In this post, we will explore the preceptive will of God. This refers to God’s commands which are also known as His precepts. For some, God’s “revealed” will may be a more familiar term. God’s revealed will comes to us in the form of the Scriptures. Therefore, God’s revealed will can be found within the pages of Scripture.
God’s revealed will includes His revelation given to the writers of the Old and New Testaments. This also includes God’s moral and ethical demands known as His commandments. This does not simply refer to the 10 Commandments found in Exodus 20, but to all of God’s moral and ethical requirements found within the Scriptures. This includes God’s Law, commands, statutes, precepts, and the commands to be godly, pursue holiness, and to have a right moral and ethical character.
Again, using Deuteronomy 29:29 as a launch pad, “The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.” This verse states that God does reveal information to His children. Why? In order that His children may obey all the words of Scripture.
Also, this is such a beautiful verse that encapsulates both the decretive will of God and the revealed will of God. Let us look at some examples found int the Scriptures that refer to the revealed will of God.
Matthew 7:21 - Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven,
but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.
Ephesians 5:17 - Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is.
1 Thessalonians 4:3 - For this is the will of God, your sanctification...
1 Thessalonians 5:18 - give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
1 Timothy 6:11 - ...Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness.
2 Peter 1:5-11 - For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins.
Therefore, my brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
1 John 5:14 - This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.
Colossians 1:9-10 - For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God;
These are just a few of the many verses that speak to God’s revealed will and His commands to pursue holiness. When it comes to making decisions, following the guidance of the Scriptures are obviously the most beneficial. Psalm 37:4 says, “delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart.” Proverbs 16:3 says, “Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established.” In other words, these verses are telling us to do whatever we want. But this comes with two conditions which we will discuss in the next post.
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