Further definition of God’s will Cont’

But when his brothers came to him with fear, Joseph said: “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today,” (Genesis 50:20). Joseph’s brothers, Potiphar’s wife and the cupbearer made bad choices, but God used it for good.

Now, because God’s sovereign will is mostly secret, it usually won’t influence our decisions. However, it does show us that, ultimately, we are not in control. Our choices do have an impact and we carry a responsibility for them, but God is the one who, through our good or bad choices has overall control. We are not in the hands of man; we are in the hands of a good and caring God who is working everything for the good of those who love Him (Romans 8:28).
God’s Moral Will

• “But if you call yourself a Jew and rely on the law and boast in God and know His will and approve what is excellent, because you are instructed from the law.” (Romans 2:17-18).

• “For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honour, not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God; that no one transgress and wrong his brother in this matter, because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as we told you beforehand and solemnly warned you.” (1 Thessalonians 4:3-6).
• “Whoever does the will of God abides forever,” (1 John 2:17).
• “Do not kill the innocent,” (Exodus 23:7).
• “The secret things belong to the Lord, our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law,” (Deuteronomy 29:29).

These verses show God’s moral will, which is God’s revealed commands in the Bible that teach how men ought to believe and live (Romans 2:18; 1 Thessalonians 4:3; 5:18; 2 Corinthians 6:14; plus all other direct commands in Scripture). Where God has spoken in the Bible, the believer must obey.

In contrast with God’s sovereign will, the moral will of God is fully revealed in the Bible. It is not secret, and we humans often fail to keep it; moreover, we can choose to disobey Him. God’s sovereign will is done whether we believe in it or not. With God’s moral will, we can fail to do and thus plays a larger role in our decision-making. We can choose to be honest or dishonest, look at other people with love or with lust, be humble or proud, be diligent or lazy, be content or greedy, and so on. There are consequences for our moral choices.