Doctrine

Immanuel, The God Who Was Made Flesh And Dwelt Among Us, The I AM THAT I AM!!!

Posted on by Allan Turner / 0 Comment
Simply Jesus

The writer of Hebrews, telling us what God had prophesied about Jesus, writes, “But to the Son He says: ‘Your throne, O God, is forever and ever’” (Heb. 1:8). He also identifies Jesus as the Jehovah-Elohim of Psalm 102:25-27, who existed eternally before He created the heavens and earth (cf. Heb. 1:10) and remains eternally the same (cf. Heb. 1:11-12), “yesterday, today, and forever.” in the person of Jesus of Nazareth (Heb. 13:8). To see in this last verse only a reference to the faithfulness of Jesus and not a reference to His immutability, as some do, is a serious mistake. In truth, Jesus Christ’s faithfulness is grounded in His changelessness. Because He does not change ontologically (i.e., because He has always been the fullness of God that He is at this very moment), He has been, is and always will be completely and totally reliable (i.e., “faithful”). It is only in this sense that Jesus could identify Himself as the “I AM THAT I AM” or “He who is” of Exodus 3:14 (see also Jn. 8:58). When Jesus said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM,” He used the aorist tense to describe Abraham’s existence but the timeless present tense to describe His own existence and, thus, identified Himself as the self-existent, eternal, infinite, immutable God with a capital “G.” Well has it been said:

Lord, You have been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever You had formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God (Psa 90:1-2).

So, as difficult as it may be for finite creatures even to begin to comprehend, when the Divine Logos or Son of God became Immanuel and dwelt among us in the flesh (cf. Jn 1:14), or as the Bible says elsewhere, came in the likeness of man (cf. Phil 2:8), or was manifested in the flesh (cf. 1 Tim 3:16), He did not divest, give up, or have stripped from Him His Deity. In the person of Jesus dwelt, and continues to dwell (for such is the meaning of the present tense), all the fullness of the Godhead bodily as Colossians 2:9 so clearly points out. In fact, from a Biblical standpoint, the historical Jesus is never understood apart from His embodiment as the self-existent, eternal, infinite, immutable God in time and space—and if not, He could have never referred to Himself as “I AM THAT I AM,” the God who is, when everything is said and done, “totally other.”

Hermeneutics/Loving One's Neighbor/Loving Our Enemies

Looking For Love In All The Wrong Places

Posted on by Allan Turner / 0 Comment
Looking for love in all the wrong places

Like that old Johnny Lee song, “Looking For Love,” I’m afraid some of us (myself included) have been “looking for love in all the wrong places.” In Romans 12:9, we are commanded to “love without hypocrisy,” which is immediately followed by the command to be “kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love” (12:10a). Thus, three words that can be translated “love” or “affection” are put into play in these two verses:

      1. agape, which refers to the love Christians must have for all people, including their enemies,
      2. philia, the love one has for friends, and
      3. storge, the love one has for family members.

In fact, “kindly affectionate”(philostorgoi) is a combination of philia and storge. This is the only place this expression is found in the New Testament. It denotes the kindred love of family or humankind and defines more specifically the character of the “brotherly love” (philadelphiāi) which it amplifies so that the exhortation is for us to love our brethren in Christ as if they were members of our own family, clan, or race. For the Jews and Gentiles of Paul’s time, this was no small thing.

Over the years, we have all heard sermons and lessons on the “uniqueness” of agape; namely, how it is a “different” kind of love than philia or storge. It is, we are told, the highest form of love, having more to do with the intellect than those emotions and feelings we frequently associate with love. But is this true? Is this really what the Scriptures teach? I, for one, no longer believe so. In saying this, it is important to understand I do not deny that the three words mentioned are different, or that they may be nuanced toward one aspect of love rather than another. Instead, what I’m denying is that agape is an entirely different kind of love than are these others. But, if we continue to insist on thinking of agape as somehow different from philia and storge, this difference is to be seen in that it alone encompasses all aspects of these other two terms, which, when taken together, teach us what it really means to love one another as God loves us.

What’s the rub, then? Well, perhaps it’s this: instead of accurately defining the true meanings and nuances of agape, philia, and storge, we’ve actually been engaged in an elaborate exercise of semantical gymnastics designed to make us feel better about ourselves when we claim to “love” our enemies, even when we know we’ve never quite “cared for” them very much at all, or at least not like we care for those in our family, our village, our tribe, our clan, our “race.” So then, is agape really more intellectual than heartfelt? We certainly like to think so. After all, such an interpretation allows us to think we can agapao even our enemies, even though we don’t have to be very fond of them. Oh really? Let’s take a look at what Thayer’s Greek Definitions says about the verb agapao: “1) of persons, 1a) to welcome, to entertain, to be fond of, to love dearly.” Of the noun agape, Thayer says: “1) brotherly love, affection, good will, love, benevolence.” So make no mistake about it, when Romans 12:9a says, “Let love [agape] be without hypocrisy,” and follows it up in 12:10a with “Be kindly affectionate [philostorgoi] to one another in brotherly love [philadelphiāi],” we have a divine commentary on what agape is all about, and it isn’t just some sort of intellectual “I’ve got your best interest at heart, but don’t you think for a moment, you dirty rotten scoundrel, that this has anything to do with the tender affection I’ve reserved for others, not you.” No, no, no, this is not, and never has been, what loving God and each other is all about.

You may be thinking, “What’s he trying to say and what does this have to do with me?” Well, EVERYTHING! I say it this way because it truly does have everything to do with you, me, and every other person who claims to be a Christian. For unless, and until, we love everyone, as God does, we are not yet what we were created in Christ Jesus to be. In this regard, it is helpful to note that the “without natural affection” of Romans 1:31 in the KJV is translated “unloving” in the NKJV. The Greek word is astorgos. This informs us that those whom God gives over to a reprobate mind are not able, in such a state, to render the kind of love of neighbor (and this includes enemies of every sort) God requires of His children. The decision, then, is ours. We can be, with the Lord’s help, what God, the Father, created us in His Son Christ Jesus to be, or we can continue to think and act the way we used to before being redeemed by the precious blood of Jesus Christ and born again of His Spirit.

I haven’t written this to personally shame anyone. Instead, I wanted to make others aware of something that took me a long time to get squared away in my on mind/heart. I had been reading over, around, and through this truth for many years before it was introduced to me in August 2001, shortly before Anita and I moved back to Kenya, East Africa and just before 9/11. I couldn’t believe it then, nor for several years afterward. This is because I had bought, “lock, stock, and barrel,” into the idea that agape was a uniquely different kind of love than philia or storge. I had preached on it and even written various articles on it and could exegete (sic) John 21:15-18 right up there with the rest of them. But eventually the work of learning could no longer be postponed, and a crisis of conscience forced me to finally deal with the fact that I had bought, “lock, stock, and barrel,” into an interpretation that had relieved me of my God-given duty to love my neighbor with the concern and tender affection I reserved for my immediate family and closest friends, and this even when such a one was my enemy. Yes, it is certainly easier (i.e., more “natural”) to love those closest to me with fond, tender affection, always having their best interests foremost in my heart. But just here is the point: The lord calls me and every other Christian to a higher standard than this. The truth is, He wants me to love everyone like I love those closest to me. The truth is, He wants me to love my neighbor, my brother, my enemy like I love those who are near and dear to me. The truth is, He wants me to love everyone like He tenderly loves me with kindly affection. Is this easy? No. Is this something I’m now striving to do? Yes. As a result, I can tell you I’ve begun to understand and experience things I had never before quite understood or experienced. To God be the glory, now and forever. Amen!

Doctrine/Foreknowledge/Free Will/God's Sovereignty

God’s Foreknowledge & Man’s Free Will As Seen From A Compatibilist’s Point Of View

Posted on by Allan Turner / 2 Comments
God's Foreknowledge and Man's Free Will

Psalm 147:5 says that God’s understanding is infinite. Infinite in this verse is the Hebrew micpar and means the same thing as it does in English—i.e., “having no boundaries or limits.” Now, if God’s understanding has no boundaries or limits, and understanding is predicated on knowledge, then it follows necessarily that God’s knowledge has no boundaries or limitations. Such knowledge would be “unsearchable” by mere finite creatures, and this is exactly what the Bible says (cf. Romans 11:33). In other words, the Bible teaches that God “knows all things” (1 John 3:20). This kind of knowledge is what the theologians call “omniscience.” By definition, omniscience or “all-knowingness” encompasses the present, the past, and the future (i.e., the then, now and not yet), and undoubtedly includes genuine foreknowledge, which includes prescience. This is evidenced by many Bible passages. In what follows, I’ll be pointing out a few of these.

Just before he died, Moses was told by God of the future apostasy of the Israelites (Deuteronomy 31:16-21). In doing so, God was not just declaring what He planned to do in the future, He was making it clear He knew what human beings would be doing in the future of their own free wills. In Acts 2:23, the apostle Peter taught that Jesus was delivered up “by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God.” He went on to say to the Jews, “…you have taken [Jesus] by lawless hands, have crucified [Him], and put [Him] to death.” This teaches that God’s plan to deliver up His Son was made in view of what He foreknew the Jews and Romans would do—viz., that given the right circumstances, they would cause Jesus to be crucified. Again, in Romans 8:28-30 and 1 Peter 1:1-2, we are told that God foreknew certain individuals, of their own free wills, would obey the gospel and be conformed to the image of His Son and, as such,  would be God’s “elect” in connection with Jesus Christ. This means that God’s foreknowledge of those who would be conformed to the image of His Son came before their election and predestination. Since God chose them “in Christ” before the creation of the world, it appears obvious that they and their free-will actions were foreknown by God before the world began (cf. Ephesians 1:4; Acts 2:23). Therefore, there is no reason for the Bible believer to ever doubt God’s genuine foreknowledge of the future, contingent, free will choices of His creatures.

Calvinists assert that God’s foreknowledge and man’s free will are completely irreconcilable. Again, they are wrong! The Bible teaches that God has foreknowledge (and we will look at some biblical examples of these momentarily). Therefore, God’s foreknowledge is a fact. Likewise, the Bible teaches that man has free will (and we have already examined some of these passages). Therefore, man’s free moral agency is a fact. Consequently, Calvinists or anyone else who claim that God’s foreknowledge and man’s free will are incompatible are teaching that which is contrary to God’s word.

A Little Simple Logic

Notwithstanding, Calvinists and other determinists attempt to vindicate their position by arguing as follows:

Necessarily, whatever God foreknows comes to pass
and
God foreknew that x would come to pass,
therefore, it follows that
Necessarily, x will come to pass.

And so, the determinists argue, if God foreknows the future, then all things come to pass necessarily, and this means that man’s free moral agency and true contingency are eliminated and were never more than a non-determinist’s illusion. But, and this seems difficult for some, the above reasoning embraces a logical fallacy. According to the rules of logic, the conclusion of an argument can be necessary only if both of the premises are necessary. But in the above argument, only the major premise is a necessary truth. The minor premise is not a necessary truth because it is not necessary that God know x. Instead, He could have known y. Consequently, the proper conclusion to the above syllogism is:

Therefore, x will come to pass.

Now, from the fact that God foreknows that x will occur, we may be sure that x will, in fact, occur; but, and here’s my point, it is not necessary that x occur. It is, indeed, possible (because man is a free moral agent) that x might not occur. This having been said, we do know, according to the above syllogism, that x will truly occur because God foreknew it would. However, the fact that God knows I will act a certain way in the future does not mean His knowledge causes me to act this way. For if, as a free moral agent, I choose to behave differently, God’s knowledge about this behavior will also be different. In other words, if God foreknew I should do x, then I will do x. Yet, as a free moral agent, I have the power not to do x, and if I were not to do x, then God would not have known I will do x. This means that while God’s foreknowledge is chronologically prior to my action, my action is logically prior to His foreknowledge. Now, what all of this means is that the future, contingent, free will choices of men and women are not establish by God’s foreknowledge; instead, God’s foreknowledge is determined by the reality of the future events themselves, whatever they finally wind up being. The fact that God, from His viewpoint in eternity, knows such actions “ahead of time” does not mean these events will happen because God sees them; rather, they are going to happen because of the genuine free moral agency of those involved. Again, the fact that God knows them ahead of time does not, in any causative sense, make them happen.

Notice that the Bible does not say that God has the capacity to know all things, which He certainly does. Instead, the argument is that God actually “knows all things” (1 John 3:20). Now, if God knows all things, what is it that He does not know? Remember, the Great Intelligence of the universe is writing to His intelligent creatures. Consequently, not only does He teach us through direct statements and approved examples, but He also expects us to come to necessary conclusions about what He has written. By direct statement, the Bible teaches that God “knows all things” (1 John 3:20). By direct statement, the Bible teaches that God’s understanding is without boundaries or limits (cf. Psalm 147:5). So, if God’s understanding is infinite, and understanding is established through knowledge, then it follows necessarily that God’s knowledge is also infinite. Truth is, there is not anything God does not know and this whether we’re talking about the then, the now, and the not yet!

Some Claim God Cannot Know The Future

Calvin’s starting point was that God’s foreknowledge and man’s free will are mutually exclusive. Calvin opted for God’s foreknowledge at the expense of man’s free will. Others, while rejecting Calvin’s false system, have believed his premise. Consequently, they have opted for man’s free will at the expense of God’s foreknowledge. Presently, there are New Testament Christians who are taking this position. Giving lip-service to the omniscience of God (i.e., they acknowledge God knows the past and present perfectly), they claim that because the future does not yet exist, God cannot know what does not yet exist—unless He, by His decretive will, intends to bring these events to pass. They claim passages that depict God as knowing the end from the beginning (cf. Isaiah 46:10; Romans 4:17) are really examples of God’s omnipotence, not His foreknowledge. God, they claim, simply cannot know the future, contingent, free will choices of men and women. These brethren are just as wrong as the Calvinists they condemn. All the Bible passages that show God foreknowing the future, contingent, free will choices of individuals and groups (and we have mentioned some of these earlier) testify to the error these brethren espouse.

On the other hand, there are brethren who believe that God has the capacity to know all things, but for reasons known only to Him, He chooses not to know some things. Unlike those who say God cannot know, this group does not take their position for philosophical reasons. Instead, they take their position because the Bible does seem to be saying there are things God does (did) not know (e.g., Genesis 18:21 and 22:12), and as they are wont to say, “We all know the Bible does not contradict itself.” True, the Bible does not contradict itself. Therefore, if the Bible teaches that God knows all things, then passages like Genesis 18 and 22 must be interpreted in light of this truth. In fact, a fundamental rule of Bible interpretation says that we must understand Scripture in its normal sense unless a literal interpretation contradicts other clear teaching found in God’s Word. Not doing this, in my opinion, is the error one makes in thinking these passages negate the all-knowingness of God. (If you disagree with me, I would be very interested to know what you think Psalm 147:5, Romans 11:33, and John 3:20 are saying about God’s omniscience.)

Mixing Apples And Oranges

In their defense, many who take the above position argue that just as God being all-powerful does not mean He has to be doing everything He can do, being all-knowing does not mean that God must actually know everything He has the capacity to know. What seems to many like iron-clad logic is nothing more than a non-sequitur (i.e., an argument that does not logically follow the premise or evidence). Therefore, comparing omniscience with omnipotence is like confusing apples and oranges. Yes, it is true that being all-powerful, definitionally, does not mean one has to be engaged in doing all things. On the other hand, by definition, knowing all things means knowing all things. Being all-powerful infers only ability. On the other hand, being all-knowing infers not only ability but the actual knowledge itself, which, in God’s case, is universal. Expressly, God is not just claiming He could know all things if He wanted to, but that He truly does know all things! Those who wrongly believe Genesis 18 and 22 to be teaching that God has chosen not to know some things are simply explaining away, by their literal interpretation of these passages, the plain teaching of those scriptures I have cited which clearly teach the all-knowingness—past, present and future—of God. It is evident they must think the passages I have cited mean something other than what they actually say. But whether one agrees with me or not, the task before every honest exegete is to harmonize two seemingly contradictory teachings—viz., God knows all things; God does not know some things—and do it in a way that does no harm to the integrity of either set of passages.

Resolving An Apparent Dilemma

Here is how I resolve what otherwise appears to be a dilemma. In Genesis 18:21, we are dealing with an unusual circumstance. God, who is omnipresent, which means He is equally present to all of space simultaneously, has, on occasion, entered space at specific points and become present in it for a specific purpose. The theologians call these occurrences “theophanies.” This seems to be the case in Genesis 18:21. In verse 1 of the chapter, it says, “Then the Lord appeared to him by the terebinth trees of Mamre, as he was sitting in the tent door in the heat of the day.” In verse 2, it mentions “three men.” Whether these three men are manifestations of the triune nature of God, or whether the other two were angels, is not clear. What seems clear is that this is, in fact, a theophany. In entering the time-space continuum, God, who is infinite in His being, willingly, and somehow, without ceasing to be who He is, allowed Himself to be subject to the finite. It’s mind-boggling, I know. Nevertheless, this appears to be the clear import of Scripture. Let us now look at Genesis 18:21 with my interpretation interjected in brackets:

I, [who have somehow subjected Myself to the time-space continuum] will go down [not from heaven, but down the way geographically] now [not in eternity, but right now at this moment, subject to time and space] and see [i.e., learn experientially in time and space] whether they have done [and, more importantly, continue to do “now”] altogether according to the outcry against it that has come to Me [in eternity, not limited by time and space]; and if not [i.e., if they are no longer doing what I knew they were doing before I allowed Myself to be subject to time and space], I [God subject to time and space] will know [experientially].

Notice that I have emphasized the word “now” by putting it in bold letters. This is because I believe this word to be the key to understanding this passage. God, who knows the past, present, and future, confines His knowing to the “now” of the time-space continuum. Are we supposed to think that the self-existent, eternal, infinite Spirit who is God did not really know everything that had been happening in Sodom and Gomorrah? 1 John 3:20 makes it absolutely clear that God is greater than our heart (He knows our heart as well as every other heart) and knows all things. Consequently, whatever Genesis 18:21 means must be understood by the context, and the context clearly indicates a theophany. And so, the theophany must be taken into consideration when trying to understand this passage. When I debated a brother who teaches that there are some things God cannot know, he at least admitted that God knew the past and present perfectly. Now, some are wanting me to believe that the all-knowing God does not even know the past and present perfectly. This, of course, is the only conclusion one may come to if Genesis 18:21 is to be understood literally and apart from the “now” context. Consequently, this conclusion is not, nor can it be, true.

We now come to what I consider the more difficult passage. In Genesis 22:12, the angel of the Lord says to Abraham,

Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me (emp. mine).

Although the “angel of the Lord,” who some think may be the pre-incarnate Christ, is involved in this episode, the unusual circumstances associated with a theophany are not a part of the context. Even so, as has already been pointed out, the Bible teaches that the self-existent, eternal, and infinite Spirit who is God “knows all things.” So, once again, citing a fundamental principle of hermeneutics, the current passage cannot be interpreted in a way that would negate clear and unequivocal passages which teach that God knows all things.

As we think about this situation, it is interesting to note what the self-existent, eternal, infinite Spirit who is God knew about Abraham before He ever “tested” him. In Genesis 18:17-19, the Lord said:

Shall I hide from Abraham what I am doing, since Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? For I have known him, in order that he may command his children and his household after him, that they keep the way of the Lord, to do righteousness and justice, that the Lord may bring to Abraham what He has spoken to him.

In other words, God knew that Abraham would pass the “tests” of faith, which included the one mentioned in this passage. To disregard this information, as well as the truth about God’s “all-knowingness,” is to make a serious mistake when trying to understand this passage.

Yes, taken literally, the passage does appear to be teaching that God learned something about Abraham that He had not previously known. But, if God really does know all things, and if He, therefore, knew Abraham would pass all “tests,” then Genesis 22:12 cannot be teaching what it seems to be teaching.

I admit to feeling just a little bit uncomfortable making this kind of statement. Nevertheless, I am confident this is the correct way to view this passage. Paul was not the only inspired writer who wrote things difficult to understand, which, if we are not careful, can be twisted to teach something completely contrary to the truth (cf. 2 Peter 3:16). Our responsibility is to “Be diligent to present [ourselves] approved to God, [as workers] who [do not] need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). This is not always easy, but if we work hard at it, then we, too, will pass the “test.”

I believe the key to understanding Genesis 22:12 is to be found in places like Deuteronomy 29-30, where God promises to give life or death and blessings or cursings, depending upon one’s obedience to His Word. Do what is right and one is blessed; do what is wrong and one is cursed. This is a principle taught many places in the Bible, and although we do not expect to hear the voice of the “angel of the Lord” today, nevertheless, if we serve the Lord faithfully, He will bless us; if we disobey Him, He will curse us.

God is all-knowing. However, He has graciously agreed to deal with us where we are in the space-time continuum. In Genesis 22:12, I have once again emphasized the word “now.” This is because I believe the key to understanding this passage, like the key to understanding Genesis 18:21, is the “now” context. Namely, in the now of Abraham’s time and space, the voice of the angel of the Lord could be heard audibly, and God is acknowledging His blessing on or appreciation of Abraham at a very critical time and place in his “walk of faith.” In fact, the word “know” in this passage is sometimes translated “to recognize, admit, acknowledge, confess, declare, or tell.” So, in harmony with the rest of Scripture, and without doing any violence to the words of this passage, Genesis 22:12 is not teaching that the all-knowing God of the universe did not really know whether Abraham would pass this critical test. He is, instead, acknowledging His appreciation of Abraham’s faithfulness. In other words, He is declaring, “Abraham, I have been testing you…and you have passed the test!”

As has been demonstrated, there is nothing in God’s word that limits His knowledge, not even man’s free will. Therefore, with the apostle Paul, we exclaim:

Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen (1 Timothy 1:17).

 

Doctrine/Free Will/God's Sovereignty

Man’s Free Will

Posted on by Allan Turner / 0 Comment
Making Free Will Choices

Calvinists give lip-service to man’s free will, but they do not believe in it. They say that man, to have free will, needs only to voluntarily choose his acts in accord with his desires and motives; it matters not that God, as Sovereign, has foreordained these desires and motives, along with the choices themselves. Now, does this sound like free moral agency to you?

According to Calvinists, a person may have only one course of action open to him and still be free. “For example,” they say, “a man may be locked in a room, but not want to get out. He, therefore, cannot get out (that is certain), but equally he does not want to get out (he is not there against his will)” (D. A. Carson, Divine Sovereignty And Human Responsibility, p. 207). In other words, even though, in their view, God has foreordained every single choice one makes, every choice remains free because God has also foreordained that each choice man makes will be voluntary. Such nonsense is explained (?) by Carl F. H. Henry, the founding editor of Christianity Today, noted theologian, educator, lecturer, and author of more than twenty-five books, who said:

To be morally responsible man needs only the capacity for choice, not the freedom of contrary choice…. Human beings voluntarily choose to do what they do. The fact that God has foreordained human choices and that His decree renders human actions certain does not therefore negate human choice (God, Revelation And Authority, Vol. VI, pp. 84-85).

As the famed Calvinist Loraine Boettner asserts, “God so controls the thoughts and wills of men that they freely [?] and willingly [?] do what He has planned for them to do” (The Reformed Doctrine of Predestination, p. 222, the brackets are mine). In an attempt to prop up his flawed theology, Boettner observed, “It is very noticeable, and in a sense it is reassuring to observe the fact, that the materialistic… philosophers deny as completely as do Calvinists this thing that is called free will” (ibid.). How anyone who claims to believe in the Bible could feel reassured because materialistic philosophers had come to the same conclusion as he is shocking. It is apparent that although Calvinists are disposed to cite their “free will” shibboleths, they do not, for a moment, believe that man has free moral agency.

Man Possesses Free Will

There are many Bible passages that present the reception of God’s blessing or cursing as contingent upon human choice. This is outlined in Deuteronomy 11:26-28, which says:

Behold, I set before you today a blessing and a curse: the blessing, if you obey the commandments of the Lord your God which I command you today; and the curse, if you do not obey the commandments of the Lord your God, but turn aside from the way which I command you today, to go after other gods which you have not known.

When Joshua challenged the people to “choose you this day whom you will serve” (Joshua 24:15), he was addressing individuals who were free to make a moral decision. This is no place made clearer than in Matthew 23:37, where Jesus cried:

O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing!

Thus, the Bible teaches conclusively and emphatically that man has free will.

God’s Will Can Be Rejected

As the passages cited above teach, not only does man possess free will, but he can, in fact, exercise this free will in a way that defies God’s will. In other words, although God is Sovereign Ruler, He does not always get everything He wants. To the Calvinists, such a statement is utterly unthinkable and entirely contrary to their concept of God’s sovereignty. Even so, in Isaiah 65:12, God said, “Therefore I will number you for the sword, and you shall all bow down to the slaughter; because, when I called, you did not answer; when I spoke, you did not hear, but did evil before My eyes, and chose that in which I do not delight.” Again, in 2 Peter 3:9, it is plainly stated that God is “not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” If, as the Calvinists claim, God decrees everything that happens, and if, as the apostle Peter claims, God is not willing that any should perish, then all mankind will ultimately be saved. But even Calvinists reject the idea of Universalism. What, then, is their solution? Simply this: They must come to understand that Calvinism is not just anti-scriptural, which is certainly bad enough, but is anti-God as well. Calvin’s little “g” god is not the big “G” God who has revealed Himself in the Bible. Calvin’s god, apart from anything the creature may or may not do, predestines some to eternal life and others to eternal damnation. On the other hand, the God who has revealed Himself in the Bible pleads with His creatures to obey His preceptive will so they might be saved. This God, as opposed to Calvin’s god, “desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4).

Why Does God Permit Men To Reject His Will?

When men begin to say that God can force a man to do His will freely, they are talking meaningless nonsense. Citing a passage that says, “with God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26), does not provide these folks any help. The “all things” that are possible with God are qualified by other scriptures and the law of non-contradiction. For example, the Bible says God cannot lie! (Titus 1:2). Therefore, it is not possible for God to lie. This means that the “all things” that are possible with God must be those things consistent with His divine nature. Further, God cannot make 2 + 2 = 5. He cannot make it be raining and not raining in the same place at the same time. He cannot give a hydrogen atom and a helium atom the same atomic structure. Finally, even God could not make man free and not free at the same time in the same way. For man to be free, God had to give him the opportunity to rebel.

But there is much more to this story. In Psalm 32:1, David says, “Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.” In verse 5, he continues: “I acknowledged my sin to You, and my iniquity I have not hidden. I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the Lord,’ and You forgave the iniquity of my sin.” In verses 8-9, the Lord replies:

I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye. Do not be like the horse or like the mule, which have no understanding, which must be harnessed with bit and bridle, else they will not come near you.

Why did God allow David to sin? Why did He not simply stop David from sinning in the first place? The answer seems obvious: God did not want His servants to serve Him because they are forced to do so. He wants those who will serve Him to do so freely, willingly accepting His instructions and counsel. He wants a relationship with His creatures based on mutual affection and love, and not because of some force.

The Almighty God, if He so desired, had the power to bridle His creatures by forcefully manipulating their minds and hearts, turning them into robots, so that they do His will. But if He had done this, He would not be able to achieve His purpose of developing free relationships—like the one He desired with David—with His creatures.

Indeed, He wants all men to repent and enter a free-love relationship with Himself. If He forced them to do this, as Calvinists allege, their allegiance could not be freely given, that is, they would no longer be men but mules. God, who made man in His image, wants him to be conformed to the image of His Son (cf. Romans 8:29). Unless man has free moral agency, this simply cannot be done!

What Man’s Freedom Cost God

Man’s free moral agency is a unique gift from God Almighty. Without it, we could not be what and who we are. No other earthly creature has been given this special freedom. Furthermore, it should almost go without saying that only God could have made a creature with free moral agency. Therefore, man’s free will is a constant reminder of God’s omnipotence. But for many, and this includes Calvinists, the opposite is true. As the secular philosopher J. L. Mackie says,

There is a fundamental difficulty in the notion of an omnipotent God creating men with free will, for if men’s wills are really free this must mean that even God cannot control them, that is, that God is no longer omnipotent (“Evil and Omnipotence,” God and Evil: Reading in the Theological Problem of Evil, ed. Nelson Pike, p. 57).

In his book, The Inexhaustible God, Royce Gruenler says that man’s free will, which necessitates a future that is open and indefinite, is “logically incompatible with the doctrine of a sovereign God” (pp. 43-44). In other words, Calvinists believe that if man has free will, then God is, in fact, impotent.

The fallacy in all this will be more completely exposed in the section to follow on foreknowledge. At this point, suffice it to say that it is God’s foreknowledge which permits Him to maintain complete control of His world in spite of man’s free will, because foreknowledge gives God the option of either permitting or preventing man’s planned, free will choices, and as was pointed out in the previous chapter on God’s permissive will, prevention is really the ultimate in control.

Therefore, man’s free will does not render God impotent. Nevertheless, it does, in fact, limit Him. But if God is really limited, then how can He continue to be omnipotent? Are not these two concepts mutually exclusive? Only in the mind of the determinists! As has already been pointed out, the “all things” that are possible with God are qualified by both Scripture and the law of non-contradiction. God can do all things consistent with His nature and that are not, in and of themselves, illogical. Therefore, if God, of His own free will, chooses to create creatures with free moral agency, and in order to do so, He must limit Himself, such self-limitations are not a denigration of His omnipotence, as the determinists think, but are, instead, a powerful demonstration of it, which is exactly the point I made at the beginning of this subsection.

To ensure man’s autonomy, God, of His own free will, was willing to pay a tremendous price. Although He did not have to do so, the Almighty God was willing to limit Himself in relation to His creation. This gives us some idea of just how important man is to God. Furthermore, and this ought to humble us greatly, the final measure of God’s concern for man is to be found in the sacrifice of His only begotten Son. Praise God, the Sovereign Ruler, for His willingness to give us our freedom, even though it ultimately cost Him the sacrifice of His only begotten Son.

“Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns!” (Revelation 19:6).

Doctrine/God's Sovereignty/Increasing Our Faith

God’s Sovereignty: A Study Of The Will Of God (IV—Conclusion)

Posted on by Allan Turner / 0 Comment
God's Sovereignty

The Mistake Of Trying To Interpret Providence

The Christian has the assurance of God’s special providence. This assurance compelled the apostle Paul to say,

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28).

And again,

If God is for us, who can be against us? (Romans 8:31).

With this said, the question that arises is, “Is it possible to know the will of God in and through circumstances that take place in this life?” I believe the answer to this question is an emphatic “No!” When an event takes place, we have no way of knowing, short of actual inspiration, whether it falls within either the decretive will or the permissive will of God. Previously, we defined God’s decretive will as that which God desires and He, Himself, makes happen, while His permissive will is described as something which originates apart from His desire but He permits because of man’s free will, et cetera. In other words, an event can happen because God wants it to happen and causes it to happen, or it may happen for various other reasons. Consequently, an event cannot communicate a message apart from special revelation. Furthermore, we have no way of knowing whether an event has taken place because of God’s general providence, which encompasses all creation, or as a result of His special providence, which is specifically directed toward the church of Christ.

As already noted, Calvinists believe that everything that happens is God’s decretive or purposive will. Others, some of whom are Christians, believe they can actually interpret God’s will (or providence) by events which take place in their lives or the lives of others. For example, a good man prospers and a bad man suffers hardship. Some are convinced that God is blessing the good man and punishing the bad man. But is this really the case? What happens when a good man suffers and a bad man prospers?

The Gamaliel Fallacy

If the book of Job teaches us anything, it is that circumstances or events, apart from revelation, cannot convey God’s decretive will. Job was not suffering because he was an evil man, as his friends supposed; he was suffering because he was, in fact, a good man. Job’s friends, and even Job, himself, had fallen victim to what has come to be called the “Gamaliel fallacy,” after the principle offered by the great Jewish teacher Gamaliel, who said:

And now I say to you, keep away from these men and let them alone; for if this plan or this work is of men, it will come to nothing; but if it is of God, you cannot overthrow it, lest you even be found to fight against God (Acts 5:38-39)

Although what Gamaliel said is, in the ultimate sense, true (viz., in the end, God’s cause will be vindicated), in actuality, it does not translate into very practical advice. One must keep in mind that this is Gamaliel’s opinion and advice, not the Holy Spirit’s. For instance, the Roman Catholic Church, with its universal bishop (viz., the “Pope” or “Papa Father”), is an apostate church that has existed basically in its present form since A.D. 606. Does this mean that God is blessing Catholicism? Of course not! However, if you applied Gamaliel’s advice to the Catholic Church, you would not be able to stand or fight against it, spiritually speaking. Likewise, there are many other false religions that appear to be enjoying great success, especially when measured by the world’s standards. Does this mean that they, too, are being blessed by God? Again, the answer is an obvious “No.” Worldly success is not necessarily, and most probably not, a sign of God’s blessings. Clearly, John the Baptist’s ministry did not end in success according to the world’s standards, in that he ended up in prison and eventually had his head cut off. But according to God’s standards, he was completely successful. By man’s standards, the ministries of the apostles were miserable failures. However, we know they were successful in God’s sight. Therefore, from our limited and finite perspectives, we should view Gamaliel’s pronouncement as the fallacy it really is when applying it to the world’s standards.

Is Private Speculation Necessarily Wrong?

Does this mean that it is inappropriate for a Christian to entertain his own private speculation about God’s providential care, along with the various circumstances that seem to point in that direction? No, I do not believe this is wrong. But I do believe that, even in one’s own private speculation, one must be very careful about thinking a certain event definitely means that God has done this or that, or even that He desires this or that to be done. This kind of carefulness was exhibited by Mordecai, who said to Esther, “Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14). Mordecai’s statement must not be construed as a lack of faith in God’s providential care for the Jews, for he advised Esther, in the same verse, that if she did not help, then “deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place.” It seemed to Mordecai that Esther was in the right place at the right time and that the hand of God might be providentially involved in her being queen; but without special revelation, he simply could not know for sure. Let us all learn to be as wise and trusting as Mordecai. Believing in the sovereignty of God, and based upon the promises God had made to His people, Mordecai was willing to trust God for deliverance, and so should we.

Undoubtedly, we can all recount the marvelous things that have happened to us in our lifetimes which we believe were providential. However, we should be careful not to cite these things as proof of God’s special providence. Our proof is found in the promises contained in God’s word. In the case of special providence, the apostle Paul declared by inspiration, “We know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them that are called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28). In other words, because of God’s special providential care for us, every circumstance or event that happens to us will have either a good purpose or a good result, so long as we continue to love and obey Him. How do we know this? The Bible, God’s preceptive will, tells us so! Consequently, our faith in God, the Sovereign Ruler of all creation, and His solemn promise that “all things work together for good to them that love God,” relieve us of the burden of trying to figure out whether a particular event happened because of God’s decretive or permissive will, and directs us to a thorough study of His preceptive will, which has been revealed to us in the Bible.

In conclusion, let us be willing to think of YHWH as “the Lord, God Most High, the Possessor of heaven and earth” (Genesis 14:22). Let us acknowledge that He “has established His throne in heaven, and His kingdom rules over all” (Psalm 103:19). Finally, with the psalmist, let us say:

Bless the Lord, you His angels, who excel in strength, who do His word, heeding the voice of His word. Bless the Lord, all you His hosts, you ministers of His, who do His pleasure. Bless the Lord, all His works, in all places of His dominion. Bless the Lord, O my soul! (Psalm 103:20-22).

Doctrine/God's Sovereignty/Increasing Our Faith

God’s Sovereignty: A Study Of The Will Of God (III)

Posted on by Allan Turner / 0 Comment
God's Sovereignty

Not As Many “Thou Shalts” And “Thou Shalt Nots” As You Might Think

Contrary to what a lot of people think, God’s preceptive will for man has very few “thou shalts” and “thou shalt nots.” Most of what God would have us do is learned from principles taught in His word. This is why Bible study is so important. Unless we are thoroughly familiar with God’s word, we will not know the principles that allow us to make the right decisions in our lives. For example, when we are familiar with the “sanctity-of-life” ethic taught throughout the Bible, we can make the right decisions concerning the many pressing issues of our day such as abortion, euthanasia, capital punishment, et cetera. In times past, God’s people perished because they were ignorant of His word (cf. Hosea 4:1), and the same thing can happen to us today if we are not careful.

However, and this is important to understand, many of the decisions we face every day are neither required nor forbidden. The key to understanding this point is to be found in the idea that it is not our task to know if a particular decision is God’s will but, rather, if it falls within God’s will. For example, Paul wrote, “But if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for those of his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever” (1 Timothy 5:8). This is, of course, God’s preceptive will and it requires, among other things, that a parent furnishes nourishing food for his or her children. So, as long as this general principle is met, the specific decision of whether to have liver and onions or steak and green beans for dinner does not matter. Furthermore, whether one eats in the kitchen or the dining room, whether the beans are fresh or frozen, whether one has a hamburger for breakfast, lunch or dinner, does not, in essence, matter all that much to God. As long as the general requirements of this passage are being met, God is not particularly concerned with the choices that are made. Understanding this point can be liberating for one who has mistakenly thought God wanted him to make one particular choice in every set of circumstances.

To be pleasing to God, everything we do must fall within His preceptive will (cf. Colossians 3:17), even those things that are not specifically required by it, such as matters of opinion and indifference. For instance, we have the right (i.e., it falls within God’s will) either to eat or not eat meat. But, and this is most important, we have no right to bind either of these on anyone else (cf. Romans 14:1-13). Likewise, we have the right (i.e., it falls within the umbrella of God’s preceptive will) to send our children to either a public or private school; but, we have no right to bind either of these on someone else, as some are wont to do. Furthermore, we have the right (i.e., God grants permission) to marry within or outside our particular “race”; but, we have no right to bind our personal inclinations on anyone else. There are, of course, many other things that could be listed here, but you get the point, I’m sure.

The truth is, God is not nearly as judgmental as some people think. When someone insists on making his personal convictions the judge and jury of other men’s consciences, he becomes more judgmental than God Himself. The Bible teaches it is just as wrong to bind where God has not bound as it is to loose where He has not loosed. This is Paul’s point when he said, “Who are you to judge another man’s servant?” (Romans 14:4).

Making Right Choices

Within the liberty we have in Christ, our desire is to make the best choice among the many different options we’ve been given. Unfortunately, our experiences tell us that we do not always make the best, or even the better, choices. Afterward, we realize that the exercising of an another choice would have been a much better decision, even though the choice we made was not, itself, sinful. Nevertheless, having observed how our choice turned out, we now know it was not the better/ best choice. As we are often told, “Hindsight is better than foresight.” What, then, is our problem? In truth, ours is a lack of wisdom!

The Bible says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him” (James 1:5). If the lack of wisdom is what keeps us from making the best choices, and it is, then all we need to do is ask the Lord for wisdom and He’ll give it to us. Consequently, we’ll always make the best choices in life—it’s that simple! Or is it? Although this wisdom comes from God as a direct response to our prayer, and is, therefore, something other than just a knowledge of God’s preceptive will, it must not be thought of as either a magical formula or instant omniscience. Neither should we think of it as something totally divorced from one’s knowledge of the Scriptures. Yes, we are assured if we ask the Lord for wisdom, He’ll give it to us, but Proverbs 4:5 commands us to “Get wisdom, get understanding,” which implies that wisdom and understanding must be acquired and, thus, are not something to be received passively. In truth, Proverbs 4:5 qualifies James 1:5—i.e., it tells us that wisdom is not going to be given without some effort on our part. Moreover, wisdom has to do with how we use the knowledge we already have. Within the context of Proverbs 4, wisdom, which is identified as the “principle thing” (v. 7), is connected to “instruction,” “doctrine,” “commandments,” being “taught,” and by application, to the subject at hand—viz., a knowledge of God’s word. In fact, even a casual reading of the “Wisdom Literature” will demonstrate the connection between the instruction and wisdom of which I speak.

Additionally, Moses, at the beginning of the Law, said:

Surely I have taught you statutes and judgments, just as the Lord my God commanded me, that you should act according to them in the land which you go to possess. Therefore be careful to observe them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples who will hear all these statutes, and say, “Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people” (Deuteronomy 4:5-6).

As we’ve seen, wisdom and understanding are associated with God’s instructions and commandments. In 2 Timothy 3:15, being “wise unto salvation” is connected with “the holy scriptures.” Therefore, a man who is not studying to show himself approved (2 Timothy 2:15) cannot be asking for wisdom “in faith, nothing wavering,” as James 1:6 requires. Such will no be receiving anything from the Lord! On the other hand, Those who desire and pray for wisdom, willingly cultivating it with God’s help, will surely receive it, just as He said they would.

In seeking wisdom, the following suggestions are offered:

  • Know as much about God as possible. Proverbs 1:7 teaches, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.” In Psalm 111:10, it is said, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; a good understanding have all those who do His commandments.” Although the fear mentioned in these passages is not totally unaware of the “terror of the Lord” (cf. 2 Corinthians 5:11), contextually, the word indicates reverence for and respectful awe of God’s divine nature. What this means is that without reverence for and awe of God we cannot know what we ought to know and, further, we cannot ever hope to utilize properly the little knowledge we do have. For as long as I can remember, my regard for God has always moved me to think about His characteristics and attributes. Now, the more I have learned about Him, the more I have stood in awe and veneration of Him. Besides, the more I have learned about Him, the closer I have felt to Him. My fear of God has not just allowed me to know more about Him, it has allowed me to know Him, that is, to have an intimate, loving relationship with Him. As a result, loving God with all my heart, mind, soul, and strength has become the consuming passion of my life. I love Him more than my wife, and I love her more than I do my life. Consequently, I have never known greater love than His love for me and, as a direct result of His great love for me, I have never loved more than I love Him. Although it at first seems ironic, as my “fear of God” (i.e., my reverence, veneration, and awe of God) has increased over the years, almost without me realizing it, my “fear” of Him has disappeared. How can this be? According to the apostle John: “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love” (1 John 4:18). The relationship I now have with the heavenly Father, “in Christ,” no longer involves the fear of torment. In Christ, I no longer have an adversarial relationship with God the Father. I am no longer antagonistic of His commandments, but joyfully and enthusiastically keep them from a heart filled with love (John 14:15). All this has produced in me a careful “boldness” (cf. Ephesians 3:12; Hebrews 10:19; 1 John 4:17). Without the remission of my sins, which has been provided by the grace of God, and accomplished as a result of my faith in the blood of Christ, I would be terrified to go into the presence of the Lord (cf. Hebrews 10:31; 2 Corinthians 5:11). But now, “in Christ,” with the fear of His wrath having been taken away, I possess a boldness and confidence to enter into the very presence of God. I emphasize the idea of “careful boldness,” because until I finish my course in this life, I could, through moral neglect, lose (Hebrews 3:6, 14) that which God’s faithfulness guarantees (Philippians 1:6). As I have had the opportunity to preach and teach God Almighty over the years, I have noticed this same effect produced in others. Truly, the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge and wisdom. If, though, the only time we think about God is when we ask Him for wisdom, we might as well not waste our time. I remain confident that as we continue to learn more about God, our love for Him will only increase.
  • Know as much about God’s word as possible. Because knowledge is a requirement for wisdom, we should pray for wisdom while learning as much about God’s word as possible. In other words, praying for wisdom is not a substitute for Bible study!
  • Know as much about life as possible. This is a mighty big job, and one that, more often than not, comes with experience. The Hebrew writer makes this point when he says, “But solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil” (Hebrews 5:14). For example, if one did not know that most “birth control pills” actually prevent a fertilized egg from implanting on the wall of the mother’s uterus, thereby receiving nourishment, it would be difficult to make a biblically informed proper decision about what method of birth control one might wish to use. Furthermore, unless one knew that in vitro fertilization routinely involved the destruction of fertilized ova, it would be almost impossible to make the right decision about this procedure. But, knowing about life is more than the accumulation of facts, it is also the cultivation of the knowledge of how these facts affect life. This is why respect for and consultation with our elders is so important for one seeking wisdom (cf. Leviticus 19:32; Proverbs 16:31; 1 Peter 5:5). Quite simply, they have seen more of life and, therefore, should be wiser as a result.
  • Finally, know as much about wisdom as possible. As we said previously, praying for wisdom does not result in instant omniscience. It is unfortunate that when many are faced with a decision, they say a prayer for wisdom; then, no matter what they decide, they assume that this particular decision was supplied by God. But, as we have indicated already, wisdom does not work this way. Wisdom is not specific answers to specific problems. Rather, wisdom is the ability to discern the best decision from those that are only better. We recognize that wisdom applies general knowledge and understanding to specific situations with excellent results. This means it is a skill! Consequently, as we pray for it, we realize it grows and increases with not just study, but the exercise of what we have studied and learned. Unfortunately, even a wise person sometimes makes a poor or even a bad decision. Nevertheless, trusting the Lord to give us wisdom, we continue to learn as much about God, His word, life in general, and wisdom as we can. Only in this manner will we become acquainted with and enlightened by true, worthwhile wisdom.

(continued)

Doctrine/God's Sovereignty/Increasing Our Faith

God’s Sovereignty: A Study Of The Will Of God (II)

Posted on by Allan Turner / 0 Comment
God's Sovereignty

Does God Have An Individual Will For Each Person’s Life?

Those who ask this question assume an individual, specific will for every person. They assume that God has an ideal, detailed blueprint already drawn up for each person’s life. They assume that for any decision we face there is a specific choice (in the most restrictive sense) that God wants us to make. This applies to the school we should attend, the occupation we should choose, and the specific individual God wants us to marry. In his book, Knowing God’s Will, And Doing It!, J. Grant Howard, Jr. expressed it this way:

Scripture teaches us that God has a predetermined plan for every life. It is that which will happen. It is inevitable, unconditional, immutable, irresistible, comprehensive, and purposeful. It is also, for the most part, unpredictable. It includes everything, even sin and suffering. It involves everything, even human responsibility and human decisions (p. 15).

A good summary of this view is given by Garry Friesen in his book, Decision Making & the Will of God:

God’s individual will is that ideal, detailed life-plan which God has uniquely designed for each believer. This life-plan encompasses every decision we make and is the basis of God’s daily guidance. This guidance is given through the indwelling Holy Spirit who progressively reveals God’s life-plan to the heart of the individual believer….(p. 35).

Although this is a very popular view, I’m convinced it I s not taught in God’s word. Calvinists and other determinists argue that the Bible is filled with examples of individuals for whom God had a specific plan (e.g., Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, David, John the Baptist, Paul et al.). But each of these examples was highly unusual and somehow related to God’s working out of His plan of salvation for fallen mankind (viz., the Scheme of Redemption). Further, the specific plan that God had for each of these individuals was revealed to them by special revelation and, thus, cannot be seen as normative for ordinary believers today.

Those who affirm God’s individual will for each person usually cite passages like Psalm 32:8; Proverbs 3:5-6; Isaiah 30:20-21; Colossians 1:9 and 4:12; Romans 12:1-2; Ephesians 2:10 and 5:15-17. But when these passages are considered in their context, a much stronger case can be made for them in terms of God’s preceptive or moral will, not His decretive will.

Being Led By The Spirit

But someone will say, “How about being ‘led by the Spirit?’” In Romans 8:14, the Scriptures say, “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God,” and in Galatians 5:18, it says, “But if you are led of the Spirit, you are not under law.” The Calvinist thinks the Holy Spirit influences him through some mysterious inward guidance. However, the Bible does not teach such a doctrine, these two passages notwithstanding. I am convinced that when one begins to listen to some inner voice, he is headed for trouble. In fact, Romans 8:26-27 does not say anything at all about the Holy Spirit speaking to us. What it says is:

…the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

Being led by the Spirit of God has to do with one’s obedience to God’s word (i.e., God’s preceptive or moral will), which is, according to Ephesians 6:17, the “sword of the Spirit.” Being led by the Spirit in a direct way as was promised to the apostles (John 16:12-14) was never intended to be understood as being available to all Christians. such direct guidance was for the specific purpose of revealing the Scriptures, not for inner guidance for all Christians (Ephesians 3:3-5), as so many incorrectly believe.

I find it ironic, then, that those who are awaiting God’s will for themselves via some inner guidance or miracle apart from the Scriptures are the very ones who miss God’s will for their lives by not obeying His preceptive or moral will. I have tried teaching the gospel to those caught up in this deceptive doctrine only to have them tell me that if God wanted them to be baptized for the remission of sins, He would have told them through the direct operation of the Holy Spirit. As they mistakenly wait for what they think will be their own personal revelation of God decretive will, they resist obeying His preceptive will. As one should be able to see, such thinking has the fingerprints of Satan all over it.

But when rejecting such a doctrine, one must not jump to the equally extreme position which says knowing the will of God is unnecessary to daily decision making. The will of God, particularly His preceptive will, is always relevant to our daily lives. It is, in fact, the reference point for all our decision making. Consequently, the most sophisticated technique for knowing God’s will for our lives is “the Bible tells me so,” which is but another way of saying:

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God might be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work (2 Timothy 3:16).

This means that whatever God tells us to do in the Scriptures, either through precept or principle, is His will for our lives—i.e., if God wants us to do it, then it’s in the book. So, when the question is asked, “How can I know God’s will for my life?,” our loud reply ought to be, “Quit waiting for some ‘better felt than told experience’ and read the Bible!”

(continued)