Be Aware of God's Characteristics

Without full awareness of the characteristics used to define the will of God, men cannot hope to accurately grasp the spiritual perspective of Holy Scriptures? Although bible content comes by the pen of man's hand, the concepts behind that content, the thoughts, the intents, and the purposes of the bible messages reflect the mind of God the Holy Spirit. To understand Scripture you must have the ability to grasp God's will in all variations of classification.

To rightly apply meaning to Holy Text, practice the following four methods of discernment:

1. Always work with a full view of the surrounding content
2. Understand that God's word is balanced within itself by checks and counterchecks
3. Qualify phrases and words via plain old common sense followed by the standard practice of rightly applied grammar
4. Examine all Scripture through the applied bible-revealed character of God.

Avoid Pulling Scripture Out of Context

Every teacher, preacher, leader or even layperson has at some time in life applied a wrong meaning to bible text. Pulling Scripture out of context is easy. Sometimes we do it because we believe certain words to be totally self-sustaining. Sometimes we strip away context merely because we think the reader or hearer already knows and understands the framework from which we teach. And there are some who deliberately strip away context so as to promote false doctrine.

We also tend to speak in brief, assuming that our reader or listener doesn't want the full disclosure. Although fully capable, in our own mind, of expanding the text as necessary, we fear that our audience doesn't want to take learning to such a deep level. Simplicity is sometimes a virtue and sometimes a curse.

Qualify the Text

In order to modify, limit or enhance a word or phrase, we apply qualifiers. This merely means that we include a word or phrase that clarifies the correct usage of our text. For example:

They say math is an exact science. Thus if I say to you "Two plus two equals four," you assume that I am speaking a particular class of objects or people. For obviously two apples plus two oranges equals neither four apples nor four oranges. Thus if speaking of two apples and two oranges, I must qualify my statement by somehow making sure that you know my thoughts concern fruit rather than types of fruit. Therefore "Two apples plus two oranges equal four fruits." Without the qualifier, the statement "Two plus two equals four," may or may not be true.

Some may say that too many qualifiers give to your audience the impression that you are unsure of your facts. Be this as it may be, understand one point: When seeking right understanding of Holy Scripture, qualify the words as well as the phrases. After all, if academic writers think it necessary to clearly define those points that support their claims, should not Christian writers and speakers do the same?

Characteristics That Define the Will of God

 

As to understanding which aspect of God's will should be applied to a given bible text, we must grasp the full nature of God's will. This comes in three characteristics:

1) Authoritative Will of God

This aspect of God's will refers to God's declared and irresistible voice of decision and command. This is reflected in the book of Genesis when God commanded and creation followed. It is also reflected in the book of Jonah when God forcibly moved the unwilling prophet to preach to the people of Nineveh. God's Authoritative Will can and does override the free will of man.

2) Preceptive Will of God

The character of God includes an expectation or will that mankind submit to certain legal requirements. Whether dealing man to man or man to God, the Creator has established certain laws that clearly define His will in these matters. This Preceptive Will involves those things that God disallows as well as those things that God permits and expects. Unlike the Authoritative Will of God, God's Preceptive Will does not override the free will of man – although eventual judgment will eventually accompany man's failure to submit to the Preceptive Will of God.

3) Dispositional Will of God

In this final aspect concern God, His will, and His relationship with man, we speak of a Dispositional Will or an Emotional Will. In His Dispositional Will, God desires that His creation be pleasing to Himself and to others. In 1-Kings 3:5-10, King Solomon requests that God give him wisdom. The Scripture says that, "…the speech pleased the Lord that Solomon had asked this thing." Therein we see that when men act according to God's Dispositional Will, our Creator responds with blessings and honor.