The Will of the Lord

Ephesians 5:15-17 “Be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil. So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.”

I read that there is no more exalted theme in the world than the will of God, nor is there a more important practical question than how to know the will of God. Of greatest significance is the recognition that it is His will—not man’s will—that is important. We are made up of body, soul and spirit; the soul being made up of our mind, will and emotions. God created us that way for a reason. It is the child of God’s goal to willingly align their will with the will of God in order to live and serve our Lord with purpose.

God desires for us to know His will—both His will in general, as revealed in Scripture, and His “specific will” in each particular decision. The latter must in every instance, of course, be fully compatible with the former, as the Holy Spirit, who leads us, will never contradict the Scriptures that He inspired. Thus, an indispensable prerequisite to finding the personal will of God is knowing His general will.

The lesson explained that the general will of God is expressed, first of all, in the fact of special creation. Then Christ became man in order to accomplish God’s will as our sin-bearing substitute on the Cross on Good Friday; by this will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all - Hebrews 10:10. It is His will that this should provide salvation to all who believe. “This is the will of him that sent me, that every one which sees the Son, and believes on him, may have everlasting life” – John 6:40. This in turn entails individual regeneration of the spirit which was dead by sin for all who receive Him; those “which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God” - John 1:13.

Furthermore, His will includes absolute security in Him, our sanctification, and ultimate glorification. Thankfulness in all things and a godly and virtuous life are also God’s will. A believer who understands, believes, aligns and obeys God’s will is then prepared to know and follow it as their will in life abundant in Christ.