Week 4 “Knowing and Doing the will of God”
It must be AW Tozer week because the concept of knowing and doing the will of God was definitely a driving thrust of Tozer’s thought life and ministry. This can be witnessed if you search google for his most famous quotes. Another quote of his I came by that reveals much is: “It Is simply not enough to know about God. We must know God in increasing levels of intimacy that lifts us up above all reason and into the world of adoration and praise and worship.” It could be added and this is the will of God for you. I can say that dogmatically because there is a section of Scripture that explains this thought completely. Turn to Ephesians 1:9-
“making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose which he set forth In Christ.”
Read 1:3-1;23 and this mystery will become very revealed. After you have read it track along our overview outline:
1:3-blessed us (antecedent-the saints in Ephesus, and Paul- could be proven to the saints for all time, see Heb 10:12-16 especially those in the New Covenant 1 Pet 1:10-12)
1:4-chose us before foundations of the world that we should be holy and blameless (notice US)
1:5-predestined us for adoption through Jesus according to the purpose of his will
1:6-10-to the praise of his glorious grace, we have redemption through his blood the forgiveness of our trespasses, making known to us the mystery of his will set forth in Christ, as a plan for the fullness of time to unite all things in him. This has always been the plan.
1:11-12 We have an inheritance In Him. He predestined us according to His purpose, Who works all things according to the counsel of HIS will.
1:13-14When you heard the word of truth (the gospel-good news) and believed in HIM you were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is our guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire it…all this “TO THE PRAISE OF HIS GLORY”.
1:15-23 “For this reason”…what reason? Because he heard of their faith in the Lord Jesus and their love towards the saints that everything he previously stated about receiving redemption through his blood, making known to us the mystery of His will, our inheritance, Him working all things to the counsel of His will, us who heard the word of truth and believed in Him, receiving the Holy Spirit…all this to the praise of His glory. Paul always gives thanks and prays for us constantly that God may give us wisdom and revelation of the knowledge of Him. Paul states other maxims in this section about putting everything under his feet and Him being head over all things to the church but entire section focuses on all of the is to the praise of His glory. God saved us according to His will. It Is His will that we understand the mystery of his will according to the purpose which He set forth in Christ Jesus.
“It Is simply not enough to know about God. We must know God in increasing levels of intimacy that lifts us up above all reason and into the world of adoration and praise and worship.”… “making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose which he set forth In Christ.” for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus all to the praise of His Glory!
