EMBRACING GOD'S WILL (8 OF 8)
by Jim Henry
Scripture: JOHN 4:34, JOHN 5:30, JOHN 6:38
This content is part of a series.
EMBRACING GOD’S WILL (8 of 8)
The Will of God
Rev. Jim Henry
John 4:34; 5:30; 6:38
Sunday 11/18/01, 9:15 A.M. Service
Today is the last message in this series on “The
Will of God.” Somebody e-Mailed me and said, “Please
tell me what the will of God is. What do you mean when
you say 'the will of God’?” So, I found a definition
and I would like to pass it on as we move into our
last sermon titled, “Embracing God’s Will.”
A fellow traveler in the faith asks: 'What does
“will” mean?’ The word “will” is like the word
“love.” It is a word with meaning only in a personal
context. How can you define love, except in terms of
a lover and a beloved? We understand when we say,
“Paul loves Cindy,” or, “As a mother loves her baby”
or “God loves me.” Then, after defining the transitive
verb love we can use the noun love with meaning and be
understood because we see the relationship between the
subject who loves and the subject who is loved. When
we speak of the will of God let us also remember that
the personal God wills for personal men, women and
children. Then “will” as a noun, is a personal intent
or purpose which God desires or wishes. It always
designates a personal relationship. It is never a
legalistic or rigid plan.
Many of us miss the meaning of the will of God
because we depersonalize the phrase and try to use it
in an abstract sense. In Christian understanding then
the will of God means we are responsible to God and to
others for the wills entrusted to us. He persuades
us, convinces us, leads us, but He respects the
integrity of our wills. That’s the way He made us. He
does not coerce us or manipulate our wills, but He
also teaches us not to coerce or manipulate the wills
of others.
This brings us then to the awareness of the
responsibility that attends the wills which God has
given us. That gives us freedom. We do not believe in
fate; in Christian understanding the will of ...
The Will of God
Rev. Jim Henry
John 4:34; 5:30; 6:38
Sunday 11/18/01, 9:15 A.M. Service
Today is the last message in this series on “The
Will of God.” Somebody e-Mailed me and said, “Please
tell me what the will of God is. What do you mean when
you say 'the will of God’?” So, I found a definition
and I would like to pass it on as we move into our
last sermon titled, “Embracing God’s Will.”
A fellow traveler in the faith asks: 'What does
“will” mean?’ The word “will” is like the word
“love.” It is a word with meaning only in a personal
context. How can you define love, except in terms of
a lover and a beloved? We understand when we say,
“Paul loves Cindy,” or, “As a mother loves her baby”
or “God loves me.” Then, after defining the transitive
verb love we can use the noun love with meaning and be
understood because we see the relationship between the
subject who loves and the subject who is loved. When
we speak of the will of God let us also remember that
the personal God wills for personal men, women and
children. Then “will” as a noun, is a personal intent
or purpose which God desires or wishes. It always
designates a personal relationship. It is never a
legalistic or rigid plan.
Many of us miss the meaning of the will of God
because we depersonalize the phrase and try to use it
in an abstract sense. In Christian understanding then
the will of God means we are responsible to God and to
others for the wills entrusted to us. He persuades
us, convinces us, leads us, but He respects the
integrity of our wills. That’s the way He made us. He
does not coerce us or manipulate our wills, but He
also teaches us not to coerce or manipulate the wills
of others.
This brings us then to the awareness of the
responsibility that attends the wills which God has
given us. That gives us freedom. We do not believe in
fate; in Christian understanding the will of ...
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