Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.
Summary: Understanding the Lord’s will is both simple and complicated. The simple part is knowing that we are loved and that God wants us to love him and others. The challenge is avoiding Satan’s traps.
The first half dozen times I read the Bible from cover to cover, I found it very confusing. Like a mystery story where the author intentionally tries to confuse the reader, I felt that the Bible was unnecessarily confusing. I wondered if it would ever make sense.
The next dozen times I read through God’s Word, things started falling into place. I began to see it as a kind of family album. From Adam and Eve, through Abraham’s family, down to you and I, there is an unbroken chain of relationships and history. It took a while, but slowly, even Jesus started coming into focus.
When Paul writes, “understand what the Lord’s will is,” he says a mouthful. Where do we start and end with that challenge?
Jesus helps. He famously summarized the entire Old Testament with these words:
“Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22: 37-40)
This handy summary of “all the Law and the Prophets” simplifies the Lord’s will, but there is more. Matthew records the story of Jesus talking with a rich man who wants to know how to get eternal life. Jesus responds that he should give away all his worldly wealth and “follow me” (Matthew 19:21). Giving up everything is more than the man can handle. He turns and leaves, seemingly defeated.
Was it the Lord’s will to send him away condemned to hell? Jesus’ disciples ask this very question when they ask, “Who then can be saved?” (Matthew 19:25) The answer is comforting. Jesus explains, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” (Matthew 19:26)
Jesus wants us to be saved and have eternal life with him in heaven. That is his will. And he can do it.
What else, then? We know Jesus wants us to be saved, and that God can do it. We know God’s will is for us to love God above all else and our neighbor as ourselves. Is there anything more?
No, and yes. No, there is no need for anything more. Summing up “all the Law and the Prophets” sums up a lot. Knowing that Jesus wants to save us and can gives us assurance and hope. In many ways, that is all we need. But yes, there is more. More detail, more “how to.”
Much of what Paul writes in the New Testament is the nuts and bolts, or “how to” love God and neighbors. Do not be foolish and think that you can fool God. That doesn’t go well. We have an enemy whose “soul” goal is to separate us from God’s flock. To avoid being trapped, we need to stay focused on Jesus. Our “soul goal” needs to be love.
Application: Read the Bible every day. Understand God’s will and the dangers we need to avoid.
Food for Thought: What kind of foolishness is Paul worried about?
What kind of foolishness is Paul worried about?
Psalm 14: 2 ESV The Lord looks down from heaven on the children of man, to see if there are any who understand, who seek after God.
I believe foolishness is believing that God is not concerned or involved in every aspect of our lives. Small decisions fortify big ones. Everything has a center of gravity, and if Christ is our center of gravity, we will understand the will of God in our decisions and in our life. I used to think that process was more “formal” and involved fervent prayer and waiting on answers. Not that sometimes it doesn’t. More often I find it is simply asking “should I” or “what should I do next?” Submitting your will to God’s wisdom. I also believe foolishness is not reading the Bible, or spending “alone time” with Jesus. To believe we can operate “outside of the light” and still submit to the will of the Lord.
No matter what we do, no matter what rules we try and follow, what formulas we conjure, no matter what plans we set into motion, they will always fail. They fail because human understanding is the shifting sand, but Christ is the rock. It is foolish to build your house (life) on the sand. It is wise to build it on the rock.
Chris,
Nicely said! I would be “foolish” to disagree with you! 🙂
Hello All! When Paul tells people to “Understand what the Lord’s will is,” I believe he is warning us to know who Jesus is on a personal and intimate level and to stay clear of false prophets and gods, worldly temptations (as Eve fell to the serpent) and relying on our own will (because as Matt 19:26 states “With man, this is impossible, but with God, all things are possible).
It is much easier to follow God’s will when you know what it is and understand what the bible says it is. For myself personally, it is easier to be guided by Him and follow His will when I am in the bible more. When I step away because I allow life to become too busy to take even five minutes of time with Him, that is when I am more prone to the ways of the world.
His will and commandment seems easy enough to follow, but this world is severely broken and we are of flesh. That person who just cut you off on the freeway can sometimes be difficult to like, let alone love. Of the person who takes their bad day out on you. They are only human. To stay strong and remain in His will, you have to be armored for the battle (Ephesians 6:10-18) and in His Word.
Darla,
Thank you! Stepping out of the Light of Christ does have implications. I can appreciate the examples you share – being cut off in traffic or having someone vent their spleen. Being “armored up” is absolutely essential and not that hard to do.
Blessings!
08-29-2023, What kind of foolishness is Paul worried about? Ephesians 5:15
As I study, seek guidance and apply God’s word into my life, I have come to know it would be foolish for me to think any good thing could ever come from me. Do I love my neighbor with my imperfect love, or do I get out of the way and allow God to extend His love to others through me?
We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works. We are not to lean on your own understanding, but In all our ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight our paths. Jesus is the vine; we are the branches. If we remain in Him and He in us, we will bear much fruit and apart from Him I can do nothing. We are to offer ourselves to God, as an instrument of righteousness, and dare not boast about anything except what Christ has done through me.
Proverbs 3:5-6, Ephesians 2:19, John 15:5, Romans 6:13, 15:18,
I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20
Do I by the power of the Holy Spirit, allow Jesus Christ to minister to others through me, or do I think “ as a Christian I can handle it? “
Thanks Ron!
You remind me of Mark 10:15 —
“Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”
Great Verse! Thank You!
Ron
🙂