THE WILL OF GOD

2: Cor. 1:1

A. "PAUL, AN APOSTLE OF JESUS CHRIST BY THE WILL OF GOD." 1. Paul seeks to impress the Corinthians:
  1. That he wrote his letters to the churches, not because he chose to do so at his own inclination, or for personal gain
  2. But rather, because God had directed him to write as he did
  • This places:
    1. The highest authority behind his reasoning and his appeal to the believers
    2. It sets the seal of the supreme will upon what he writes - the will of God Col. 1:1-2; 2 Tim. 1;1 B. THE WILL OF GOD
  • The supreme law: - "By the will of God"
    1. God has a will. He is, therefore, a personality, free and intelligent
    2. His will explains the origin, sustenance and order of the universe Rom. 11:33-36
    3. His will is the force of all forces, the law of all law - Act 17:28; Heb. 1:1-3
  • God has a will in relation to individuals:
    1. That means that no man liveth unto himself or dieth unto himself 2 Cor. 5:15-17; Rom 14:7-8
    2. We are here by the perfect will of God - Gal. 1:15-16; Is. 49"1-5
    3. This is an awe-inspiring Bible truth that ought to help us to realize that our life is not an accident - but rather a Divine design from start to finish - Is. 43:1
    4. He has a purpose in relation to every man; Examples: Ruth the Moabitess Ruth 1:16:12-13; Solomon - I Kings 3:5-9
    5. His will in relation to moral beings is the standard of all conduct and rule of all destiny
  • This eternal truth received strong and continued emphasis by the Lord Jesus Christ:
    1. He placed His mission, His being, and His destiny under the Supreme Law; the eternal and unalterable will of God the Father
    2. Note these testimonies of the Son of God of His personal submission to the will of God - John 5:19-30; 8:28; 14:10; 12:49-50; Luke 22:42 C. IT MUST BE NOTED BY ALL BIBLE LOVING CHRISTIANS
  • That the eternal and unchangeable will of God is expressed:
    1. in the ten commandments; compare Rom. 2:17-18 with Ex. 20:3-17; Eccl. 12:13-14; Luke 10:25-26; Matt. 22:36-40
    2. In the life and teaching of the Son of God, He is the Logos - the voice, the spokesman of God the Father - Matt. 3:17; 17:5; John 14:6; 1:1-3; Heb. 1:1-14; Matt. 11:27
    3. The sixty-six books of the Bible are the revelation of the eternal and unchangeable will of God - 2 Tim. 3:15-17; Rev. 22:18-19
    4. The mystical body of Jesus Christ, the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth is the voice of God or truth to be obeyed - Matt. 28:18-20; Rev. 22:17; I Cor. 5:4
  • Love is the primal fount or mainspring of God's will:
    1. God is love, therefore, His law is an expression of His love - I John 4:8; Deut. 6:4-8; Matt. 22:36-40; Rom. 13:9-10
    2. The thoughts of God are thoughts of peace and good will toward all His creatures Jer. 29:11; 30:18-22; Ezek. 34:11-34
  • The perfect and eternal will of God will be the basic condition to entrance into the kingdom of heaven:
    1. That is what Jesus says - compare Matt 7:21 with Rev. 22:14; Rom 2:13; Jam. 1:23; 2:8-11; John 10:32-33; I John 3:23-24; Luke 11:28
    2. This is understandable in the light of the fact that sin is the transgression of God's law or will - I Hon 3:4; it is enmity toward God - Rom. 8:5-7; people setting themselves against the will of God cannot have a place in His kingdom - Matt. 5:17-19
  • The Apostolic Spirit:
    1. Involves loving submission to the will of God in everything
    2. Christ is the Lord and Paul the humble servant
    3. Thus it must ever be "Not my will but Thy will be" in everything


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