At the outset, let us understand that God is good; therefore, whatever God does is good. He is the epitome of goodness. If we go by this truth then the will of God in anything and everything is only goodness filled to the brim. The Lord’s prayer found in the Sermon on the Mount in Mathew 6:9-10 highlights “After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. 10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.” The will of God is everything that God desires or wishes to happen in heaven and on earth. In Romans 12:2, we are told to live a life according to the Will of God. “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, Will of God.” By and large, there are two wills of God in the Bible.
1. God’s Sovereign Will
When Jesus was praying in the Garden of Gethsemane, He cried let thy will be done. Mathew 26:39 “And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt.” What does the will of God refer to in this verse? It refers to the sovereign plan of God that was to happen as planned by God. Acts 4:27-28 “For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together, 28 For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done.” So the “will of God” was that Jesus should die for humanity. This was his plan, his decree. There was no changing it, and Jesus bowed and said, “Here’s my request, but you do what is best to do.” That’s the sovereign will of God. No matter what, the will of God should be done. I Peter 3:17 “For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing.” In other words, it may be God’s will that Christians suffer for doing good. The will of God is God’s sovereign governance. Thus a true Christian submits to the will of God, rather than his desires.
2. God’s Will of Command
Now the other meaning for “the will of God” in the Bible is what we can call his “will of command.” His will is what he commands us to do. This is the will of God we can disobey and fail to do so depending on our choice. The will of command is imperative, but we, on our part, make it discretionary Mathew 7:21 “Not everyone that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.” Not all do the will of his Father.
Paul says in I Thessalonians 4:3 “For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication:” This is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality.” This is his will of command. I Thessalonians 5:18 we learn “In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” This is a specific aspect of his will of command. In the end, it is His directive to us to be holy. I Peter1:15-16 “But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;” Ultimately it is the will of God to save every soul.
Dr Ashwin Drummond
laddertoheaven.co.in