WILL
OF MAN versus WILL OF GOD
WILL
- (Webster)
"The act or process of volition; specifically, a)
wish; desire; longing. b)
inclination, disposition; pleasure. c)
appetite, lust." Also, "Strong purpose, intention,
or determination." Also, "The power of conscious
and deliberate action or choice.
That
which has to do with the will
involves the issue of choice.
The will is that which
is exercised in the making of choices.
Joshua
called upon the Israelites to make a choice - to follow the religious
traditions of
their idolatrous ancestors, or to follow the God of heaven.
Josh.
24:14-17 Their choice was a matter of an
expression of their will.
Direction
in life is not initially a matter of our will - due to the fact that
we inherently lack
the
knowledge necessary to point us in the right
direction. Therefore,
that direction must come from a source outside
of ourselves.
Jer.
10:23 "O
Lord, I know the way of man is not in
himself; It is not in man who walks
to
direct his own steps."
The
reason
we are not capable of directing ourselves in the right
direction is because God's
ways are beyond our ability to know within ourselves.
Isa.
55:8-9 "'For
My thoughts are not your thoughts,
nor are your ways My ways,' says
the
Lord. (9) For as the heavens are higher
than the earth, So are
My ways higher
than your ways, and My thoughts than
your thoughts."
Because
we must rely on a source outside
of ourselves, it becomes critical that we carefully
consider what we hear and how we choose. Satan uses deception
to
misdirect our way.
Prov.
14:12 "There
is a way that seems right to a
man, but its end is the way of death."
Mt.
7:13-20 There are two directions in life for us
to choose from. The choice
is a
matter of our
will verses God's
will.
Mt.
7:21-29 The outcome of our choice has
eternal consequences.
Notice
- In doing the will of the Father, we act upon His
authority
- and
this is the condition
of entrance into His kingdom.
Mt.
21:23-31 Jesus' authority being questioned
prompted this parable which
teaches us of the conflict that goes
on between our will
and God's will.
That
which is according to God's will is the authority
upon which we must act."
Jas.
4:13-17 In daily activities we are to submit
our will - otherwise we
will become
indifferent,
arrogant, & disobedient
which is sin.
"The
greatest thing we will do in life is surrender our will to God's
will." Because
our choices have eternal consequences, it is imperative that we give thought
to the choices that we make. There is grave danger in acting
impulsively
-
where we react
rather than choose.
Eccl.
5:2 "Do
not be rash with your mouth, and let
not your heart utter anything
hastily
before God. For God is in heaven, and
you on
earth; Therefore let your words be
few."
How
do we bring such impulsiveness under control?
Gal.
5:16-25 By being led by the Spirit through
His word, we can avoid
fulfilling the
will of the flesh. NOTICE
- in vs. 20
"outbursts of wrath" which refers
to
a rash, impulsive reaction.
WRATH
- [thumos]
as
used in Gal. 5:20
- "To be distinguished from orge.
(See Jas. 1:19-20 where orge
is used rather than thumos)
Thumos
..."is a more agitated condition of the feelings, an
outburst of wrath from inward indignation."
Jas.
1:19-20 "So
then, my beloved brethren, let
every man be swift to hear, slow
to
speak, slow to wrath; (20) for the wrath
of man does
not produce the
righteousness of God."
WRATH
- [orge]
"Originally any natural impulse,
or desire, or disposition, came to signify anger, as the
strongest of all passions...frequently with a view to
taking revenge."
This
kind of anger is one that is slower to boil over - giving rise to a
calculated response
that is often expressed in a vengeful act. However, to choose this
kind of response
is to take upon ourselves that which belongs to God.
Rom.
12:17-ff Instead of vengeance - overcome
evil with good.
Mt.
5:38-42 Love your enemies and do good to
them.
"The
greatest thing we will do in life is surrender our will to God's
will."