Why Must We Accept the Will of God?
Introduction
A. The Necessity of Submission In this study, we explore the fundamental call to accept the will of God, regardless of the circumstances. Acceptance is not merely a passive endurance; it is an active, faithful response to His sovereignty, even when His plans seem difficult, painful, or impossible to understand through human logic.
B. The Heritage of Faith Throughout the Holy Scriptures, we find a "cloud of witnesses" who accepted God's will despite suffering, loss, or the threat of death. They did not view their trials as reasons to abandon God; rather, they saw them as opportunities for their faith to be refined and their eternal rewards to be secured.
C. Our Current Conviction Today, we need those same convictions. We live in a world that promotes self-will and personal comfort, yet the Christian is called to a faith that does not negotiate with divine decrees.
Proposition: We must accept the will of God because He is Sovereign, He is Good, and His will is Perfect.
I. Biblical Examples of Submission to the Divine Will
Doctrine is best understood when illustrated by those who lived it. Let us examine the giants of faith who chose God's way over their own.
A. Abraham: Obedience Without Destination
• Genesis 12:1-4; Hebrews 11:8: Abraham was commanded to leave his land, his relatives, and his security. He obeyed and went out, even though he did not know where he was going.
• Doctrinal Teaching: True faith obeys even when the destination is hidden.
B. Job: Acceptance in the Midst of Suffering
• Job 1:21; 2:10: In a single day, Job lost his wealth and his children, and soon after, his health. Yet he declared: "The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised." He refused to charge God with wrongdoing.
• Doctrinal Teaching: God is sovereign even in our pain. Our trials do not cancel out His goodness.
C. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego: Fidelity Unto Death
• Daniel 3:15-18: Facing a fiery furnace, these three men chose the possibility of death over the certainty of idolatry. Their conviction was: "But even if he does not [deliver us], we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods."
• Doctrinal Teaching: The will of God is more precious than the preservation of physical life.
D. Jesucristo: The Supreme Example of Submission
• Matthew 26:38-39; Philippians 2:8: In the Garden of Gethsemane, faced with the weight of the cross, Jesus prayed: "Not as I will, but as you will." * Doctrinal Teaching: Our salvation was only made possible because Christ accepted the Father's will over His own human desire to avoid the cup of suffering.
E. Peter, John, and Stephen: Obedience and Martyrdom
• Acts 4:18-19; 5:29; 7:54-60: The Apostles declared that it is necessary to obey God rather than men. Stephen, the first martyr, accepted a violent death while fixing his eyes on the glory of God.
• Doctrinal Teaching: Accepting God's will may cost us our status or our lives in this world, but it secures our place in the next (Galatians 1:10).
F. Paul: Accepting the "No"
• 2 Corinthians 12:7-9: Paul pleaded three times for his "thorn in the flesh" to be removed. God’s answer was not healing, but a promise: "My grace is sufficient for you." Paul accepted this, boasting in his weakness so that Christ's power might rest on him.
II. What Does it Mean to Accept God's Will Today?
Accepting His will is not just about enduring tragedy; it is about active obedience to His revealed Word in our daily lives.
1. Accepting Divine Discipline: Hebrews 12:5-7 reminds us that discipline is proof that we are God’s children. To resist His correction is to fight against our own spiritual growth (Acts 5:38-39).
2. Sovereignty of the Word: We must receive the Bible not as the words of men, but as the actual Word of God (1 Thessalonians 2:13). Accepting His will means total submission to Scripture.
3. The Living Sacrifice: Romans 12:1 calls us to present our bodies as holy and pleasing to God.
◦ Doctrine of Sanctification: Christianity is not just a belief system; it is a life consecrated to His purposes.
4. The Mandate of Forgiveness: Matthew 6:14-15 makes it clear: to refuse to forgive is to reject the will of God.
5. Intercession and Honoring Family: God wills that we pray for all people (1 Timothy 2:3) and that we honor and care for our parents (1 Timothy 5:4).
6. Accepting Loss for Christ’s Sake: Like the believers in Hebrews 10:34, we should accept the "confiscation of our property" or the loss of worldly gain with joy, knowing we have better and lasting possessions in heaven.
III. Why Must We Accept His Will?
1. Because God is Sovereign: He is the Creator; we are the creation. He has the absolute right to rule.
2. Because His Will is Perfect: Romans 12:2 describes His will as "good, pleasing, and perfect." He sees the end from the beginning; we only see a small part of the picture.
3. Because Resistance is Futile and Harmful: To struggle against His will is to fight against the One who loves us most.
4. Because it Glorifies God: Our submission in the dark proves to the world that God is worth more than our comfort.
5. Because it Brings Eternal Reward: Our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.
See Also
- Preaching On John 6:68 To Whom Shall We Go?
- Preaching on Matthew 16:26 What Good Is It to Gain the World and Lose Your Soul?
- Preaching on to Follow Jesus Matthew 16:21–25
Conclusion
Accepting the will of God is the ultimate evidence of true faith. It is easy to say "Thy will be done" when the sun is shining and the path is easy. But the depth of our discipleship is proven when we can say it through tears, through loss, and through "thorns."
God does not promise that His will will always be easy, but He does promise that His grace will be sufficient. Will you stop negotiating with God today and start submitting to Him?
