God's Sovereign Will
Posted: January 3rd, 2009, 4:11 am
EALING SHELTER MINISTRIES #131n Re-Written 27DEC08 http://groups.msn.com/AHealingShelter/welcome.msnw
Save Me Today—Part Fourteen: God’s Sovereign Will
by rev dave c
God in three Persons is at the very core of Christian belief. Jesus, Himself, teaches that there is God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit (Jn 16). At His baptism in the Jordan River we are presented the Son of Man, that is, Jesus of Nazareth, upon whom the Holy Spirit descends like a dove while the voice of God the Father proclaims, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased" (Mt 3:16&17). To say that God has personhood means that He is not rocks and trees, nor is He an interesting idea, nor is He some non-specific force that governs the Universe. God as personality is divinely rational (sapience/intelligence), supremely self-conscious (sentience/awareness), and eternally self-determining (volition/willfulness). Because He is “three in one,” these attributes are manifested within Himself as communication (logos, Jn 1:1), discernment (light, Jn 8:12), and relationship (love, 1Jn 4:8&16). Just as the three persons of God do not function independently, rather there is a perfect unity of intent, action, and response within the Godhead—our experience of God’s interactivity with His creation testifies to His being a perfect harmony of Almighty Creator, Faithful Sustainer, Righteous Lord, and Loving Savior.
As a ‘snapshot’ of God (where the photo and the subject have very different substance, form, and function), we are created in His image as trichotomous (mind—body—spirit), while in His likeness we have been given the capabilities to communicate, to discern, and to establish/maintain relationships. These characteristics are translations of our being (to varying degrees) rational creatures who are self-aware (homo sapiens sapiens) and who have the ability to choose. Although the cultural history of mankind evidences cyclical over-emphasis of first one, and then another attribute over the others, our life should be a striving for balance between our sapience (intellect), our sentience (awareness/feelings), and our volition (will) within the context of God and Godliness. The outcome of that striving is the determining factor for the material, the mental/emotional, and the spiritual well being of the individual, the community, the society, and the culture.
In Genesis 2:16&17, God made Adam aware of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil that was located in the middle of the Garden of Eden. Although Adam’s senses (his sentient awareness) told him that the fruit was pleasing to the eye and good for food (Ge 2:9), God revealed to the man that he should not eat the fruit of that tree, because it would kill him. Our first natural father was given the knowledge of the consequences (his sapient understanding) should he eat this particular fruit, and he was given the means by which to avoid those consequences—by choosing (volition/his will) to obey God’s first recorded “thou shalt not…” for humanity. When God tells Adam, "...when you eat of it you will surely die", He is revealing His sovereign will as both His preceptive will and His decretive will. Adam was told what he must do to live, but he was given the choice to obey, or disobey, as an example of God’s preceptive will. The outcome of the decision to obey and live, or to disobey and surely die (with no “if’s, and’s, or but’s”) is an example of God’s decretive will.
A third aspect of God’s sovereign will is provided immediately following the command to not eat the forbidden fruit. When Adam was given the work, the honor, and the freedom to name the beasts of the field and the birds of the air in Genesis 2:19&20, God was manifesting His permissive will as an act of love in His dealings with His human creature. The man was allowed to literally exercise his ability to freely choose what he would call the animals as he was made aware of them, and as he studied them objectively and subjectively. Throughout the Bible we are given examples of God’s permissive will, that is, His encouragement for us to do as we will within the confines of His will. The Lord told Joshua, Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law [God’s will] my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go [our will] (Jo 1:7). Jesus encouraged His disciples, You may ask me for anything [our will] in my name [God’s will], and I will do it (Jn 14:14).
We are each allowed to choose to accept Christ’s proffered merciful forgiveness and gracious salvation, or to refuse it as an extension of God’s preceptive will. Consequently we are also choosing either eternal life in Heaven, or eternal torment in the bottomless pit, respectively, as God’s established decretive will. In between our making that decision, and the eternal results, there is a great deal of latitude in terms of time and space in which God desires for us to practice liberty in a fashion that edifies ourselves and those who surround us. This is God’s permissive will. God’s heart is that we would choose to accept His love by returning it to Him as an act of our freewill; that we would be obedient children. While that is our decision, we must remember that ultimately—within God’s permissive will, His preceptive will, and His decretive will—God’s sovereign will creates, sustains and judges life on Earth, just as it does in Heaven.
Jesus tell us, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life" (Jn 8:12b). Paul tells us in Romans 12:2, 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. And what is God’s will for us? Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus (1Th 5:16-18). Again, what is God’s will for us? “Be joyful...pray...and give thanks.” And how often should we do these things? “Always...continually...and in all circumstances.” In this way we demonstrate the light of life through Christ in, and to, this world. In this way we share in the glory of the Son, and we bring glory to the Father. Amen.
Save Me Today—Part Fourteen: God’s Sovereign Will
by rev dave c
God in three Persons is at the very core of Christian belief. Jesus, Himself, teaches that there is God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit (Jn 16). At His baptism in the Jordan River we are presented the Son of Man, that is, Jesus of Nazareth, upon whom the Holy Spirit descends like a dove while the voice of God the Father proclaims, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased" (Mt 3:16&17). To say that God has personhood means that He is not rocks and trees, nor is He an interesting idea, nor is He some non-specific force that governs the Universe. God as personality is divinely rational (sapience/intelligence), supremely self-conscious (sentience/awareness), and eternally self-determining (volition/willfulness). Because He is “three in one,” these attributes are manifested within Himself as communication (logos, Jn 1:1), discernment (light, Jn 8:12), and relationship (love, 1Jn 4:8&16). Just as the three persons of God do not function independently, rather there is a perfect unity of intent, action, and response within the Godhead—our experience of God’s interactivity with His creation testifies to His being a perfect harmony of Almighty Creator, Faithful Sustainer, Righteous Lord, and Loving Savior.
As a ‘snapshot’ of God (where the photo and the subject have very different substance, form, and function), we are created in His image as trichotomous (mind—body—spirit), while in His likeness we have been given the capabilities to communicate, to discern, and to establish/maintain relationships. These characteristics are translations of our being (to varying degrees) rational creatures who are self-aware (homo sapiens sapiens) and who have the ability to choose. Although the cultural history of mankind evidences cyclical over-emphasis of first one, and then another attribute over the others, our life should be a striving for balance between our sapience (intellect), our sentience (awareness/feelings), and our volition (will) within the context of God and Godliness. The outcome of that striving is the determining factor for the material, the mental/emotional, and the spiritual well being of the individual, the community, the society, and the culture.
In Genesis 2:16&17, God made Adam aware of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil that was located in the middle of the Garden of Eden. Although Adam’s senses (his sentient awareness) told him that the fruit was pleasing to the eye and good for food (Ge 2:9), God revealed to the man that he should not eat the fruit of that tree, because it would kill him. Our first natural father was given the knowledge of the consequences (his sapient understanding) should he eat this particular fruit, and he was given the means by which to avoid those consequences—by choosing (volition/his will) to obey God’s first recorded “thou shalt not…” for humanity. When God tells Adam, "...when you eat of it you will surely die", He is revealing His sovereign will as both His preceptive will and His decretive will. Adam was told what he must do to live, but he was given the choice to obey, or disobey, as an example of God’s preceptive will. The outcome of the decision to obey and live, or to disobey and surely die (with no “if’s, and’s, or but’s”) is an example of God’s decretive will.
A third aspect of God’s sovereign will is provided immediately following the command to not eat the forbidden fruit. When Adam was given the work, the honor, and the freedom to name the beasts of the field and the birds of the air in Genesis 2:19&20, God was manifesting His permissive will as an act of love in His dealings with His human creature. The man was allowed to literally exercise his ability to freely choose what he would call the animals as he was made aware of them, and as he studied them objectively and subjectively. Throughout the Bible we are given examples of God’s permissive will, that is, His encouragement for us to do as we will within the confines of His will. The Lord told Joshua, Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law [God’s will] my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go [our will] (Jo 1:7). Jesus encouraged His disciples, You may ask me for anything [our will] in my name [God’s will], and I will do it (Jn 14:14).
We are each allowed to choose to accept Christ’s proffered merciful forgiveness and gracious salvation, or to refuse it as an extension of God’s preceptive will. Consequently we are also choosing either eternal life in Heaven, or eternal torment in the bottomless pit, respectively, as God’s established decretive will. In between our making that decision, and the eternal results, there is a great deal of latitude in terms of time and space in which God desires for us to practice liberty in a fashion that edifies ourselves and those who surround us. This is God’s permissive will. God’s heart is that we would choose to accept His love by returning it to Him as an act of our freewill; that we would be obedient children. While that is our decision, we must remember that ultimately—within God’s permissive will, His preceptive will, and His decretive will—God’s sovereign will creates, sustains and judges life on Earth, just as it does in Heaven.
Jesus tell us, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life" (Jn 8:12b). Paul tells us in Romans 12:2, 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. And what is God’s will for us? Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus (1Th 5:16-18). Again, what is God’s will for us? “Be joyful...pray...and give thanks.” And how often should we do these things? “Always...continually...and in all circumstances.” In this way we demonstrate the light of life through Christ in, and to, this world. In this way we share in the glory of the Son, and we bring glory to the Father. Amen.