KNOWING THE WILL OF GOD

The phrase, "the will of God," does not appear in the Old Testament!  That was a total surprise to me, because I have always pictured Israel as being weighed-down by the will of God, as it is expressed in the 613 commandments found in the Law!  There is absolutely no doubt that God wanted Israel to do His will, as it is expressed in the Law, but all twenty-two times the phrase "the will of God" appears, it is in the New Testament.  I know what you are thinking; I should look up the phrase, "the will of the Lord."  Well, I did, and you know what?  It on appears twice in the Bible, and both are in the New Testament (Acts 21:14; Eph. 5:17)!

As I pondered the reason for this, I believe I know why.  No one in their right mind, would ever considered the Law to be anything but the will of the Lord.  It is so obvious, it need not be stated.  However, the Church Age (the mysterious period between the sixty-ninth and seventieth "weeks" of Daniel's prophecy - Dan. 9:24-27; Eph. 5:32) is recognized as no longer being under the Law (Rom. 6:14-15; Gal. 5:18; etc.).  Because of this, many have argued over the years, that born again believers can do as they please.  The Apostle Paul answered this:  "Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law" (Rom. 3:31).  Paul also dealt with this heresy in the sixth chapter of his Epistle to the Romans.  He wrote:  "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?  God forbid" (6:1-2).  "What then? Shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid" (6:15).

So what does the New Testament have to say about the will of God?  It teaches us to know God's will, and to do it (Jn. 13:17)!  Here are some examples:

*  We are to believe and trust Jesus whom the Father sent (Jn. 6:29).
*  We are to honor Jesus by partaking in the Lord's Supper (1 Cor. 11:24-25).
*  We are to do God's will from the heart (Eph. 6:6).
*  We are to be sanctified, that is, set apart unto God's service (1 Th. 4:3).
*  We are to thank God regardless of our circumstances (1 Th. 5:18).
*  We are to act like God is our Father (2 Tim. 2:19).
*  We are to be ready to share our faith at all times (1 Pet. 3:15).

 

As my four year old daughter said, when I asked her what she meant

when she "ask Jesus into her heart":  She said, "I want to mind Him!"