When we discuss the will of God, confusion abounds. Perhaps much of the confusion comes from the different meanings we give the phrase "the will of God." There are three distinguishable aspects of the will of God.
First, there is what we could call the secret will of God. This includes whatsoever comes to pass. Everything that happens does so because God has decreed it. To know the secret will of God would be to know the future. This is the aspect of the will of God which we reference when we say "if the Lord wills" (Jas 4:15). When New Testament writers say they did or were something "by the will of God," they meant to say that God had in his decree their being or doing that thing. When we pray, we have confidence that he will answer any request that is in keeping with his will (1 John 5:14). Other references to the secret will of God would include Deuteronomy 29:29a, Daniel 3:17–18, Matthew 18:7, and Luke 22:22.
This aspect of the will of God does not need to be "discovered"; rather, the secret will of God basically requires acceptance. As Jesus himself prayed, "My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will" (Matt 26:39).
Second, we could characterize God's desires as the unspecified will of God. This includes personal and/or corporate concerns. This is usually what we mean when we refer to "finding God's will." We want to know what God wants us to do in a given circumstance. Ephesians 5:10 says that we should be "trying to discern what is pleasing to the Lord." There is little or no reference to New Testament believers trying to "find God’s will" for their life. Again, we are not talking about something spooky and definitely not extra-biblical revelation, but living in a wise and godly way. The unspecified will of God specifically requires biblical wisdom and guidance.
Third, most of the revealed will of God could be categorized as the preceptive will of God. This has to do with the commands and exhortations of Scripture. Another way to say this is "What God wants [us to do]." The vast majority of what Christians ought to do is readily found in Scripture. For instance, God's will for believers is that they be holy, avoiding immorality (1 Thess 4:3). The first part of Deuteronomy 29:29 talks of God's secret will, while the second part deals with his preceptive will. "The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law." The preceptive will of God specifically requires our obedience.
The secret will of God, which is everything that he has decreed will happen, is unrevealed. However, what has already happened (the past) is "revealed" in that sense, and what God promises will happen in the future is revealed. We do not know everything that God has predetermined will happen.
The unspecified will of God, that is, what God wants me to do with my life, who he wants me to marry, etc., is also unrevealed. Nowhere in the Bible do I find answers to the questions I have about specific situations in my life. Since someone could do something that is "outside of God’s will," this aspect is not a part of God’s decreed will.
The preceptive will of God is revealed in Scripture. It is what God wants us to do. However, we may violate that and disobey. In this case, we have made it plain that God’s decreed will and his moral will overlap at some points but are disjunct at others.
It is interesting to note that none of the 23 occurrences of the phrase "will of God" in the New Testament fall under the idea of trying to find or discern God’s unspecified will for an individual’s life or a ministry’s future. Most deal with what God has already done (his decreed will) or what God wants us to do (his commands).
In conclusion, we can say that the first aspect (the secret will of God) is what will happen. God renders it certain because he has willed it. The second and third aspects are what should happen but may or may not be part of God’s secret will of what actually will happen.
First, there is what we could call the secret will of God. This includes whatsoever comes to pass. Everything that happens does so because God has decreed it. To know the secret will of God would be to know the future. This is the aspect of the will of God which we reference when we say "if the Lord wills" (Jas 4:15). When New Testament writers say they did or were something "by the will of God," they meant to say that God had in his decree their being or doing that thing. When we pray, we have confidence that he will answer any request that is in keeping with his will (1 John 5:14). Other references to the secret will of God would include Deuteronomy 29:29a, Daniel 3:17–18, Matthew 18:7, and Luke 22:22.
This aspect of the will of God does not need to be "discovered"; rather, the secret will of God basically requires acceptance. As Jesus himself prayed, "My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will" (Matt 26:39).
Second, we could characterize God's desires as the unspecified will of God. This includes personal and/or corporate concerns. This is usually what we mean when we refer to "finding God's will." We want to know what God wants us to do in a given circumstance. Ephesians 5:10 says that we should be "trying to discern what is pleasing to the Lord." There is little or no reference to New Testament believers trying to "find God’s will" for their life. Again, we are not talking about something spooky and definitely not extra-biblical revelation, but living in a wise and godly way. The unspecified will of God specifically requires biblical wisdom and guidance.
Third, most of the revealed will of God could be categorized as the preceptive will of God. This has to do with the commands and exhortations of Scripture. Another way to say this is "What God wants [us to do]." The vast majority of what Christians ought to do is readily found in Scripture. For instance, God's will for believers is that they be holy, avoiding immorality (1 Thess 4:3). The first part of Deuteronomy 29:29 talks of God's secret will, while the second part deals with his preceptive will. "The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law." The preceptive will of God specifically requires our obedience.
The secret will of God, which is everything that he has decreed will happen, is unrevealed. However, what has already happened (the past) is "revealed" in that sense, and what God promises will happen in the future is revealed. We do not know everything that God has predetermined will happen.
The unspecified will of God, that is, what God wants me to do with my life, who he wants me to marry, etc., is also unrevealed. Nowhere in the Bible do I find answers to the questions I have about specific situations in my life. Since someone could do something that is "outside of God’s will," this aspect is not a part of God’s decreed will.
The preceptive will of God is revealed in Scripture. It is what God wants us to do. However, we may violate that and disobey. In this case, we have made it plain that God’s decreed will and his moral will overlap at some points but are disjunct at others.
It is interesting to note that none of the 23 occurrences of the phrase "will of God" in the New Testament fall under the idea of trying to find or discern God’s unspecified will for an individual’s life or a ministry’s future. Most deal with what God has already done (his decreed will) or what God wants us to do (his commands).
In conclusion, we can say that the first aspect (the secret will of God) is what will happen. God renders it certain because he has willed it. The second and third aspects are what should happen but may or may not be part of God’s secret will of what actually will happen.
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