(My appreciation for our late brother Dayton Keesee and his work on this subject)

The will of God can be expressed in at least three ways:

#1 God’s Ideal Will (His Plan for us) – He has taught us this in many ways. A few are:

• The ten commandments – These embody the regard he wants us to have for him and for one another.
• God said through Micah (6:6-8) that he doesn’t want animal sacrifices, but rather for us to do justice to one another, love kindness and walk humbly with him.
• 2nd Peter 3:9 teaches that God holds back the judgment because he does not want anyone to perish, but for all to come to repentance.

#2 God’s Allowed Will (His Permission)

Perhaps his allowed will is best seen through Jesus’ parable of the prodigal son. The boy’s father allowed him to behave foolishly. He provided the wealth perhaps knowing that the boy would squander all of it irresponsibly, which of course he did. When his son came to his senses, however, he was welcomed back home as one alive from the dead (Luke 15:11-32).

Isaiah said we all are like straying sheep turning to go our own way (53:6). Peter echoes the same saying, “For you were continually straying like sheep, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Guardian of your souls” (1st Peter 2:25).

God wills that we each have our own free will as well as the room to use it….. even to rebel against him! Even then, he provides a way for us to return home to a loving welcome but will always allow us to choose to be apart from him forever. Yes, he allows us to choose.

#3 God’s Ultimate Will (His Power) – In other words, in the end we will all eventually be

judged according to God’s standard of righteousness.

Like Solomon wrote 3,000 years ago, “The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: fear God and keep his commandments, because this applies to every person. For God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil”, Ecclesiastes 12:13-14