When faced with literally dozens of decisions each day, the Christian can be overwhelmed by both the number of choices available to us and the tension between gratifying our desires and walking the narrow path set before us by Christ.The real conundrum for many Christians is the problem of deciding between two or more "good" things. With finite resources and time, we are constrained to make our "best judgment", yet it seems we have very few guidelines to go by. Do we go with our "gut"? Do we follow tradition, or the confines of what is "normal"? What exactly defines a "prudent" decision? Can we consider our personal preferences?
When making important life altering decisions, what does the Bible say we should do? Let's start with covering what the Bible does not say about decision making.
Decision Making: What the Bible Does NOT Teach
The Bible does not teach guidance from a feeling (“I felt led”)
- No instance taught from Scripture to make personal decisions
- “Led by the Spirit” refers to the Spirit's work of conviction of sin and the leading a Christian into righteous living – and resisting sinful impulses. See Romans 8:12-14 & Galatians 5:16-21.
- Jesus was “impelled” by the Spirit into the wilderness – not a good model for decision making.
- “Felt Led” approach leads to contradictions, shifting directions, and often contradicts Scripture.
- Colossians 3:15 often used to justify this approach “Let the Peace of Christ rule in your hearts”.
- In context, this peace means harmony between believers, based on love and forgiveness.
- This is not a decision making model
- Sometimes major decisions – even the right ones – cause emotional distress
- Sometimes you have peace about the wrong thing – even when contradicting Scripture
- Paul often chose not to go through “open doors”. See 2 Corinthians 2:12-13, Acts 16.26-28
- Not a good decision model -- a door may suddenly close, leaving you to reconsider your decision, or may open after persistent prayer or much later in life.
- Often doing the right thing creates obstacles, hardships, and “closed doors”. (Paul's decision to go to Jerusalem and Rome involved years of prison, shipwreck, and his death).
- The pharisee's requested a sign from Jesus (He condemned them for this – Matthew 16:4)
- Gideon's fleece (Judges 6-7) only came after the Angel of the Lord appeared (Judges 6:11,12)
- Not a good decision model -
- Gideon's request was based on doubt and disbelief
- Asking God for specific signs imposes your desires and ideas on God
- Providential signs not taught anywhere in the New Testament for Christians
- Matthew 18:15-16, 2 Corinthians 13:1-2, 1 Timothy 5:19-20 and Hebrews 10:28 refer to testimony of witnesses in a judicial action; the discipline of members of the church.
- This does not refer to “divine hints” or coincidences that God plants in your path to confirm a decision you may have already made.
- These are rare situations, and not always sought by the individual trying to make a decision.
- It is an intrusion of God, a supernatural event
- The guidance often goes against human wisdom (Gideon's army of 300)
Other misconceptions about God's Will for our lives
That was not His purpose in giving us free will. He has given us freedom within boundaries to make decisions – we are not required to “discover” His secret plan for our lives.
What about the saying on thousands of picture frames and posters that God has 'plans' for us? This is misrepresented most of the time. Look at the passage in context:
Jeremiah 29:10-12 This is what the Lord says: “When
seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and
fulfill my good promise to bring you back to this place. For I know
the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper
you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then
you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.
It is addressed to the entire Jewish nation, not individually, and it is not about their individual decision making – the Jews were forcefully removed from their homeland by a conquering army and God is fulfilling prophecy and His righteous punishment of the Jews for failing to give the land a sabbath. While Israel was captive in Babylon the Land observed its Sabbaths.
2 Chronicles 36:20-22 He
(Nebuchadnezzar) carried into exile to Babylon the remnant, who
escaped from the sword, and they became servants to him and his
successors until the kingdom of Persia came to power. The land
enjoyed its sabbath rests; all the time of its desolation it rested,
until the seventy years were completed in fulfillment of the word of
the Lord spoken by Jeremiah.
Defining God's Will
Having swept away common misconceptions and false teachings about God's Will for our lives, now let us paint the target so that we know what to aim for. There are two
forms of “God's Will” we must define:
God's Sovereign Will – A Decree that must happen.
God's Sovereign Will – A Decree that must happen.
- Daniel 4:35
- Ephesians 1:11
- God has not revealed all things in His Sovereign Will....yet Deuteronomy 29:29
God's Moral Will – What God
desires, but will not force on us...
- 2 Peter 3:9 Not willing that any should perish
- I Thess 4:3 The Will of God is your sanctification
- 1 Peter 2:15 The Will of God is that by doing right you silence foolish men...
- 1 Thess 5:18 … give thanks in all circumstances for this is the Will of God
Note these verses apply to everyone not to specific individuals
God's Moral Will is completely revealed
in the Bible. The Gospel shows how the righteous are to live:
Romans 1:16-18 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed —a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”
God's Will for you is not about what you DO. God's Will for you is about WHO YOU ARE.
- It's not who you will marry, but what kind of husband or wife you will be
- It's not about where you live but what kind of neighbor you are
- It's not about what job you take but what kind of worker you are
- It's not about what ministry you are in, but that you serve faithfully
God's Will is that we be conformed to the image of Christ:
- Romans 8:29 ...predestined us to be conformed to the image of His Son
- 2 Thess 3:5 may the Lord direct your hearts into God's love and Christ's perseverance
- Romans 12:2 ...not be conformed by this world but be transformed...proving the Will of Go
Do we have to discover a specific plan
for our lives from signs and confirmations in order to make good
decisions for our lives? No.
- God doesn't make decisions for us
- He gave us a mind and the capacity to seek wisdom
- He gave us others in the Church to counsel us
- He gave us the Scriptures to determine what is righteous
The Wisdom Model for Decision Making
Decisions should be made within three
domains:
- God's Moral Will
- God's Revealed Wisdom
- Personal Factors
By applying these
constraints/guidelines to your decisions, you will be expressing your
Free Will with God's consent and blessing.
God's Moral Will
Apply God's
standard to all decisions. Ask yourself, “is this moral?” and
“is this scriptural?”.
- Diligent study of the Bible 1 Timothy 4:3, 2 Timothy 2:15
- Consider God's teaching 2 Timothy 2:7
- Memorization of Scripture Psalms 119:11
- Listen to teachers Ephesians 4:11-12
God's Moral Will extends not only to the decisions themselves, but your motives. If your decision positively enforces God's Moral Will, or there is no constraint or conflict with God's Moral Will, then you are free to choose or decide with God's permissive Will.
God's Revealed Wisdom
Decisions
need to apply common sense, good information, wisdom, and knowledge.
The right use of knowledge is endorsed in Ephesians 5:15 and
Colossians 4:5. Where do we find wisdom?
- Prayer is a source James 1:5
- Counsel from Godly people Proverbs 1:7; 10:31; 19:20; Psalm 37:30
- Counsel from experienced people Job 12:12; Proverbs 2:2
- Research and effort to discover truth Proverbs 4:7
- Does not contradict God's Moral Will Psalm 111:10; Proverbs 9:10;
- Wisdom does not normally originate from our culture. 1 Corinthians 3:19
Personal Factors
- Personal gifts, skills, abilities and talents might shape your decision for a career or ministry.
- Decisions about marriage and friends directed by personal tastes, areas of interest, availability.
- Our attitudes and desires
- Personal circumstances (some not voluntary) may shape choices.
God doesn't decide for us. He hasn't
“Decided” everything for you already and it's your job to figure out what that decision was.
In submission to God's Moral Will, and
applying Wisdom, kindness and common sense along with our desires and personal
tastes, we are free to make decisions with a sense of peace and
confidence. Within these boundaries, any decision we make is
acceptable to God. As circumstances change, we are free to adapt our
decisions (within the boundaries still!) and can do so without
offending God or taking His Name in vain. We are free moral agents destined to
become judges of the Earth. As such, God welcomes us to choose, for
we are Free in Christ!
_____________________
With gratitude to Greg Koukl and Stand to Reasons ministries... Koukl, G. (2023). Decision Making and the Will of God: The Biblical Model. (Stand to Reason Ministries www.str.org) which was heavily referenced in the making of this post.
Scripture citations are from: Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB) © 2009 Holman Bible Publishers, Nashville TN or New King James Version®. (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson
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