Sunday School Class // March 17, 2024
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This is a lesson I prepared for a Sunday School class and is based on the video series “The Basics of the Christian Life by Sinclair Ferguson | Ligonier Ministries” (Lesson 9)
Colossians 1:9 (ESV)
And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding.
At some point in their life (probably multiple points in their life), all believers will ask questions revolving around how they can best discover the will of God for their lives. Most often this comes from a place of desired obedience to be faithful to what Christ would have them do in a certain situation. Discovering the will of God is an important step in faithfully following after Jesus in our daily walk and the Lord has given us precepts and principles in His Word to guide us. This prayer of Paul for the Colossians is true for us as well. We too can be filled with knowledge of the will of God. We too can know His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding. In this talk, Sinclair Ferguson leads us through three points to consider as we seek to discover God’s will for us.
“The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law” Deuteronomy 29:29 (ESV)
Secret Will of God
The first step in discovering the will of God for our lives is to not make the mistake of seeking after the secret will of God. This secret will of God is focused on the specific details of God’s will. “Who should I marry?” “Where should I go to school?” Any time we move into the realm of wanting to know with absolute certainty, we can be sure that we are treading in the waters of God’s secret will. God’s secret will is just that. The secret things of God belong to God.
Revealed Will of God
The second step in discovering the will of God for our lives is to recognize the directives and precepts that are revealed in the Bible. In His Word, God has given us specific directives to guide us. The most important of these are the Ten Commandments. God’s directives are meant to speak into our daily lives and inform our everyday decisions. To better know the revealed will of God we must know God’s revealed will in the Bible. Consulting the Ten Commandments and seeking to live in obedience to all of God’s directives will make the necessary course of action clear.
In addition to directives, the Lord provides precepts to guide us in our walk. These precepts (think the book of Proverbs) enable us to learn and grow into spiritual maturity. It’s a lot like a pianist learning a piece of music. The more he practices, the more he grows in his confidence and ability to play the score of music. This then enables him to perform with both skill and freedom. The pianist reaches a point where he is not focused on what to do and is free to play and enjoy the music. It’s the same for us as we learn to make decisions. The better acquainted we are with the directives and precepts of Christ, the more freedom and enjoyment we will have in making decisions.
Not Alone
In all of this though, we are not alone. Jesus is right here with us along the way. He has given the Holy Spirit to dwell within us and the Law of God has been written on our hearts. Our God wants us to make good decisions as we grow into a mature faith of humble dependence.
Seven Questions to Ask Yourself
Taken from 1 Corinthians
- Is it lawful?
- Is it beneficial?
- Will it be enslaving?
- Is it consistent with the Lordship of Christ?
- Will this be helpful to others?
- Is this consistent with Biblical examples?
- Is this consistent with the promotion of the glory of God?