Skip to main content

God Is Love 20


                One of you will say to me: “Then why does God still blame us? For who resists his will?” But who are you, O man, to talk back to God? “Shall what is formed say to him who formed it, ‘Why did you make me like this?’” Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for noble purposes and some for common use? (Romans 9:19-21) 

God’s will is that attribute of God whereby he approves and determines to bring about every action necessary for the existence and activity of himself and all creation (Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology, p. 211) 

          Discussing God’s will requires that one walk through a mine-field. At any moment, you may step on an ego and someone may explode. Sometimes, the irritation is with the notion that anyone’s will matters more than our own.

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll,
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul   
                                                          (William Ernest Henley Invictus)
         Sometimes, the irritation is with the notion that if God’s will is sovereign, then we cannot be blamed for what we do. Then people start using adjectives to describe the will involved: sovereign, permissive, necessary, free, secret, revealed…. I like to describe God’s will as a road. Sometimes, it’s a highway with multiple lanes. Pick any lane, you’re still in God’s will. Other times, it narrows to a one inch ledge along the face of a cliff, and the narrow, but fifty-foot long bridge we crossed to get to that ledge collapsed as we stepped off of it.
         Fortunately, today we don’t need to address the issue of God’s will in great detail. Instead, we need only explore whether or not love has will. As the definition of love we have been using is that love seeks what is in the best interest of the beloved, it seems clear to me that love is more about will than it is about feelings. It’s a good thing, too, because feelings change constantly. Our will may be weak and inconstant, but love strengthens it.  

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

"Especially to those who belong to the family of believers."

Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. (Gal 6:10)   “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.   By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:34-35)           Joshua grinned when he saw Rex standing by the door, studying something on the ground. "Hey, man! Are we ready to do this thing?"          Rex looked up. "Josh, I can't do it. We're still best buds, but I can't stand your fiancée."           I've met "Rex" many times. I've been Rex. Joshua (Jesus) loves the Church. He's not a fool. He knows the Church is far from perfect, but she is His chosen bride. The Rexes of this world, who think themselves His friend, turn away from her. "You don't need the Church to...
Post a Comment
Read more

Ssssssubmmissssssionnn

Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ . (Ephesians 5:21)             "Ssssssubmmisssssssionnn." Can't you just hear the serpent hissing this most horrible of words? If you listen to the serpent or the world, submission means groveling, allowing yourself to be abused, denying yourself your own humanity. Nothing could be worse than submission, could it?             Submission has never been a problem for me, as long as things are going the way I want them to. The rest of the time? Well, let's just say that while I don't know how to fight physically, I don't know how to not fight mentally. One of the fights I've been having with myself for years is about submission.             My first breakthrough took place on a trip to a bookstore. As I walked into the store, my thoughts were very clear. 1) I was goi...
Post a Comment
Read more

Shark Fins, Triple Dog Dares, Heroes, Villains and Sidekicks

Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12)            There's a scene in Jaws in which someone sees a shark fin and starts a panic. As   all the swimmers scramble to shore, boats surround the fin, which falls over to reveal two kids. With several guns pointed at them, one of the kids points at the other. The message is clear: it was his idea. In Christmas Story, there's a scene in which one kid "triple dog dares" another to do something stupid. Since it's a triple dog dare, well, what choice does the boy have? There doesn't seem to be any end to the trouble that peer pressure can cause. ...
Post a Comment
Read more