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THE WILL OF GOD: GOOD AND ACCEPTABLE AND ALWAYS PERFECT
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DISCOVERING GOD'S WILL.
*** NOTE: THE DETERMINATIVE FOR KNOWING GOD'S WILL IS GOD'S PEACE.
15And let the peace (soul harmony which comes) from the Christ rule (act as umpire continually) in your hearts - deciding and settling with finality all questions that arise in your minds ...
Colossians 3:15 (Amplified), emphases added.
- “peace of God”, eirēnē (εἰρήνη). [‘(at) one again’] it is translated “peace” in the rv. It describes (a) harmonious relationships between men, (b) between nations, (c) friendliness, (d) freedom from molestation, (e) order, in the State; in the churches, (f) the harmonized relationships between God and man, accomplished through the gospel;
The corresponding Hebrew word shalom primarily signifies “wholeness” (Vine,et al, 1996, Vol. 2, 464).
- “in your hearts”. This action is more than a mere academic exercise—there is a very sensitive “heart-felt” awareness of God’s direction: peace … in your hearts.
- “act as umpire continually … deciding and settling with finality”. This rendering from the Amplified Bible, helps to explain the process and certainty of this method that God uses to give us direction. A definitive decision is given making the outcome final—settling with finality.
1 Concerning peace
1. Peace is the SINGLE, MOST OBJECTIVE ASPECT of discovering God’s will—Colossians 3:15, above.
2. Obtaining peace is a subjective issue, and we can be influenced by feelings, current circumstances, etc., even though it is also very objective.
3. Only the Christian can have the peace of God.
4. God will not give His peace if we are wrong.
5. God’s peace for the Christian means that he can KNOW God's will with certainty before starting on any course.
2 Perspective for peace
1. Obtaining peace is the final stage in seeking to know God’s will, and it requires patience and devotion. This is a spiritual exercise, and obviates the perfunctory option of “tossing a coin” or “rolling a dice”.
2. Seek to address the issue as far as possible ahead of any deadline date. This is essential to allow the opportunity to be relaxed to receive the calm of mind in seeking peace. As we noted earlier, “God's will is never determined in panic”.
3. It is essential to be aware of the overall perspective (see back to #4.3.2):
- from worship as the appreciation of our God Who hears and answers prayer, and Who has a perfect will for our lives,
- to having a correct relationship with God—no unconfessed sin,
- to being willing to obey Him whatever His will is (cf. Abraham, Job),
- to accepting that His will is specific—particular to you personally (there has never been another Abraham asked to sacrifice his son),
- to acknowledging that God can be trusted implicitly to provide all that is necessary to complete His plan for you, and to enable you to achieve it (whether Gideon with 300, or Moses simply “standing still”),
- to the range of fundamental expectations for all Christians (#2.2.6),
- to an appreciation that God’s will is always good (even if you are Job, and have lost everything) and only ever perfect,
- and the range of issues that have been addressed as we have proceeded through the above material.
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