#1 -- Introduction to Will of God
Ephesians 5:17
Proposition: To introduce the criteria for a Christian to discern the will of God for himself as revealed in Scripture. We will look at two things that God identifies as His will in Scripture and explain how a believer can be living in the will of God.
Introduction
A. What Does a Person Need to Believe to Be Saved?
B. What Do You Know About Salvation?
1. Past Tense Salvation
2. Present Tense Salvation
3.
Future Tense Salvation
C. What Does the Will of God Have to Do with your Salvation?
D. What Is the Will of God?
1. Type One: Desirous Will
2. Type Two: Determinative Will
E. How Can I Know the Will of God?
1. For Myself 2. For My Church
TRANS: A person needs to meet certain qualifications in order to understand what the will of God is.
I. LEARNING THE BASIC QUALIFICATIONS FOR KNOWING
THE WILL OF GOD FOR SPECIFIC THINGS -- THE NECESSITY TO MEET GOD'S REQUIREMENTS
A. Possessing Salvation
B. Living
Spiritual Life (emanating things of the Holy Spirit -- 1 Cor.
C. Knowing Scripture and Its Teaching Concerning the Will of God
D. Practicing the Revealed Will of God
TRANS: Christians need to have a proper relationship to God and must be involved with the manifestation of the life of God in their lives.
II. SLEEPING IN THE CEMETERY WITH THE DEAD WON'T
WORK -- THE NEED TO WAKE UP AND UNDERSTAND THE WILL OF GOD -- Ephesians
A. Wake Up from Your Spiritual Sleep: The Condition of Some Believers in Spiritual Darkness -- Vs. 14
B. Walk Accurately as a Wise Christian: the Care Expected in the Details of Life -- Vs. 15
C. Watch for Opportunities Because the Days Are Evil: The Concern for Living in Evil Days -- Vs. 16
D. Work Your Frame of Mind Instead of Abandoning It: The Control of One's Reflective Thinking -- Vs. 17a
E. Weigh the Contents of the Will of God in Your Life: the Concentration on Understanding the Will of God -- Vs. 17b
TRANS: For one to discern the will of God for his or her life it is important to be practicing the will of God as it is revealed in Scripture.
III. DEVELOPING
A CAPABILITY FOR DISCERNING THE WILL OF GOD FOR ONE'S LIFE -- THE NATURE OF THE
WILL OF GOD DETECTED FROM PRACTICE
A. God Identifies Eleven Things as His Desirous Will
B. The Believer Should Know What They Are
C. The Believer Should Practice What Is Revealed
D. The Believer Is Comfortable with the Revealed Will of God
E. The Believer Is Able to Identify the Will of God Because of Practice
F. God Is Pleased with the Practice of His Will
TRANS: The first two revealed elements of the desirous will of God that we will consider are found in Romans 12:1, 2. The first is basic for the rest that are revealed.
IV. IDENTIFYING TWO ELEMENTS THAT GOD CALLS HIS WILL -- THE NAMING OF TWO ACTIVITIES OF THE BELIEVER AS THE WILL OF GOD -- Romans 12:1, 2
A. The Primary Element of the Will of God -- The Presentation of One's Physical Body as a Living Sacrifice -- Vs. 1
1. The Meaning of "Present": to give someone that which they have purchased
2. The Sacrifice: the Physical Body (a spiritual sacrifice -- 1 Pe. 2:5)
3. The Qualities: Living -- Set Apart -- Well Pleasing to God
4. The Priestly Service: Reasonable = Logical
B. The Second Element Described as the Will of God -- The Transformation by the Renewedness of the Mind -- Vs. 2a
1. Not Conformed to This Age
2. But Transformed by the Renewedness of the Mind
C. The Testing for the Reality or Purity of the Will of God -- Vs. 2b
1. Good
2. Acceptable
3. Perfect or Complete
TRANS: The will of God is clearly given in Scripture. God tells us that certain factors are His will. We have the opportunity to be living in the will of God knowing what these are. As we practice what we know is God's will, it becomes easy to see it in other aspects of our lives.
Conclusion
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© by David K. Spurbeck