The Will Of God.

Ephesians 1:11 "In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:"

We now come in our studies to “The Will Of God” and here one must be most cautious in attempting in explaining it. As with all other biblical studies there are agreements and disagreements and even among those in the Sovereign Grace Baptist Churches. Therefore what I write is as I see Gods infallible scriptures. The Prophet Isaiah wrote “Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, (10.) Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure" Isaiah 46:9 - 11 According to these two passages of scriptures Ephesians 1:11 and Isaiah 46:9 - 11 we defiantly learn one simple fact “My counsel shall stand” and nothing or anything can change it nor detour it. In order to understand Gods will we must look at it in three simply facts (1.) God is free to do as He chooses and no one has any right or the ability to change it. It is clearly seen in the scriptures that God elected what He wanted to happen before the foundation of the world and neither time nor the events of time will change His determinant counsel. (2.) God has the power to do as He pleases. God has power over all creation and therefore there is no reason for Him to change or anyone that can change Gods will. (3.) and finally Gods will is immutable or unchangeable. God cannot change and therefore He cannot change in any area of His being. Change admits imperfection or weakness and if God is “Omni” in everything then change, in even the slightest area shows imperfection in all areas.

Now we come to what I believe are the two phases of Gods will which are (1.) God’s will of purpose or his determined will and (2.) His permissive will. Now this is an area where some will disagree with me as I have come to learn over the last several years. Some hold the view that Gods will is one fold and that is His will of purpose or ordained will and that he has no permissive will at all. I must disagree with this theory because God is not accountable for sin. Christ Jesus died for sin but for our sin and not for sins He was accountable for, God cannot sin nor does God cause man to sin. It is an absolute fact that God determined the fall of Adam but it was Satan that brought about that fall and not God. Even though God had ordained Adams fall He did not have to see to it that Adam would fall because God knows everything and Him knowing what Adam would do when Satan came calling allowed Him to make it His determined will. Could God have elected not to allow Adam to fall; yes but God received much glory from Adams fall. Secondly, is the crucifixion of Jesus Christ or the Son of man. This is another event that God ordained. Acts 2:22 - 23 "Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know: (23.) Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:” Here is another glorious example of Gods two wills; His determined will is “Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God” and His permissive will is “ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:” now who is responsible for the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, Everyone except God. We are because sin crucified Jesus Christ; God simply ordained it. Therefore both the fall of Adam and the crucifixion of Jesus Christ contained both the ordained and permissive will of God, proving that God has a permissive will.