Robert McLaughlin Bible Ministries |
Doctrine of Divine Decrees part 12: The directive, permissive, and overruling will of God.
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Point 5: The will of God – Directive, Permissive, and Overruling.
Directive will of God: What God desires me to think, to do, and where to go.
1.It is the will of God that every member of the human race be born again.
2. It is the will of God that all believers be experientially sanctified.
3. It is the will of God that all believers be controlled (filled) with the Holy Spirit.
4. It is the will of God that we give thanks in everything.
5. It is the will of God that believers suffer.
6. It is the will of God for every believer to trust the Lord.
7. It is the will of God for every believer to be productive.
The permissive will of God: Where negative volition in man is permitted to act contrary to the will of God.
While God in righteousness does not violate human volition so as to coerce man, God in justice disciplines disobedience.
It is proof of the existence of human free will and God’s recognition of it that we are often allowed to act against God’s perfect will.
It is a subtle form of self-justification, where you know what the word of God says concerning a certain thing, but you look for the tiniest loop-hole somewhere so that you may justify your lust.
In self-justification, duty is no longer a simple, imperative thing, but something that may be conjured with, a subordinate, unstable tool for your own use instead of an absolute law.
God has put His essence on the line in reply to accusations against Him that He is not who He claims to be. If He just forces men to obey Him, though He could, then He doesn’t reveal His essence, neither to the elect or the fallen.
God always has a purpose in His permissive will that will bring glory to Himself while the creature is disciplined.
God is not content for us to remain spiritual children all of our lives. His Spirit will convict us to grow up and start applying so that we live according to our election.
God allows the pursuit of evil and God will discipline it and all of it will ultimately glorify Him but not the creature.
If we continue towards evil after warning discipline God will turn up the discipline to intensive levels, not out of anger, but out of love for the creature and justice for the Creator.
The overruling will of God involves divine frustration of satanic will. Satan desired to curse Israel and God would not permit it.