two steps to come to a decision. And we shall…in the next entry.

* I believe there are times when God will supernaturally intervene in our decision-making through the voice of the Holy Spirit, but he does that in His timing and for His purposes, not ours. More on this to follow.

I know I promised to begin discussing a framework for Godly decision-making, but I need to take a brief side-trip first. If you’ve been following this series, you’re probably at a frustrating point right now. “What happened to the wonderful plan?” you may ask. “If there’s no wonderful plan for my life, what’s the point?” Well, I’m not trying to say that God doesn’t have a wonderful plan for your life. What I’m trying to say is that He generally does not reveal it to us ahead of time. The “wonderful plan” is His Sovereign Will for creation. Therein lies the difficulty; understanding the sovereignty of God has been one of the great challenges for Christian thinkers across the centuries. A disagreement over the nature of the sovereignty of God is at the heart of the primary doctrinal division within Protestantism, that being the division between Calvinists and Arminians.

I do not presume to resolve that centuries-old debate with my feeble efforts, nor do I intend to address the issue of predestination and divine election in this series. If you are interested in those questions, I encourage you to click through to The Schooley Files. Keith is in the midst of a wonderful series on that topic that I highly recommend. That being said, there is no way to discuss the will of God without addressing the topic of God’s sovereignty. Suffice it to say that I consider myself a moderate Arminian; I believe wholeheartedly in the sovereignty of God, and I believe that God has created man with a free will. In this blog entry, I will attempt to explain how I believe these two facts interact with each other.

God’s sovereignty is an undeniable assertion of scripture. That is, He is the controlling, sustaining power over all creation. How God exercises His sovereignty is the question that vexes us. Scripture is not explicit, so it is clearly not necessary for us to fully understand it. We are, however, allowed to wonder and make assumptions. Clearly, scripture tells us we have the ability and responsibility to make decisions. Therefore we are free to make decisions. How is that possible if God is sovereign? The answer is, God has created mankind with the ability to make choices. Is it possible for God to control or pre-program every decision we make? Certainly. Does He choose to do so? I don’t believe so. Some would say I’m putting limits on God’s sovereignty, I don’t see it that way. In fact, I believe it gives MORE glory to God to imagine that He can accomplish His sovereign plan through and in spite of our choices, rather than by controlling them.

I don’t believe that God exercises His Sovereign Will over every decision we make. Crest or Close-Up? Paper or plastic? Chocolate or vanilla? I don’t know of anyone who prays seeking “God’s will” for such decisions, or even expects God to care. Even if you believe in a Personal Will of God for your life, you live your life making decisions about what it does and does not cover. Generally, those decisions are based on how worried we are about the impact of our decision. We want God to relieve us of any responsibility if things don’t work out the way we hope. That very idea is contrary to God’s character. He wants us to make decisions, both good and bad, and learn from them. No matter what decision we make, His Sovereign Will is accomplished in our lives. I love the way A.W. Tozer expresses this:

Except for those things that are specifically commanded or forbidden, it is God's will that we be free to exercise our own intelligent choice. The shepherd will lead the sheep but he does not wish to decide which tuft of grass the sheep shall nibble each moment of the day. In almost everything touching our common life on earth God is pleased when we are pleased. He wills that we be as free as birds to soar and sing our Maker's praise without anxiety. God's choice for us may not be one but any one of a score of possible choices. The man or woman who is wholly and joyously surrendered to Christ cannot make a wrong choice. Any choice will be the right one.

~A.W. Tozer, The Set of the Sail, chapter 21

That brings us back to the question at hand: How do we make “our own intelligent choice?” Has God left us completely on our own without any guidance at all? Absolutely not! His Word gives us guidelines for godly decision-making and that’s what I’ll begin to outline next. I promise.

The rest of the series:

Part 1: Introduction
Part 2: Defining our Terms
Part 3: A Wonderful Plan?
Part 4: The Decision-making of the Apostles

In my last entry, I discussed the idea of God’s Personal Will and found no explicit biblical support for it. In this entry, I’ll look at the decision-making process of the apostles to see if there is any implicit scriptural support for the idea of God’s Personal Will. The first such example of the apostle’s decision-making is found in the first chapter of Acts.

So they proposed two men: Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias. Then they prayed, "Lord, you know everyone's heart. Show us which of these two you have chosen to take over this apostolic ministry, which Judas left to go where he belongs." Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles.
Acts 1:23-26 (NIV)

Some have argued that this was a bad decision all around, that God actually intended Paul to be the 12th apostle to replace Judas. For the purposes of this discussion, however, we will set aside this argument and focus on the decision itself. What we see here is that the apostles found two men that fit their criteria (specified in verses 21-22), but found it difficult to choose between the two of them. The primary decision of choosing Barsabbas and Matthias was made using human criteria and judgment. The final choice between the two was made by casting lots (a first century version of flipping a coin) only after they had chosen these two, apparently without relying on direct divine revelation to select the two candidates. While the phrase “show us” may seem to imply otherwise, the apostles did not ask God to reveal His will to them as much as they simply left the “tie breaker” in His hands. I’ll discuss “casting lots” further in a future post.

In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Grecian Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, "It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. Brothers, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word." This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism. They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.
Acts 6:1-6 (NIV)

Here we find the church at one of its first major crisis points. Yet again, we do not see the apostles appealing to divine revelation to determine what should be done. They made a reasoned, wise decision to delegate authority and responsibility over the distribution of food. They specified important criteria, but allowed the church to choose the men they desired to serve in this capacity. Surprisingly enough, we don’t even see the church being instructed to “go pray about it.” Apparently, the apostles trusted the God-given wisdom within the church to make a good decision regarding the first-ever deacons. Only Stephen and Philip are described further in scripture, but based solely on those two men I think we can agree they made a good decision.

We have heard that some went out from us without our authorization and disturbed you, troubling your minds by what they said. So we all agreed to choose some men and send them to you with our dear friends Barnabas and Paul—men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore we are sending Judas and Silas to confirm by word of mouth what we are writing. It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond the following requirements: You are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality. You will do well to avoid these things. Farewell.
Acts 15:24-29 (NIV)

Again we find the church in the midst of a major crisis and in need to a decision, and again we see primarily democratic decision-making employed. Both in verse 22 and in verse 25 we see corporate decision-making by the church without an appeal to divine revelation. Only in verse 28 we see the addition of the Holy Spirit to the phrase, but even here the phrase “it seemed good” (emphasis mine) seems to soften the intent. Certainly the apostles considered the Holy Spirit a part of their decision-making process. The question, however, is what form that involvement took. Acts is not explicit, but verse 28 does not necessarily imply direct divine revelation.

So when we could stand it no longer, we thought it best to be left by ourselves in Athens. We sent Timothy, who is our brother and God's fellow worker in spreading the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you in your faith,
1 Thessalonians 3:1-2 (NIV)

Then, when I arrive, I will give letters of introduction to the men you approve and send them with your gift to Jerusalem. If it seems advisable for me to go also, they will accompany me.
1 Corinthians 16:3-4 (NIV)

In both these passages Paul clearly expresses that his decisions were based on his own judgment. There’s no hint of direct divine revelation at all. That’s not to say that God isn’t involved in Paul’s decision-making. God’s sovereignty was central to Paul’s theology and he recognized God’s involvement in his decisions (see 1 Thessalonians 3:11), but Paul didn’t seem to ask or expect God to reveal His sovereign will before he made a decision.

So when we look to scripture for a definition of God’s will, we see two distinct concepts. God’s Moral Will which consists of His commands revealed in scripture and His Sovereign Will, His redemptive plan for creation that is generally not revealed before it comes to pass. The idea of a Personal Will, a “wonderful plan for our lives” that God reveals to us so we can make decisions has no clear support in scripture. But that leaves us with the $64,000 question: If there is no “Magic 8 Ball” to help us, how should we make decisions? Are we completely on our own? Not at all. God has given us everything we need to live a life pleasing to Him. In the next installment, we’ll begin to build a framework for Godly decision-making.

The rest of the series:

Part 1: Introduction
Part 2: Defining our Terms
Part 3: A Wonderful Plan?

Now we arrive at the point of contention. Bill Bright told us that God “offers a wonderful plan” for our lives. Many believe this refers to a specific plan God has for our lives that we must discover and follow. I’ll call this concept the Personal Will of God. Does God’s Word teach the idea of a Personal Will? Let’s look at some verses that are most often used to support the idea of God’s Personal Will.

For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding.
Colossians 1:9 (NIV)

This verse is clearly referring to God’s Moral Will when you read it together with verse 10. Paul goes on in verse 10 to say the purpose of knowing His will is to “live a life worthy of the Lord,” to “please Him in every way.” The most natural reading of these phrases would point us toward God’s revealed commands.

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 12:2 (NIV)

Here Paul is beginning his discourse on the use of spiritual gifts. The verses following are used to explain what God’s “good, pleasing and perfect will” is; that we should use our spiritual gifts for the benefit of the Body of Christ. There’s no mystery to be discovered, there a moral command that is given. Use your gifts.

Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is.
Ephesians 5:17 (NIV)

Again, Paul isn’t teaching that we should pray and wait for God to reveal His plan. Paul goes on in verses 18-20 to explicitly state what the Lord’s will is, that we should “not get drunk with wine” and “be filled with the Spirit.” This is another instance of God’s Moral Will being taught.

I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you.
Psalms 32:8 (NIV)

Some commentators believe this Psalm was written with Psalm 51 in response to David’s sin with Bathsheba, and that seems to be a reasonable assumption based on its content. Regardless, this Psalm is clearly about sin and forgiveness. Based on that, it is most natural to read this verse as referring to God’s Moral Will.

There are other verses that have been used to support the idea of God’s Personal Will, but in each case the simplest reading reveals a reference to either God’s Moral Will or His Sovereign Will. The explicit teaching of scripture reveals only these two facets of God’s Will. What about the implicit teaching of scripture? How did the Apostles, in the power of the Holy Spirit, make decisions? I’ll look at that next.

The rest of the series:

Part 1: Introduction
Part 2: Defining our Terms

When you use the term “the will of God,” what do you mean? More than likely, you’ve used it in a number of different ways. That’s OK, so does scripture, but it is necessary to distinguish how we are using the term. Let’s start by looking at the different ways scripture uses these terms.

I desire to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart."

Psalms 40:8 (NIV)

It is God's will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God; and that in this matter no one should wrong his brother or take advantage of him. The Lord will punish men for all such sins, as we have already told you and warned you.

1 Thessalonians 4:3-6 (NIV)

For it is God's will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men.

1 Peter 2:15 (NIV)

What these verses describe is what can be called God’s Moral Will. God’s Moral Will is his revealed commands. According to 2 Peter 1:3, it has been completely revealed to us by God through His Word. None of it is hidden. It doesn’t need to be discovered, but it does need to be learned just as David said in Psalm 119:11. Mankind has a responsibility to obey God’s Moral Will. It is possible to be ignorant of God’s Moral Will, and it is possible (and common) to willfully ignore it. The revelation of God’s Moral Will is a fundamental purpose of scripture. However, that is not the only way scripture uses the term.

Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, "If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that."

James 4:14-15 (NIV)

The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD.

Proverbs 16:33 (NIV)

In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will,

Ephesians 1:11 (NIV)

Here we see what is called God’s Sovereign Will. This is clearly a completely different concept than His Moral Will. Unlike God’s Moral Will, His Sovereign Will is hidden from us as Paul tells us in Romans 11:33-34. The only exception to this principle is the prophetic word, where God chooses for His own purposes to reveal His plan to someone. Just like the manifestation of any of God’s miraculous gifts this is an exceptional occurrence, not something to be expected regularly. The second important characteristic of God’s Sovereign Will is that it is unchangeable. It cannot be stopped, altered, or “missed.” As Daniel wrote (Daniel 4:35) “He does as He pleases” and “no one can hold back His hand.”

So where is the “wonderful plan for my life?” Good question. Stay tuned…

The rest of the series:

Part 1: Introduction

Since I was accused of “mailing it in” on my last blog entry, I guess I need to have some substance in my next few entries. I think it’s about time for my first blog series. This is generally a reactive blog; that is, I blog about my reaction to something I’ve read or experienced recently. This series will be a bit of a change of pace. One way or another, announcing a series will (hopefully) force me to write a bit more so I don’t leave my faithful readers hanging.

As you can see from the title, I’m too foolish to write my first series on something simple…like quantum physics. The concept of the will of God has vexed most Christians at one time or another in their lives. Bill Bright’s famous “Four Spiritual Laws” have been quoted over and over again in evangelical circles until they have become dogma. His first “law” is “God loves you and offers a wonderful plan for your life.” You may have heard this referred to as “God’s perfect will” or “being in the center of God’s will.” I heard those terms a lot when I was younger. While Dr. Bright’s statement is true, it is also misleading. It has caused many Christians to believe that their job is to find out exactly what God’s wonderful plan is so they can follow it. I’ve seen Christians paralyzed in decision-making as they waited for divine guidance, and others who have endured the guilt and confusion of believing they failed to hear God’s voice correctly.

In this series I’m going to attempt to clear away some of the common misconceptions about God’s will and lay out my personal framework for Christian decision-making. As I do this, I’m standing on the shoulders of much wiser men who have done great work on this topic. I’ll do my best along the way to give credit where it’s due. The one book that really got me thinking about this topic is Decision Making and the Will of God by Garry Friesen and Robin Maxson. A revised edition was published in 2004, so it should be easy to find for anyone who is interested.

Up next: Defining our terms