Comments on: Freedom in Finding God's Will http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/trevinwax/2009/09/01/freedom-in-finding-gods-will/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=freedom-in-finding-gods-will Kingdom People - Living on Earth as Citizens of Heaven Thu, 09 Feb 2012 15:38:39 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Dan S. http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/trevinwax/2009/09/01/freedom-in-finding-gods-will/#comment-5165 Dan S. Fri, 04 Sep 2009 21:20:56 +0000 http://trevinwax.com/?p=3602#comment-5165 I read this book recently and found it to be a liberating counterbalance to the hyper-cautious and fearful notion that our day-to-day decisions can screw up God's plan for our lives. Christians need to hear this. At the same time, I noticed a couple flaws with the book: 1. One of Kevin's key points is that moral decisions matter much more than amoral ones. Fair enough, but he tends to downplay the significance of life's biggest amoral decisions such as who to spend your life with and how to serve God through your career/vocation. He almost goes as far as saying that God doesn't particularly care who you marry or what your job is as long as you're living in moral obedience to the Scriptures. In an effort to rouse lazy Christians from their couches (an important goal to be sure), Kevin ends up reducing the will of God to obeying the Bible. In other words, stop worrying about your future spouse, career or ministry calling and work on your personal holiness. This struck me as a false choice while trivializing the sincerity of those who seek to God’s will in their amoral decisions. 2. Because of Kevin's strict delineation of moral vs. amoral decisions, the role of the Holy Spirit becomes little more than helping us understand and obey the commands of Scripture. As critical as this is, I got the sense that Kevin doesn't put much stock in having a conversational relationship with God in which He actually speaks to us about life’s amoral decisions such as one's vocational calling, which school to attend or when to start a family. As I look back on my 29 years, I can see many instances of God’s guidance, presence and provision though a variety of “non-moral” decisions that brought me to where I am today. These were not matters of biblical obedience vs. sin, but God was certainly concerned and involved throughout the process. I read this book recently and found it to be a liberating counterbalance to the hyper-cautious and fearful notion that our day-to-day decisions can screw up God’s plan for our lives. Christians need to hear this. At the same time, I noticed a couple flaws with the book:

1. One of Kevin’s key points is that moral decisions matter much more than amoral ones. Fair enough, but he tends to downplay the significance of life’s biggest amoral decisions such as who to spend your life with and how to serve God through your career/vocation. He almost goes as far as saying that God doesn’t particularly care who you marry or what your job is as long as you’re living in moral obedience to the Scriptures. In an effort to rouse lazy Christians from their couches (an important goal to be sure), Kevin ends up reducing the will of God to obeying the Bible. In other words, stop worrying about your future spouse, career or ministry calling and work on your personal holiness. This struck me as a false choice while trivializing the sincerity of those who seek to God’s will in their amoral decisions.

2. Because of Kevin’s strict delineation of moral vs. amoral decisions, the role of the Holy Spirit becomes little more than helping us understand and obey the commands of Scripture. As critical as this is, I got the sense that Kevin doesn’t put much stock in having a conversational relationship with God in which He actually speaks to us about life’s amoral decisions such as one’s vocational calling, which school to attend or when to start a family. As I look back on my 29 years, I can see many instances of God’s guidance, presence and provision though a variety of “non-moral” decisions that brought me to where I am today. These were not matters of biblical obedience vs. sin, but God was certainly concerned and involved throughout the process.

]]> By: Kaylene http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/trevinwax/2009/09/01/freedom-in-finding-gods-will/#comment-5164 Kaylene Wed, 02 Sep 2009 04:13:13 +0000 http://trevinwax.com/?p=3602#comment-5164 It was encouraging for me to read this post coming from someone who can speak with a little more hindsight than I can. I am a 19 yr. old and just recently someone counseled me with very similar wisdom. "God wants you to know His will, more than you want to know it." It was quite a perspective change for me, as I realize more and more every day that the more I focus on Christ, the more peace I have in my heart that I *am* fulfilling the will of God for my life... And I don't need to be fearful of making the wrong decision. If my desire is wholly for the Lord, He will cause me to fulfill His purposes. It was encouraging for me to read this post coming from someone who can speak with a little more hindsight than I can. I am a 19 yr. old and just recently someone counseled me with very similar wisdom. “God wants you to know His will, more than you want to know it.” It was quite a perspective change for me, as I realize more and more every day that the more I focus on Christ, the more peace I have in my heart that I *am* fulfilling the will of God for my life… And I don’t need to be fearful of making the wrong decision. If my desire is wholly for the Lord, He will cause me to fulfill His purposes.

]]> By: Seeking Disciple http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/trevinwax/2009/09/01/freedom-in-finding-gods-will/#comment-5163 Seeking Disciple Tue, 01 Sep 2009 22:25:12 +0000 http://trevinwax.com/?p=3602#comment-5163 I recently read this book and was quite impressed with DeYoung's passion that instead of seeking our own desires to be the will of God, we need to seek God Himself first and foremost. Christ is worthy of not just partial praise but our entire lives should be to honor His name and His glory (1 Cor. 10:31; Hebrews 11:6). How sad that so many get caught up in seeking God's will instead of seeking God Himself and allowing Him to live out His will through us and in us. I recently read this book and was quite impressed with DeYoung’s passion that instead of seeking our own desires to be the will of God, we need to seek God Himself first and foremost. Christ is worthy of not just partial praise but our entire lives should be to honor His name and His glory (1 Cor. 10:31; Hebrews 11:6). How sad that so many get caught up in seeking God’s will instead of seeking God Himself and allowing Him to live out His will through us and in us.

]]> By: PointSpecial http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/trevinwax/2009/09/01/freedom-in-finding-gods-will/#comment-5162 PointSpecial Tue, 01 Sep 2009 16:14:09 +0000 http://trevinwax.com/?p=3602#comment-5162 The "conventional approach" of a specific will of God (i.e. that He has one specific path he'd like us to take, and if we don't take it, we're out of his will) is actually unbiblical. It's very prevalent in today's church... but all it does is handcuff believers because they don't think the decision they're making is "in the will of God." God does have a will... two of them, in a matter of speaking. He has a moral will, the way he wants us to live our lives. This is the right or wrong types of things... loving our neighbor, coming in to a right relationship with him, etc. The other will is his sovereign will. No matter what we do, we cannot break away from that. He says it, and it happens. Think Jonah and the whale. We don't have a choice in the matter... so the waffling some people do (and are thus paralyzed with indecision) is not trusting that God is really in control. That said, God does still have foreknowledge. He knows the decisions we will take and he knows the consequences of our actions. But we have free will, meaning that we have the ability to make choices and we should use the resources we have (scripture, previous experience, Godly counsel) to thoughtfully and prayerfully make a decision... but not to wait for a voice from heaven telling us the 100% correct way... and to fear that if we don't take that, then we will mysticly be out of God's will and headed for disaster. The “conventional approach” of a specific will of God (i.e. that He has one specific path he’d like us to take, and if we don’t take it, we’re out of his will) is actually unbiblical. It’s very prevalent in today’s church… but all it does is handcuff believers because they don’t think the decision they’re making is “in the will of God.”

God does have a will… two of them, in a matter of speaking. He has a moral will, the way he wants us to live our lives. This is the right or wrong types of things… loving our neighbor, coming in to a right relationship with him, etc. The other will is his sovereign will. No matter what we do, we cannot break away from that. He says it, and it happens. Think Jonah and the whale. We don’t have a choice in the matter… so the waffling some people do (and are thus paralyzed with indecision) is not trusting that God is really in control.

That said, God does still have foreknowledge. He knows the decisions we will take and he knows the consequences of our actions. But we have free will, meaning that we have the ability to make choices and we should use the resources we have (scripture, previous experience, Godly counsel) to thoughtfully and prayerfully make a decision… but not to wait for a voice from heaven telling us the 100% correct way… and to fear that if we don’t take that, then we will mysticly be out of God’s will and headed for disaster.

]]> By: Ben http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/trevinwax/2009/09/01/freedom-in-finding-gods-will/#comment-5161 Ben Tue, 01 Sep 2009 15:16:12 +0000 http://trevinwax.com/?p=3602#comment-5161 DeYoung expresses the same perspective of the will of God as Garry Friesen's book: "Decision Making and the Will of God" (1980, 2004). They both contrast the will of God with the conventional traditional view of God's specific will for individuals. Ben DeYoung expresses the same perspective of the will of God as Garry Friesen’s book: “Decision Making and the Will of God” (1980, 2004). They both contrast the will of God with the conventional traditional view of God’s specific will for individuals.

Ben

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