The Will of God (Part 7): Conclusion

So we are finally to the last post in this series on The Will of God. I have ended up taking longer on this than I had originally expected, but I think it was necessary to cover everything I wanted to say. Hopefully it has been an encouragement and informative study for you as it has been for me.
In today's post I will review/summarize all that we have learned and give conclusions and practical application (Because what's the point in learning without applying?)

Summary

God's sovereign will is:

1. Certain - it will be fulfilled
2. Detailed - it included all things
3. Hidden - except when revealed by prophecy 
4. Supreme - without violating human responsibility or making God the author of sin
5. Perfect - working all things together for God's glory and our good

The nature of God's Moral Will:

1. Origin: It is the expression of God's character. 
2. Communication: Is is fully revealed in the Bible. 
3. Scope: It touches every aspect and moment of life - goals, attitudes, means, and perspectives (why, how, and what). 
4. Impact: It is able to equip believers for every good work.

 Problems with the Individual Will:

1. Ordinary decisions: The traditional view must be abandoned in making the minor decisions of life.
2.  Equal options: The traditional view must deny equal options, generating anxiety over missing the dot.
3.  Immaturity: The logic of the traditional view promotes immature approaches to decision making.
4.   Subjectivity: Certainty of God's individual will is impossible without an objective source of knowledge.

 Conclusions regarding the "three wills":

1. The individual will is not found in Scripture.
2. Scripture teaches about God's sovereign and moral wills.
3. God's moral will is the objective standard which provides us with guidance on how to live lives that are pleasing to God.

Conclusion

From what we have learned and seen in Scripture I can now give some ideas to add it all together:

• God's will = that which pleases Him.
• A life pleasing to God = a life lived according to His commands.
• God's commands(His moral will) can be found in Scripture and provide the Christian with wisdom.
• Therefore, we gain wisom and can know God's will through His commands found in Scripture and have freedom within the boundary of these commands.

Application

Now comes the most crucial part: application. Here are four biblical principles of decision making in regards to God's will (I take these from Decision Making and the Will of God):

1. Where God commands, we must obey.
2. Where there is no command, God gives us freedom (and responsibility) to choose.
3. Where there is no command, God gives us wisdom to chose.
4. When we have chosen what is moral and wise, we must trust the sovereign God to work all the detail together for our good (although most often not immediately seen) and His glory.

Within God's moral bounds given in Scripture we are free to make wise choices in our lives. There is not an exact detailed life plan that God has for each believer which he must somehow find and follow.
My point of this study has been (as I have mentioned many times already) to examine Scripture and see what it teaches about the subject of "The Will of God." I hope that these truths do for you what they have done for me in relieving much undue stress and pressure. The idea of an individual will which I must find and follow explicitly is very frustrating, especially in life-changing decisions such as college, vocation, spouse, and many other important decisions. For me, the biblical idea of guidance, which I have explained in this study, has given me much peace and comfort, knowing that God has given me all of the principles and guidance that I need through His Word in order to live a life pleasing and glorifying to Him. Because, that is, of course, our utmost purpose in life - to glorify our God with our entire life.

Finally, I will end with a quote from Saint Augustine - the famous church father and Bishop of Hippo (fourth century) - which expresses far better than I can, the ideas which I have attempted to communicate.

“Love God and do whatever you please: for the soul trained in love to God will do nothing to offend the One who is Beloved.” 

-St. Augustine

*P.S.,
I must say again that I cannot take much credit for what I have said in this study. A lot of what I have written has come from Gary Friesen's book, Decision Making and the Will of God, which I would highly recommend.
Also, any comments are greatly welcomed. If you have agreed/disagreed with what I have said, have anything to say or add, or have been encouraged by this study please feel free to comment. I would love to hear your thoughts. Thanks.*