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TRUE BIBLICAL GUIDANCE IN DECISION MAKING

January 16, 2005

 

I. GOD’S SOVEREIGN WILL
 
God’s will is supreme over all
 
Daniel 4:35 All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing; He does according to His will in the army of heaven And among the inhabitants of the earth. No one can restrain His hand Or say to Him, "What have You done?"
 
God does as He pleases
 
Psalm 115:3 But our God is in the heavens: He hath done whatsoever He hath pleased.
 
Psalm 135:6 Whatsoever the LORD pleased, that did He in heaven, and in earth, in the seas, and all deep places.
 
No creature can resist God’s sovereign will
 
Romans 9:19-20 You will say to me then, "Why does He still find fault? For who has resisted His will?" 20 But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? Will the thing formed say to him who formed it, "Why have you made me like this?"
 
God’s sovereign will can use man’s evil
choices to fulfill His purpose
 
Acts 4:26-28 The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord, and against his Christ. 27 For of a truth against thy [God the Father’s] holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together. 28 For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done.
 
He works all things after the counsel of His own will
 
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:
 
God’s word shall come to pass
 
Ezekiel 12:25 For I am the LORD: I will speak, and the word that I shall speak shall come to pass; it shall be no more prolonged: for in your days, O rebellious house, will I say the word, and will perform it, saith the Lord GOD.
 
God’s sovereign will is beyond our understanding
 
Romans 11:33 O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are His judgments, and His ways past finding out!
 
II. GOD’S REVEALED MORAL WILL
 
Revealed in the Lord’s commandment’s
 
1 Thessalonians 4:2-4 For ye know what commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus. 3 For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication: 4 That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour.
 
God’s commandments are not burdensome
 
1 John 5:3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous (not a heavy weight).
 
His commandments are for us to keep so we can know him
 
1 John 2:3-4 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. 4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 
 
The knowledge of Him is all that we need to live godly
 
2 Peter 1:3-4 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: 4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.
 
The holy Scriptures make us fully sufficient
 
2 Timothy 3:15-17 And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 17 That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished [“thoroughly equipped,” NKJ]; unto all good works. 
To know the moral will of God takes our diligence
 
2 Timothy 2:15 Study [“Be diligent,” NKJ] to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
 
Doing the will of God
 
Ephesians 6:5-6 Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ; 6 Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart.
 
That good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God
 
Romans 12:1-2I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
 
III. How do we make decisions according to God’s will?
 
1. Obedience to God’s revealed moral will.
 
  • This is most important aspect of decision-making and God’s will.
 
  • The revealed moral will of God (found in clear commandments) has two major effects on your decision-making: it limits your options and restricts your decisions.
 
  • Any time Scripture prohibits or forbids the action in question, your decision is made very easy: don't do it.
 
  • If there is ever a doubt, a question, suspicion, or even a slight hint whether a certain course of action may violate or go against the revealed moral will of God then take the safe side and DON’T DO IT.
 
2. Get wisdom.  
                  
  • From the Scriptures (54 times in the Book of Proverbs)
 
  • Research and study – all available sources (even secular sources on non-moral decisions) and weigh the pros/cons.
 
  • In real important decisions wisdom can be gained from mature and experienced godly council from others that have walked the path (Prov.11:14;15:22)
 
3. Your own desires.
 
  • If I have to make a decision – and there are several options available – and none of those options are forbidden by the moral will of God. And I gain wisdom through careful research and godly council from experienced people and yet if one choice is not clearly wiser than the other.
 
  • Then I am free to choose what I want to do or what I desire to do!
 
Psalm 37:4 Delight thyself also in the LORD (His moral will); and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.
 
  • God expects you to choose! He is counting on you to make the choice! God holds you responsible to choose!
 
  • You can rest and know that the decision you make is God’s will!
 
  • Desire those things that are spiritually expedient (decisions that will promote, encourage, and advance: righteousness, faith, patience, love, grace, and humility in the soul).
 
1 Timothy 6:11 But thou, O man of God, flee these things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness.
 
  • When I am rightly related to God’s moral will – all my desires will be godly and pure.
 
4. The sovereign will of God and your decisions
 
How does God’s sovereign will work with your decision-making?
 
Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart (living by obedient faith in God’s revealed moral will); and lean not unto thine own understanding. 6 In all thy ways acknowledge him (by your obedience to His revealed moral will), and he shall direct thy paths (by His sovereign will).
 
  • Through the means of the first three steps above:
          1) Your obedience to His moral will;                     
                 2) Your gaining wisdom                                                      
                 3) Your own desires (centered on spiritual expediency)
 
WITH ALL 3 OF THESE ABOVE = God accomplishes His sovereign purpose for your life!
 
Proverbs 16:9   A man’s heart deviseth his way (choices inside the boundaries of the revealed moral will of God): but the LORD directeth his steps (God’s Sovereign will).
  • Our response to the sovereign will is to trust Him and continue to make good decisions based on the moral will of God, wisdom, and our own desires that are spiritually expedient.
 
  • We must have the attitude that God at anytime can overrule and overturn our plans!
 
James 4:13-16 Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit"; 14 whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. 15 Instead you ought to say, "If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that." 16 But now you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. 
 
·         The point of this passage is not that making plans are wrong.
 
  • Nevertheless, making plans without recognizing and acknowledging the Sovereign will of God is wrong.
 
  • The merchants in this passage make no mention of God in their planning.
 
  • Though I am to make wise plans the final outcome of my plans are left to the Lord.
 
Proverbs 21:31
The horse is prepared against the day of battle (we prepare through our own wise choices): but safety (salvation, victory or deliverance) is of the LORD.