Romans, chapter 1, beginning with verse 1 [New King James version of the Bible]: “Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated to the Gospel of God which He promised before through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures, concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, Who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh, and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead. Through Him we have received grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith among all nations for His Name, among whom you also are the called of Jesus Christ; To all who are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world. For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the Gospel of His Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers,” and then verse 10, “making request if, by some means, now at last I may find a way in the Will of God to come to you.”
Did you note Paul’s last statement there in that text that we read? He had not yet been to Rome and he apparently desired in the worst kind of way to be able to make the journey to Rome so that he might meet these people to whom he is writing to, and of whom he has heard so much good. Thus, in verse 10, he makes a request through his prayers to God that somehow—someway, it may be in the Will of God that he may come to them.
Paul was a bondservant of Jesus Christ. He was called to be an apostle—he was separated to the Gospel of God. Thus, he was very well aware that his life was in God’s hands and, therefore, he was concerned about what the Will of God was for his life. And, moreover, he was quite intent on being sure that his life was in harmony with God’s Will.
What about you and me? Should we be so concerned, as was Paul, about God’s Will for our life? We are not, after all, called to be apostles as he was. But as Christians, we have been bought with a price. Our bodies are the temple of God, and we are no longer our own, 1 Corinthians 6:19-20. [“Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit Who is in you, Whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.”] And as Paul will say later in this Roman epistle, “For if we live, we live to God. If we die, we die to the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or we die, we are the Lord’s,” Romans 14:8.
So then, once again, should we as Christians be concerned about the Will of God for our lives? Well the answer is obvious, isn’t it! Of course, we need to be concerned about the Will of God! And we, like Paul, need to be intent on living our lives in tune with—in harmony with—the Will of God. Each one of us should be constantly asking the question: “What is the Will of God for my life?” and—like Paul—seeking to find a way in the Will of God.
To do so, however, requires that we understand some things about the Will of God and how to discern it for our lives. So let’s begin first by reviewing the facets of God’s Will.
First of all, there is God’s “proclaimed Will.” You see, God has not left us wondering about what His Will is. He has made His Will known in many respects. For example, “…in everything give thanks; for this is the Will of God in Jesus Christ for you,” 1 Thessalonians 5:18. Peter writes in 1 Peter 2:15, “For this is the Will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men…” And God has made His Will known—He has proclaimed it to us through His revelation, first by sending prophets in the past, and then in the latter day sending His Own Son. As the Hebrew writer will say, “God, Who at various times and in various ways spoke in times past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son…” Hebrews 1:1-2.
God has revealed—has proclaimed His Will to us by having the Holy Spirit guide His apostles, guide those who are the writers of His testament—His “new Testament”— His “new Will” for us. Just as Jesus had promised the apostles before He was crucified, He said, “when He, the Spirit of Truth, has come, He will guide you into all Truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak,” John 16:13. And thus, Paul could rightly say, “the things which I write to you are the commandments” (or “the Will”) “of the Lord,” 1 Corinthians 14:37.
Is this “proclaimed Will” of God what we must know, what we must understand, what we must do or obey in order to be saved? Just as Jesus said, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the Will of My Father in heaven,” Matthew 7:21.
That which is essential for us to know has been proclaimed to us, that we might know, that we might fully understand and appreciate God’s Will for us. And He has provided all that we need to know. As Paul declares to Timothy, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work,” 2 Timothy 3:16-17.
And so we have the “proclaimed Will” of God.
Then another facet of God’s Will is His “providential Will.” Well, what is “providential Will?” What does that mean? Let me say that God’s providence—His “providential Will”—is not as easy sometimes to understand and to identify as is His “proclaimed Will.” God’s providence is His “foreseeing care” and His “guardianship” over His people. It is God’s “divine care” and “direction”—God’s “providential action” in our lives.
This is the type of “Will,” it would seem, that Paul was speaking about there in our text today, Romans, chapter 1, verse 10. It would seem that it was God’s “providential Will” that Paul was seeking, so that he might be able to travel to Rome.
Because of God’s “providential Will,” then we are to pray regarding our plans just as Paul did. James will remind us and say, “Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit’; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. Instead you ought to say, ‘If the Lord Wills, we shall live and do this or that,’” James 4:13-15.
Our requests, our prayers to God are to be—as much as we possibly can—offered or given according to His Will. John will write and say, “Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His Will, He hears us,” 2 John 5:14.
So, God’s “providential Will” for us—we may not always know it or recognize it with certainty, but we trust that God will provide.
And then a third facet of God’s Will is His “permissive Will.” You see, God allows things to happen that are not necessarily according to His desired Will, and that is because He has created mankind with the ability to choose. Therefore, we have a will of our own. We can be “self-willed.” Thus, God permits people to sin, even to hurt one another. Now, I emphasize again that, God does not desire that—He is not pleased with these kinds of actions. And we must recognize and be aware of the fact that one day He will render judgment, as Paul will say, referring to man’s willful neglect—man’s willful ignoring of God and not seeking after Him. He says, “Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness…” Acts 17:30-31.
But even though God has given us “free will,” “free choice,” He is still able to fulfill His Own Will, despite rebellion, despite our ignoring of His Will and His desire. HIS WILL will still be accomplished. In the Old Testament, we can see this done time and time again as God dealt with (as they are referred to often times in Old Testament scripture) those “stiff-necked Israelites.”
Also a part of God’s “permissive Will” includes us doing things that, well, are just a matter of indifference to Him. There are some things that God really doesn’t care about—that He is indifferent to. Paul speaks of that in Romans 14, verses 5 and 6. [“One person esteems one day above another; another esteems every day alike. Let each be fully convinced in his own mind. He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord; and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it. He who eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives God thanks; and he who does not eat, to the Lord he does not eat, and gives God thanks.”] I doubt very seriously if God cares whether I have red chili or green chili with my breakfast burrito. It doesn’t matter! He doesn’t care! So this is, as well, a part of God’s “permissive Will.”
So we see that God has at least three facets to His Will. There is His “proclaimed Will.” There is His provision for us, His “providential Will.” And there is His “permissive Will.”
So how do we go about finding God’s Will? I submit to you that we ought to concentrate on the “proclaimed Will” of God. And where is it that we find the “proclaimed Will” of God? Well, it is here in His holy Word—in His revelation to us [John Phillis is holding up a Bible]. This is where we find God’s Will for us. Thus, to determine God’s “proclaimed Will,” it requires that we study diligently and we learn what God has in mind—what His Will for us is. If someone is unwilling to search out—to embrace—to practice the proclaimed Will—the revealed Will of God, what difference does it make to seek areas of God’s Will that are little known and little understood to us. Yes, the value of focusing on the “proclaimed Will” of God is that, we will then not be ignorant, not be unaware, of those things that are essential for us to know and to do. And we can avoid making choices that are clearly contrary to the Will of God.
So first, in identifying, in knowing, in understanding the Will of God, we focus on His “proclaimed Will,” that which has been revealed to us. But also, we need to ask God for wisdom and for understanding. That’s why we pray diligently, or should pray diligently to be able to discern wisely what God’s Will for us is, James 1, versus 5 through 8. [“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, Who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.”]
Wisdom is that spiritual insight that enables you and I to evaluate situations clearly and helps us to utilize what options are available to us. We should use such wisdom to help to eliminate what appears less acceptable. And so we search God’s Word, we ask God for wisdom, for understanding, and also, I think it is profitable for us, as well, to seek advice from others. As we are pondering a decision, as we are pondering what the Will of God might be for us in a certain area, we might approach older, more mature Christians on the matter—those who have gone down life’s road a little further than we have and who, perhaps by their own experience, can give us insight and understanding.
The wise man would say in Proverbs, “Where there is no counsel, the people fall; But in the multitude of counselors there is safety,” Proverbs 11, verse 14. Then he would also say, “The way of the fool is right in his own eyes, But he who heeds counsel is wise,” Proverbs 12:15.
We should also consult the wisdom that is contained in the Scriptures. Now this is certainly similar to what we have talked about previously in studying and attempting to understand God’s “proclaimed Will” for us. But, He has provided for us in the Scriptures—particularly in the Old Testament, in Proverbs and in Ecclesiastes—great wisdom, great insight there for us, and in the life experiences of one like Solomon, who is perhaps the wisest one who has ever lived. If we look there, in Proverbs, and particularly in Ecclesiastes, Solomon’s life experiences would save us from a lot of trouble—if we would heed his warnings! You see, he tried to find happiness and contentment in the things of this world. And he found that it was like chasing after the wind, that it was meaningless, that it was empty, that it was nothing more than vanity. And his conclusion on this entire matter was this: “Fear God and keep His commandments”—we might insert the word “Will” in the place of the word “commandments”—“for this is man’s all,” Ecclesiastes 12, verse 13.
In attempting to recognize, to understand the Will of God for us, we should also be willing to commit our way to the Lord, as the Psalmist [David] said, Psalm 37, verse 5. [“Commit your way to the Lord, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass.”] Whatever you do, do it for the Lord’s sake, Psalm 37, verse 23. [“The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, And He delights in his way.”] Make your plans subject to God’s Will, both proclaimed and providential. As James says, “If the Lord Wills, we shall live and do this or that,” James 4:15.
Some of the things for us to remember as we are seeking to understand—as we are seeking to identify the Will of God for us—is that the choices that we make may not always be a choice between good and bad, but it may be a choice between good and better. Also, let’s be flexible. God can use us in many different ways. And if we need not make a choice right away, let’s wait for a while. Let’s give ourselves time to grow, to gain wisdom through our prayers, through consulting with others, and so on. And whatever your hand finds to do, do it in your existing circumstances. Do it with all your might!
In that song that Jerry [Fausz] led us in before the lesson this morning, you and I both sang these words in the refrain: “Sweet Will of God, still fold me closer, till I am wholly lost in Thee.” Did you think about those words as you sang them this morning? Did we really mean what we said? Or, are we still holding on in some areas of our life to our own stubborn will, either by not seeking or perhaps not even caring about what the Will of God is for us? Or, perhaps, after seeking and finding what God’s Will is for us, we reject that Will, because it doesn’t fit with what we have decided our stubborn will should be.
Brethren, our goal should be to stand PERFECT and COMPLETE in the Will of God. This was Epaphras’ prayer for the Christians there at Colosee, Colossians 4, and verse 12, that they might stand perfect and complete in the Will of God. [“Epaphras, who is one of you, a bondservant of Christ, greets you, always laboring fervently for you in prayers, that you may stand perfect and complete in all the Will of God.”] And this should be, as I’ve said, our desire, our goal, our prayer. And especially as it pertains to the “proclaimed,” the “revealed” Will of God, and even, as much as possible, in that Will which is His “providential Will” and His “permissive Will.”
Our desire and our prayer must be the same as our Lord’s Who taught us to pray in this wise: “Your Will be done on earth as it is in Heaven,” Matthew 6, verse 10, and Who would say for Himself, “not as I Will, but as You Will,” Matthew 26:39.
Let me point out that seeking and following the Will of God is certainly not always the easiest thing to do. It’s certainly not always the most pleasant thing to do. We just quoted the Words of Jesus when He said to the Father, “not My Will, but Thine be done” [Luke 22:42, King James Version of the Bible]. And His willingness, His desire to submit to the Will of God led Him to a place called Calvary.
Also, Paul’s submissiveness, his willingness to submit to even the providential Will of God, as we read in our text in Romans, chapter 1, his desire to go to Rome—oh yes, Paul will eventually go to Rome about two years after he penned this epistle and talked about his desire in trying to find a way and the Will of God…he went to Rome as a prisoner!
No, following God’s Will in our life won’t be easy—it may call for us to suffer—but following God’s Will will pay great dividends, both in this life and especially in the life to come.
And so this morning, let me ask you this question: Are you seeking to find a way in the Will of God, as it pertains to your plans and your actions in this life? I hope you are!
We extend the invitation to you this morning. This is the Lord’s invitation, and let me tell you that His Will for you, if you are not a Christian, is that you will be saved. Peter said that God does not desire that, “any should perish, but that all should come to repentance,” 2 Peter 3, verse 9. And so, in His “proclaimed Will,” He has revealed to us what it takes to be saved. And that is if you believe that He is the Christ, the Son of God, that He died for your sins, and if you are willing to confess His Name and repent of your sins, and then be obedient in baptism, you can become a child of God. You can be saved! Then of course, our desire is to understand and pursue the Will of God throughout the remaining days of our life—to live faithfully to Him, that we might look forward to that crown of life.
If you are with us today and you are an erring Christian, if you have not been submissive to the Will of God, then we urge you to change. And if we can encourage you, if we can lift you up by our prayers and words of encouragement this day, this invitation is for you as well. Whatever your need, would you come as we stand together and sing.