God's will for us

I will say up-front that I am not a calvinist, nor a fatalist – I don’t believe that God’s generally-expressed will differs from person to person, nor do I believe that God’s will is automatic without our cooperation.

Having said that, let’s look at three verses that speak of God’s will. This is a VERY brief overview of these passages, each is worth significant study on its own.

Matthew 6:10 (NKJV) Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven.

This comes from the Lord’s Prayer. Many churches (including mine) pray this each week. We are asking that the way things are done in heaven should be done in earth as well. There is no sickness in heaven. There is no lack in heaven. There is no sadness in heaven, but rejoicing and thanksgiving. Do we realize what we’re asking for? Do we mean it? Do we believe it can happen? Are we willing to cooperate with this? (For a detailed exposition of this, see Bill Johnson’s book “When ,Heaven Invades Earth”).

1 Timothy 2:1-4 (NKJV) Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

2 Peter 3:9 (NKJV) The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

The calvinist would say “Not all men are repenting, not all men are being saved, this scripture does not actually mean that it is possible for all to be saved.” (There’s a lot more to calvinism than that). The universalist would say that “Because God’s will is that all would be saved, all will be saved.” I don’t hold to that view, either. God wants the church to be an instrument of offering His reconciliation to the world, telling them that He’s not holding their sins against them, but welcomes all people to Himself (2 Corinthians 5:17-21). Too many churches instead are busy vehemently denouncing sin and sinners, rather than offering a better way.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NKJV) Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

How many people that claim Jesus as their Lord spend their time grumbling, murmuring and complaining? They sound like the Israelites in Numbers, rather than people that Jesus died for, resurrected for, and is now praying for at God’s side. God is for us; no-one can be against us, except our own attitudes.

There’s a lot of food for thought there. Pick one of those passages and run with it.

Doug