InstaStudy

Understanding the Counsel of His Own Will

This study explores the profound and unchanging purpose of God, examining how His singular will is established, revealed through Jesus Christ, empowered by His Spirit, and how believers are called to align with His divine plan.

1. The Unchanging Counsel of the One God

1.1 God's Singular Nature and Purpose

Verses: Isaiah 45:5-6; Deuteronomy 6:4; Ephesians 1:11
  • God is one, and His will is singular, not divided.
  • His counsel is not subject to external influence or change.
  • He works all things according to His own purpose and design.

1.2 The Sovereignty of His Will

Verses: Psalm 33:10-11; Proverbs 19:21; Daniel 4:35
  • No one can thwart God's plans or alter His intentions.
  • His counsel stands forever, from generation to generation.
  • He does as He pleases in heaven and on earth, with absolute authority.

1.3 Foreknowledge and Predestination

Verses: Romans 8:29-30; Ephesians 1:4-5; Acts 2:23
  • God's plan was established before the creation of the world.
  • He chose us in Christ before the foundation of the world, according to His will.
  • His counsel includes the foreordained events of salvation and human history.

2. Jesus Christ: The Embodiment of God's Counsel

2.1 The Fullness of God in Christ

Verses: Colossians 2:9; John 1:1-3; John 14:9
  • In Jesus dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.
  • He is the Word through whom all things were made, the active expression of God.
  • To see Jesus is to see the Father, as He fully reveals God's nature and will.

2.2 The Counsel of Redemption Revealed

Verses: Ephesians 1:7-10; 1 Peter 1:18-20; Hebrews 1:1-3
  • God's will for salvation and reconciliation is made known through Christ.
  • Christ's sacrifice was part of God's predetermined plan before time began.
  • He is the express image of God's person, perfectly executing His redemptive counsel.

2.3 Christ as the Executor of God's Will

Verses: John 6:38; John 5:30; Philippians 2:5-8
  • Jesus came not to do His own will, but the will of Him who sent Him.
  • He perfectly fulfilled the Father's counsel through His life, death, and resurrection.
  • His obedience was central to God's plan for humanity's salvation and restoration.

3. The Holy Spirit: The Power of God's Counsel at Work

3.1 The Spirit as God's Presence

Verses: Acts 2:38; Joel 2:28-29; 1 Corinthians 2:10-11
  • The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God Himself, actively present among believers.
  • He reveals the deep things of God, making His counsel understandable.
  • He is poured out on all flesh according to God's promise, empowering His people.

3.2 Guided by the Spirit into God's Will

Verses: Romans 8:14; Galatians 5:16; John 16:13
  • Those who are led by the Spirit are children of God, following His divine leading.
  • The Spirit guides us into all truth, aligning our understanding with God's counsel.
  • Walking in the Spirit enables us to fulfill God's righteous requirements and purposes.

3.3 Empowered for God's Purpose

Verses: Acts 1:8; 1 Corinthians 12:4-6; Ephesians 3:16
  • The Spirit gives power to be witnesses and carry out God's mission.
  • There is one Spirit, one Lord, one God working all in all, distributing gifts as He wills.
  • We are strengthened by His Spirit in the inner man to live according to His counsel.

4. Living in Alignment with God's Counsel

4.1 Understanding God's Will

Verses: Romans 12:2; Ephesians 5:17; Colossians 1:9
  • Be transformed by the renewing of your mind to discern God's good, acceptable, and perfect will.
  • Understand what the will of the Lord is, seeking His wisdom in all things.
  • Be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding.

4.2 Obedience to His Counsel

Verses: Matthew 7:21; Hebrews 10:7; 1 John 2:17
  • Not everyone who says 'Lord, Lord' will enter the kingdom, but he who does the will of the Father.
  • Christ came to do God's will, and we are called to follow His example of obedience.
  • Doing God's will abides forever, leading to eternal life and purpose.

4.3 Trusting in His Sovereign Plan

Verses: Jeremiah 29:11; Proverbs 3:5-6; Philippians 1:6
  • God has plans for our welfare and a future full of hope, not for evil.
  • Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.
  • He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.