God has both a hidden will and a revealed will. Since we cannot discover or comprehend His hidden will (Rom. 11:33–36; Eccl. 8:16–17), we must focus on His revealed will, which He has made known in His Word. The essence of this can be expressed, for example, according to 1 Timothy 2:3–4. There, Paul describes God as our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth (1 Timothy 2:3–4).
Words Describing God’s Will
When we read the Bible carefully, we must acknowledge that God’s will is more than just the salvation of humankind. Based on the various words in the original languages of the Bible that describe God’s will, we can identify at least three aspects of God’s will:
- God’s majestic and unshakable plan for governing the universe. The Hebrew word ‘ăṣaṯ is usually translated into Greek as boule. It is like a photograph taken by God, depicting all that exists from eternity to eternity, which nothing can change or prevent. The Book of Psalms states:
“The counsel [‘ăṣaṯ] of the Lord stands forever, the plans of his heart to all generations” (Ps. 33:11, ESV)
- God’s requirement, desire, or purpose regarding something to be done or to occur, in Greek thelēma. For example, God requires obedience from humans. Unlike God’s cosmic plan, ‘ăṣaṯ, humans can either follow or resist this will. This word is used in the Lord’s Prayer in the phrase “Thy will be done.” Paul wrote:
“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will [thelēma] is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” (Rom. 12:2)
- God’s good will. The Hebrew word rəṣôn, whose Greek equivalent is eudokia, refers to everything that brings joy to God and expresses His favor. It reveals God’s love and attitude toward humanity. The psalmist prays:
“Surely, Lord, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor [rəṣôn] as with a shield.” (Ps. 5:12)
God’s will is thus three-dimensional. The first dimension is God’s eternal and inevitable will, which is fulfilled in any case from eternity to eternity. The second describes, among other things, what God expects and demands of people; this deserves special attention. The third dimension of God’s will is His special favor. His children get to experience this already in this life, but it will be fully realized only in heaven.
Human Beings Cannot Fulfill God’s Will
God’s will must also be understood to include His “law”—that is, the prohibitions and requirements contained in His Word regarding how human beings are to live. In these contexts, the Greek New Testament uses the word thelēma, as described above. Paul wrote:
“Now you, if you call yourself a Jew; if you rely on the law and boast in God; if you know his will [thelēma] and approve of what is superior because you are instructed by the law.” (Rom. 2:17–18)
Even if a person knows God’s will as written in the Law, it does not help him, for it is impossible for a person to obey God’s will. No human being is capable of fulfilling God’s will; only God’s own Son has been able to fulfill it. He was the only sinless human being who lived in accordance with God’s will, and as such, He was the perfect sacrifice. His innocent death was able to atone for all the sins of all humanity. Jesus Himself put His mission into words this way:
“I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will [thelēma] of him who sent me.” (John 6:38).
He obediently faced his suffering because it was God’s will. Confronted with this mission, he felt terrified, but nevertheless saw the fulfillment of God’s will as essential for the salvation of humanity. Before his arrest, he prayed:
“My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will [thelō], but as you will.” (Matt. 26:39).
According to God
In addition to the many references in the Bible to “God’s will,” it also mentions many things and people who are or are not “according to God’s will.” This phrase, too, speaks of God’s will. Therefore, when searching the Bible for information about what God wants, the passages where this phrase is used must also be read carefully.
“According to God’s will” is “kata Theon” in Greek. Strictly speaking, it should be translated as “in accordance with God,” and it means alignment or likeness with God. Paul writes about sorrow that can lead to repentance and salvation:
“Godly [kata Theon] sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret.” (2 Cor. 7:10)
What kind of sorrow is Paul talking about? He is not speaking merely of the sorrow that God desires, but of sorrow that is like God’s own. A person must see the sin within themselves as just as undesirable as God sees it. Sin separates a person from fellowship with God and leads to eternal damnation. God does not desire that. He is love, and He wants everyone to be saved. That is why He grieves over human sin—and wants humans to do the same.
Godly sorrow is when a person recognizes and confesses that they have violated God’s will and longs for forgiveness. Its arising is God’s will, and it occurs through the influence of the law. The Reformer Martin Luther described the state of penitence as wonderful; not because one is saved in that state, but because an awakened conscience points to the possibility of salvation. A state in which the conscience is asleep is frightening, because in that state one cannot repent. The story of Esau is told:
“For you know that afterward, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no chance to repent, though he sought it with tears.” (Heb. 12:17, ESV)
Knowing God’s Will
God’s will is found in the Bible. However, it reveals itself differently to different people. A non-believer finds in the Bible an unreasonable God who demands the accomplishment of impossible tasks and perfect sinlessness. To such a reader, the Bible mercilessly declares that even a single mistake renders him completely unworthy in God’s sight. The God he finds in this way is indeed the true God. However, he does not yet perceive Him as loving, as does a person with a living faith.
For children and those who remain at a childlike mental level, salvation does not require a conscious understanding of God’s will. Such a person is saved even if they know nothing about Jesus or lack any capacity for conceptual thought. Their salvation is based on the fact that every child is born with the gift of faith; otherwise, Jesus would not have held up a child as a model of faith and even required His own disciples to become like children (Matt. 18:3).
As a normal child grows into adulthood, he either loses his saving faith due to the temptations of the world, or his faith transforms into a personal, more or less structured faith in which understanding God’s will is central. An adult believer understands that he or she is completely incapable of fulfilling God’s will on their own. For such a person, saving faith is based on complete helplessness to save and help oneself and, at the same time, on God’s complete grace.
The faith of both adults and children is one hundred percent a gift from God. An adult’s faith is structured by knowledge of God’s will. A child’s faith, on the other hand, is faith without a conscious understanding of God and His will.
God’s Good Will is an Expression of Love
God’s will for humanity is always good. He knew in advance that humanity would fall into sin and that, because of original sin, all people are already corrupt from birth.
God hates sin, but loves the sinner. That is why He has a plan, ‘ăṣaṯ, which actually existed even before the creation of the world. He sent His Son so that no one who believes in Him would perish but might have eternal life (John 3:16). God wants people to study His Word and, in its light, recognize their sinfulness. Jesus urged His own not to be afraid or anxious, for the Heavenly Father has good will toward them:
“Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure [eudokia] to give you the kingdom.” (Luke 12:32)
Forgiveness, however, does not come from reading the Bible, praying, or partaking in the Lord’s Supper. It does not come from helping the poor, meditating, or from a person deciding to accept Jesus and improve their life. Saving faith can arise only from hearing the message of forgiveness (Rom. 10:17).
A person who has had their own sins forgiven can forgive the sins of anyone else by the authority of Jesus (e.g. John 20:22–23). When someone hears and believes this message of forgiveness—that is, repents on the basis of Jesus’ atoning work—the Holy Spirit gives them both the ability to discern God’s will and the desire to obey it. Then what Jesus meant when He taught us to pray, “your will be done,” is fulfilled also in that person.
Elsewhere, Jesus said:
“For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.” (John 6:40)
Author: Kingdom of Peace
Image: SRK