Lesson Eight: FREE WILL, LOVE, AND DIVINE PROVIDENCE
Introduction: God is omnipotent and Sovereign. This week, we are studying that while in His omnipotence and Sovereignity, He does not determine everything. There are things He cannot and will not do given the nature of His character. In addition, divine providence can transform a terrible situation into a blessing.
Memory Text: John 16:33 (NKJV)
These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”
SABBATH; How we think about God’s actions in the world makes a huge difference in how we relate to God, how we relate to others and how we think about the problem of evil. In contrast to the theology that points to God as One who determines human desires and all events including the salvation of individuals to happen just as they do, God instead grants human beings free will even to the point where they can choose to act directly against His will. However much sin came about by the misuse of free will, the plan of salvation was made to remedy this tragedy.
SUNDAY; Some people believe that everything happens the exact way that God wants it to happen and that God gets exactly what He wants. However, Scripture shows us that God has unfulfilled desires as well, in that some things happen contrary to what God actually prefers to happen. Furthermore, His people(Israel) did not heed His calling, which is opposite to what He had willed and wanted for them, and they chose another outcome, which made God lament over them.
(READ Psalms 81:11-14; Isaiah 30:15,18; 66:4; Luke 13:34)
MONDAY; The Almighty God is all-powerful, and we see this made manifest through miracles in the Scriptures. He sustains the world by His power. This power is to do anything that does not contradict His nature. His nature involves His love to redeem His own, and this is why He could not deliver Jesus Christ from the suffering on the Cross despite His request in Matthew 26:39.
(READ Revelation 11:17; Jeremiah 32:17-20; Luke 1:37; Matthew 19:26; 26:39 ;30 Hebrews 1:3)
TUESDAY: God cannot make anyone decide to love Him however much He wants everyone to love Him, for love springs from free will to do so. God does not lie, and that is why He does that which He says He will do. In addition, God gives us the freedom to choose and what we choose isn’t up to Him. Furthermore, people make choices that go against God and that is why many things happen the way God doesn’t want. However, God would like us to choose to obey Him out of free choice.
(READ Matthew 22:37; Deuteronomy 6:4&5; Hebrews 6:17&18; Titus 1:2)
WEDNESDAY; God does not decide on any plans entirely on His own, but rather, He takes into account the fact that human beings have the chance to choose. In addition, God transforms a situation that is against His moral will into something that is aligned with His moral desire.
(READ Ephesians 1:9-11; Romans 8:29&30; Luke 7:30)
THURSDAY; Some occurrences happen because they are caused by God, but other occurrences are the result of the free decisions of creatures. Therefore, many things happen that God does not want to happen. God does not delight in suffering. Instead, He encourages you and me to hold onto the hope that He overcame the world that we may be able to overcome during trials and tribulations in this world. We suffer, not because God wants us to, but because of the great controversy. In addition, God can bring good out of evil times with the intention of drawing us closer to Him as He enables us to share the love with others.
(READ John 16:33)
FRIDAY; God did not ordain that sin should exist, but He foresaw its existence and made provision to meet the terrible emergency. So great news was His love for the world, that He covenanted to give His only Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
(READ “‘God With Us” pages 19-26, in the Desire of Ages by Ellen G White)
CAPTIONS:
SUNDAY; Our Sovereign God
MONDAY; Pantokrator
TUESDAY; To love God
WEDNESDAY; God’s ideal and remedial wills
THURSDAY; Christ has overcome the world
FRIDAY; Further thought
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS;
- What have you done that you knew God didn’t want you to do? What does this teach you about the reality and possible frightful consequences of free will?
- Often we lament the evil and suffering in this world, but how often do you take time to ponder that God Himself laments and is grieved by suffering and evil? What difference does it make to your understanding of evil and suffering when you recognise that God Himself suffers because of evil?
- How does this truth- that many things happen in this world that God does not help you deal with your own suffering, especially when it doesn’t make sense and seems to lead to no good at all?
