THE FOURFOLD WILL OF THE SOVEREIGN GOD (Part Two)

By Bob Myhan

God’s “ideal will” is His desire that no human being ever sin. Since this is His desire, He has commanded man not to sin. He commanded Adam not to eat “of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden” (Gen. 2:17; 3:3). We necessarily infer from this that it was God’s “ideal will” that Adam not eat the fruit of that tree.

GOD'S INCIDENTAL WILL

This is what God allows to occur, as inci­dental to His “ideal will.” By giving man a free will (the ability to think and act con­trary to His “ideal” will), God made it pos­sible for man to sin. Thus, God is willing for every man to sin, though He does not de­sire that any man sin. It grieves God when man persists in sinning.

Then the Lord saw that the wicked­ness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And the Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. (Gen. 6:5-6)

Man is free to sin or not, as he chooses, but God does not want man to sin and, so, He commands man not to sin. To deny that man is free to sin, in this sense, is to deny the free moral agency of man. To deny the free moral agency of man is to imply that God created a being that cannot help sin­ning. If God created man so that he cannot help sinning, God is unjust in holding man accountable for sin and His “ideal” will is unrealistic.

God also allows man to suffer physically, psychologically and emotionally. The Bible reveals that suffering is the conse­quence of man’s sin.

To the woman He said: "I will greatly multiply your sorrow and your concep­tion; In pain you shall bring forth chil­dren; Your desire shall be for your hus­band, And he shall rule over you."

Then to Adam He said, "Because you have heeded the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree of which I com­manded you, saying, 'You shall not eat of it': "Cursed is the ground for your sake; In toil you shall eat of it All the days of your life. Both thorns and this­tles it shall bring forth for you, And you shall eat the herb of the field. In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread Till you return to the ground, For out of it you were taken; For dust you are, And to dust you shall return." (Gen. 6:5-6)

Why does God permit such tragedies as traffic accidents and birth defects? He per­mits such for man’s spiritual benefit.

It is good for me that I have been afflicted, That I may learn Your statutes. (Ps. 119:71)

My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. (James 1:2-4)

In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revela­tion of Jesus Christ, whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, receiv­ing the end of your faith--the salvation of your souls. (1 Peter 1:6-9)

Of course, God comforts us in all of our troubles.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. (2 Cor. 1:3-4)

It is not God’s desire for mankind to live on the earth forever. He allows adversity in this life so that we will long for a better life in a better place.

The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs--heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together. For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. For we were saved in this hope, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one still hope for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we eagerly wait for it with perseverance. (Rom. 8:16-25)

This longing, coupled with the knowledge of future judgment, gives us incentive for repentance.

Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead." (Acts 17:30-31)

(To be continued)

ACCEPTABLE WORSHIP Vs VAIN WORSHIP

By Clif Dennis

I received a video via e-mail a few days ago from an acquaintance who, knowing that I preach the gospel of Jesus Christ, must have felt that I would appreciate a "cool new way to worship God" as the video was described. It was a production of music and dance which would have done Hollywood proud. The stage lights were darkened and the "worshipers" all wore dark clothing so as not to be seen by the audience. Their hands, the only things that could be seen, were coated with a fluorescent coating of some kind and they used them to act out many different mes­sages of a "spiritual" song which was be­ing played and sung in the background. It was worthy of applause and the audience was sufficiently entertained to the extent that there was continual outbursts of handclapping and loud voice approval of the performance.

No doubt the performers and the audi­ence were very sincere in their "cool" wor­shipping of God. I am not questioning their sincerity. They displayed a zeal for God. Sadly, their zeal was not according to knowledge. See Romans 10:2-3.

There are those today who will trivialize worship simply because of not rightly di­viding the Scriptures and will mix Old Tes­tament Law, which was never intended for Christian worship, with New Testament Law, which is the ONLY law which applies to Christian worship.

Some say that we must keep the Sab­bath and observe the Ten Commandments. NOT SO! Colossians 2:14, 16.

The Law of Moses contained items of worship, which were pleasing to God at that time, but which if engaged in under the Law of Christ would be sinful.

One example is the use of instruments of music. "And he {Hezekiah} set the Le­vites in the house of Jehovah with cymbals, with psalteries, and with harps, according to the commandment of David, and of Gad the king's seer, and of Nathan the prophet, for the commandment was of Jehovah by His prophets." (2 Chronicles 29:25)

We know that Old Testament services in­cluded all of these musical instruments (Psalms 33:2; 43:4; 71:22). It also in­cluded burnt offerings of bulls and rams and he goats (Leviticus 16:1-19) and clouds of "sweet incense" (Leviticus 16:12-13; Exodus 30:7; Deuteronomy 33:10) dancing (2 Samuel 6:14; Psalms 150:4) and handclapping and shouting (Psalms 47:1).

If we rightly divide the Scriptures, we un­derstand the entire Old Testament worship service was wiped out and nailed to the cross (Ephesians 2:5-16; Colossians 2:14-16). True Christian worship today will in­clude singing, the "fruit of the lips" (Hebrews 13:15; Romans 15:9; 1 Co­rinthians 14:15). It also includes playing, but not with mechanical instruments, but the melody is figuratively, made with the human heart, "making melody with your heart to the Lord" (Ephesians 5:19). True Christian worship will include praying (1 Thessalonians 5:17), and worship accept­able to God will include the Lord's Supper (Acts 20:7) There is to be a free will col­lection (no tithing) 1 Corinthians 16:1-2).

When any of the Old Testament worship items are brought into Christian worship, it becomes unacceptable to God. The things listed as pleasing to God under the Law of Moses, if brought into the Law of Christ are unacceptable to God, and are therefore sin­ful.

Notice In 2 Chronicles 29:25, quoted above, that the commandment for the in­struments was "of Jehovah by His proph­ets". God revealed to the apostles in the New Testament all of His pattern for true Christian worship and not one hint of a mechanical instrument of music is written. Therefore, any use of them are additions to the word and is not tolerated by God and whoever does so is engaging in vain worship and will be accountable in judgment. Worshippers of God in this age are commanded not to "think beyond what is written" (1 Corinthians 4:6). & (The Reminder, Vol. 5, No. 5)