Lesson 8.Free Will, Love, and Divine Providence
Free Will, Love, and God’s Work in the World

8.1 Our Sovereign God
God’s Will and Human Decisions

The idea that God, as the sovereign ruler, directly controls everything that happens—whether good or bad—and causes every event to occur exactly as He desires leads to theological challenges. An all-powerful God could theoretically direct everything according to His will, yet the Bible shows that God has given human beings free will. This means that not everything that occurs in the world necessarily corresponds to God’s original will.

A crucial point is that God’s reign should not be equated with an authoritarian intervention in every single situation. God has given humanity the freedom to make choices that often run contrary to His ideal purpose. The pain and suffering we experience are frequently the consequences of these choices or the natural result of a fallen world.

God’s sovereignty does not mean that He causes evil or wills every tragedy. Rather, He accompanies us through our challenges, helps us during difficult times, and even uses hard situations to foster our spiritual growth. An understanding of God’s rule that fails to distinguish between His ideal will and the state of the world distorted by sin can easily lead to misconceptions about God’s character.

God is the ruler, but He exercises His power with love and patience. He does not force but invites. He provides guidance while respecting human free will. His goal is not to arbitrarily permit or cause suffering but to lead us, through His providence, into a life in relationship with Him.

Read Psalm 81:12–15; Isaiah 30:15,18; Isaiah 66:4; and Luke 13:34. What do these texts say about whether God’s will is always fulfilled?

The Bible clearly shows us that God’s will does not always occur because He has given humanity the freedom to make their own decisions. In the cited passages, it becomes apparent that God desires His people to follow Him, yet often they reject His will. This means that not everything that happens in the world is automatically God’s will—instead, we experience the consequences of human choices that frequently contradict God’s intentions.

Psalm 81:12–15 reveals God’s longing to bless and guide His people, but their stubbornness prevents this. Isaiah 30:15,18 shows that God’s plan is for salvation and rest for His people, yet many refuse to trust Him. Isaiah 66:4 emphasizes that God has made His will known to humanity, yet they consciously choose the opposite. Finally, Luke 13:34 presents the painful picture of a loving God who wishes to gather His people like a hen gathers her chicks, but they reject Him.

These passages illustrate a profound truth: God does not force anyone to do His will. He calls, invites, and appeals to our hearts—but He respects human freedom. This results in many things occurring that do not align with His ideal will. Yet, despite rejection and disobedience, God’s love remains, and He continues to seek ways to bring people back to Himself.

Consider the implications of a theology that attributes everything that happens directly to God’s will. What deep problems, especially concerning evil, would such a theology raise?

A theology that teaches that everything that happens is exactly the direct will of God leads to significant theological and ethical problems—particularly regarding evil and suffering in the world.

1. God Would Be Held Responsible for Evil

   • If every event—including wars, natural disasters, diseases, or personal suffering—were God’s direct decision, it would mean that God consciously and deliberately causes evil. This contradicts the biblical revelation of a just and loving God (1 John 4:8).

2. Human Free Will Would Be Meaningless

   • The Bible repeatedly shows that God gives human beings the freedom to choose for or against Him. If everything were determined directly by God, there would be no true freedom of choice, and concepts such as responsibility, sin, and obedience would become meaningless.

3. Suffering and Injustice Would Be Seen as God’s Will

   • Such a theology could lead people to passively accept suffering rather than actively pursuing justice and compassion. If one assumes that everything is God’s will, one might avoid addressing how to respond to injustice and suffering.

4. God’s Justice and Love Would Be Questioned

   • How could a just and merciful God desire that children suffer, that people are treated cruelly, or that innocent individuals become victims of disasters? A theology attributing everything to God’s direct will could raise doubts about His character and shake the faith of many.

5. Prayer and the Faith in Change Would Become Meaningless

   • If everything happens exactly as God wills, it would be pointless to pray or hope for change. However, the Bible clearly demonstrates that prayer and faith play an important role, and that God delights in the responses of His creatures (e.g., 2 Chronicles 7:14).

Biblical Perspective: God’s Sovereign Will and Human Decisions

The Bible shows that while God is sovereign, He does not directly cause every single event. He has given human beings freedom and often works through His providence, even using difficult situations to bring about good (Romans 8:28). Yet there are things that do not align with His ideal will—such as sin, injustice, and the rejection of His love.

A biblically balanced theology acknowledges that God is sovereign while also granting human freedom. The evil in the world is not God’s direct intention but a consequence of human decisions and a fallen creation. Still, God remains the Lord over history and works to bring everything to good, without nullifying human free will.

Understanding that God is the sovereign ruler but does not directly cause or enforce every event has profound implications for our faith and our daily lives.

1. Responsibility for Our Decisions

   • We are not puppets of God; we have the freedom to make our own decisions. This also means that we are responsible for our actions. Our moral choices have consequences, and we should consciously seek God’s will rather than blindly blame Him for everything.

2. God Is Not the Author of Suffering but Our Companion

   • In difficult times, we can be assured that God does not cause our suffering; He walks with us through the hardships. He uses challenges to strengthen us and bring us closer to Him (Romans 8:28). Knowing this can provide us with comfort and hope, even when we do not understand everything.

3. Prayer as an Active Relationship with God

   • When we believe that not everything is directly willed by God, we recognize that our prayers have meaning. Prayer is not merely a ritual but a means to engage in dialogue with God, to seek His will, and to experience His guidance in our lives.

4. Practicing Justice and Compassion

   • Instead of accepting injustice as “God’s will,” the Bible calls us to actively oppose wrongdoing and suffering. God desires that we stand up for the weak, practice mercy, and embody love (Micah 6:8).

5. God Forces No One—Not Even Us

   • Because God grants us freedom, we should not impose our faith on others. True faith grows from a voluntary relationship with God, not from coercion or fear. This encourages us to live our faith authentically and to lovingly invite others, rather than judge them.

Summary

Our daily lives and our faith are deeply connected to our understanding of God’s reign. He is not a tyrant who manipulates everything but a loving Father who grants us freedom. This freedom brings responsibility, but also the wonderful opportunity to consciously respond to God’s love. By actively working for justice, trusting God in prayer, and knowing that He accompanies us in difficult times, we can come to recognize His true character and align our lives with His will.

God’s love does not force—it invites; true devotion comes from a willing heart.

Source: https://fulfilleddesire.net/lesson-8-free-will-love-and-divine-providence-8-1-our-sovereign-god-the-god-of-love-and-justice-living-faith/

The Message of Titus

The Letter to Titus is short yet rich in content. Written by the Apostle Paul to Titus—one of his closest associates and a spiritual son in the faith—the letter provides instructions for organizing the Christian communities on Crete. It emphasizes the importance of living an exemplary life and highlights the central role of divine grace in salvation.

1.Main Themes of the Letter to Titus

• Order and Leadership in the Church

  Paul instructs Titus to appoint elders in the churches, men of blameless character (Titus 1:5-9). They must be capable of teaching sound doctrine and refuting false teachers.

• Warning Against False Teachers

  The letter warns against people who pervert the truth through false teachings and human commandments (Titus 1:10-16).

• A Virtuous Life as a Testimony to Faith

  Paul addresses different groups within the church—older men, older women, young women, young men, and slaves—showing how their behavior should honor the gospel (Titus 2:1-10).

• The Central Role of God’s Grace

  One of the most beautiful passages in Titus describes salvation as a work of divine grace, not based on human deeds but through the renewing power of the Holy Spirit (Titus 3:4-7).

• Good Works as the Fruit of Faith

  Although salvation is by grace alone, Paul calls believers to live a life filled with good works that align with the gospel (Titus 3:8, 14).

2.The Relevance of the Letter to Titus Today

• It reminds us of the importance of sound doctrine and spiritual leadership in the church.

• It shows that our lifestyle affects our testimony for Christ.

• It emphasizes that God’s grace not only saves but also transforms us and leads to good works.

• It encourages us to remain vigilant against false teachings and steadfast in our faith.

The Letter to Titus is a powerful call to a holy life, one that flows from the salvation found in Christ—a life that reflects the glory of God.

 

February 16, 2024

DAILY BIBLE READING – Titus Chapter 1

¹ Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God’s elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness;

² In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;

³ But hath in due times manifested his word through preaching, which is committed unto me according to the commandment of God our Saviour;

⁴ To Titus, mine own son after the common faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour.

⁵ For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee:

⁶ If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly.

⁷ For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre;

⁸ But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate;

⁹ Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.

¹⁰ For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision:

¹¹ Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre’s sake.

¹² One of themselves, even a prophet of their own, said, the Cretians are alway liars, evil beasts, slow bellies.

¹³ This witness is true. Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith;

¹⁴ Not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men, that turn from the truth.

¹⁵ Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled.

¹⁶ They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.

King James Version. Public Domain

 

Commentary

Introduction: The Commission to Titus

The Letter to Titus begins with a personal greeting from Paul to his spiritual son Titus. Paul describes himself as a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, emphasizing that his ministry is to strengthen the faith of God’s chosen ones and to proclaim the truth. This truth leads to a life of reverence for God and is sustained by the hope of eternal life, which God—who cannot lie—has promised since eternity. Titus is commended as a faithful co-worker and spiritual son of Paul and is tasked with further consolidating the young churches in Crete by appointing elders of exemplary character. At the same time, Paul warns against false teachers and outlines the characteristics by which they can be recognized.

Commentary: True Leadership and Spiritual Responsibility

Titus Chapter 1 underscores the importance of spiritual leadership and sound doctrine. Paul emphasizes that elders must be blameless and lead exemplary lives, as their role is to strengthen the church through teaching and admonition and to protect it from false influences. Particularly notable is the warning against heretics—described as “insolent and useless babblers and deceivers”—who lead people astray for selfish reasons. Paul even cites a well-known Cretan saying to illustrate that special vigilance is required in that society. It becomes clear that true purity does not depend on external rules or rituals but on a renewed heart and a clear conscience.

A central theme in this chapter is the contrast between genuine and false confessors of the faith. While true elders are identifiable by their lifestyle and faithfulness to sound doctrine, false teachers reveal through their behavior that they do not truly know God. They may profess allegiance to God outwardly, yet their deeds indicate the opposite. This serves as a serious warning for us today: our faith must be evident in our lives; otherwise, it remains mere theory.

Summary: Spiritual Leadership and False Teaching

Titus 1 demonstrates the importance of spiritual leadership within the church. Paul urges Titus to appoint suitable elders who are not only sound in doctrine but also blameless in character. These spiritual leaders are meant to encourage believers and refute false teachers. Paul explicitly warns against false teachers whose erroneous doctrines and selfish behaviors lead entire households astray. A pure heart is crucial, as true purity comes not through external rituals but through an intimate relationship with God. Those who confess to God must prove it through their lives and deeds. This chapter challenges us to adhere to sound doctrine, recognize false influences, and live a life that reflects our faith.

 

 

WEEKLY SPIRIT OF PROPHECY READING – Ellen White | Steps to Christ
Chapter 5—Consecration
Read online here

 

Commentary

Introduction: The Meaning of Devotion

Devotion to God is not a one-time act but a profound, life-changing decision. The Lord promises that those who seek Him with all their heart will find Him (Jeremiah 29:13-14). Yet true devotion requires humility, a struggle against one’s own self, and a complete renewal of our being. Our sinful nature has separated us from God, but He calls us to repentance and offers us the opportunity to return to His presence through His grace. This chapter demonstrates that devotion is not merely an outward confession but a total self-abandonment—a decision that leads us from the slavery of sin into the freedom of the children of God.

Commentary: The Struggle for Complete Devotion

The greatest challenge in a believer’s life is the battle against one’s own self. Paul describes this inner conflict as a spiritual struggle that requires a conscious decision to submit our own will to God’s authority. God does not force us into submission; rather, He invites us to come to Him freely.

Devotion means not only abandoning bad habits but also letting go of everything that separates us from God. For some, it is wealth; for others, honor, comfort, or self-will. Yet Christ demands a complete decision: “Any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:33).

A superficial faith or half-hearted Christianity leads to an empty, worthless service to God. Those who devote themselves entirely to Christ experience a deep love and joy that surpasses all earthly bonds. Only when Christ fully fills our hearts do we stop asking for the slightest requirement for heaven, but instead strive for complete alignment with His will.

Nevertheless, many find it difficult to take this step. People cling to their old nature out of fear of change or because they are aware of their own weakness. But God demands nothing impossible. The only prerequisite for complete devotion is the decision to surrender our will to God. Once we entrust ourselves to Him, He works in us to will and to act according to His good pleasure (Philippians 2:13).

Summary: The Choice Between Slavery and Freedom

Chapter 5 clearly shows that devotion to God is a conscious decision. Every person faces the choice: either to remain in the slavery of sin or to experience the wonderful freedom of being a child of God. This devotion is not passive but requires an active decision to let go of our self and completely entrust our lives to Christ.

God does not force anyone into submission; rather, He calls us in love and patience. Those who recognize His love will not ask how little they must do, but will be willing to give everything. Yet this step demands courage, humility, and trust in God’s promises.

Ultimately, it is the free will of each person that determines whether they accept or reject God’s offer. Those who surrender their will to God experience a complete transformation—a new life characterized by faith, love, and true freedom.

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The Keys to True Devotion to God:

1.Complete Devotion to God is Necessary for Renewal

• Our sinful nature has estranged us from God, and only through total devotion can spiritual restoration occur. God does not force us into submission but invites us to seek Him with all our heart (Jeremiah 29:13-14).

2.The Battle Against One’s Own Self is the Greatest Challenge

• The greatest obstacle on the path to God is our own will. Total submission of our personality to God’s will requires humility and self-sacrifice. Without this devotion, true change cannot occur.

3.God Accepts No Forced Worship

• God desires a voluntary decision for Him. Forced devotion would be meaningless, as it would engage neither our heart nor our mind (Isaiah 1:18).

4.Devotion Means Letting Go of Worldly Attachments

• Everything that separates us from God—be it wealth, fame, comfort, or self-will—must be relinquished. Jesus demands that we give Him priority over everything else (Luke 14:33).

5.The Decision to Devote Oneself Leads to True Freedom

• Those who completely surrender to Christ experience the true freedom of being God’s children. This devotion does not result in loss, but in gain—the liberation from sin, peace with God, and a life filled with His love and grace.

Source: https://fulfilleddesire.net/16-02-2025-titus-chapter-1-believe-his-prophets/