will 1 (w
l)
n.1. a. The mental faculty by which one deliberately chooses or decides upon a course of action: championed freedom of will against a doctrine of predetermination.
b. The act of exercising the will.
2. a. Diligent purposefulness; determination: an athlete with the will to win.
b. Self-control; self-discipline: lacked the will to overcome the addiction.
3. A desire, purpose, or determination, especially of one in authority: It is the sovereign's will that the prisoner be spared.
4. Deliberate intention or wish: Let it be known that I took this course of action against my will.
5. Free discretion; inclination or pleasure: wandered about, guided only by will.
6. Bearing or attitude toward others; disposition: full of good will.
7. a. A legal declaration of how a person wishes his or her possessions to be disposed of after death.
b. A legally executed document containing this declaration.
Matthew 23:37 Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often
I WANTED to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and
YOU WERE UNWILLING
Christ wanted (by definition of will...desired or wished) something...but gasp...they were unwilling.
Wow! Christ took the "unorthodox position" and was not a calvinist after all!
A poor understanding of scripture, which leads to a poor view of God.
I went over part of this last week. Matthew 23:37 and Luke 13:34 are just part of the picture. The full picture you keep wanting to deny. WHY?
Lets try this again. We will take it very slow this time.
Lets quote a few verses that YOU admit is in the Bible...
1) O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!
OK..now lets qoute a few verses that you seem to deny or at least will not address.
1) Hebrews 1:3
He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he
upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,
2) Job 38:11
and said, '
Thus far shall you come, and no farther,
and here shall your proud waves be stayed'?
3) Isaiah 46:10
declaring the end from the beginning
and from ancient times things not yet done,
saying, '
My counsel shall stand,
and I will accomplish all my purpose,'
4) Isaiah 46:11
calling a bird of prey from the east,
the man of my counsel from a far country.
I
have spoken, and I will bring it to pass;
I have purposed, and I will do it.
5) Psalm 135:6
Whatever the LORD pleases, he does,
in heaven and on earth,
in the seas and all deeps.
6) Matthew 10:29-31
Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of them
will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not, therefore; y
ou are of more value than many sparrows.
7)Ephesians 1:11
In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him
who works all things according to the counsel of his will,
8) Romans 4:19-21
He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was(A) as good as dead since he was about a hundred years old, or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah’s womb. No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that
God was able to do what he had promised.
9) Isaiah 55:11
so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;
it shall not return to me empty,
but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,
and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.
Ok...now lets look at some verses that have both ideas in them...
RED = Planned and willed by God.
Blue = Man seems to have willed it.
1) Acts 2:23
this Jesus, delivered up
according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God,
you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men.
2) Proverbs 16:33
The lot is cast into the lap,
but its every decision is from the LORD.
************************
So what is going on here? Who's will is coming about?
Lets look at a few more verses that shows bad things happen and these bad things are GODS will.
NOTE: Please notice that God WILL save them, but WILL NOT save them from war.
1) Hosea 1:7
But I will have mercy on the house of Judah,
and I will save them by the LORD their God.
I will not save them by bow or by sword or by war or by horses or by horsemen."
NOTE: Please notice God sends Assyria a ungodly people to fight seize and kill HIS PEOPLE. but God will judge the Assyrian for going...
2) Isa 10
5Ah, Assyria, the rod of my anger;
the staff in their hands is my fury!
6
Against a godless nation I send him,
and against the people of my wrath I command him,
to take spoil and seize plunder,
and to tread them down like the mire of the streets.
7But he does not so intend,
and his heart does not so think;
but it is in his heart to destroy,
and to cut off nations not a few;
8for he says: "Are not my commanders all kings? 9 Is not Calno like Carchemish?
Is not Hamath like Arpad?
Is not Samaria like Damascus?
10As my hand has reached to the kingdoms of the idols,
whose carved images were greater than those of Jerusalem and Samaria,
11shall I not do to Jerusalem and her idols
as I have done to Samaria and her images?"
12
When the Lord has finished all his work on Mount Zion and on Jerusalem, he will punish the speech of the arrogant heart of the king of Assyria and the boastful look in his eyes.
************
So how are we to understand both sides of this?
You have you verse...and then we have tons of other verses that seem to say something else. But we both know that they do not.
Now I tried to have you look at this last week. I gave this quote by Storms..
Though he hates sin in itself, yet he may will to permit it, for the greater promotion of holiness in this universality, including all things, and at all times. So, though he has no inclination to a creature’s misery, considered absolutely, yet he may will it, for the greater promotion of happiness in this universality. God inclines to excellency, which is harmony, but yet he may incline to suffer that which is unharmonious in itself, for the promotion of universal harmony, or for the promoting of the harmony that there is in the universality, and making it shine the brighter
also I have posted 3 times this...
a) Does man have the power in bring about his will in all things?
b) Does God have the power to bring about His will in all things?
And no one wants to address it. Why dodge it?