The Will of God is the Word of God

by James MacDonald

B&H Publishing Group (B&H Books, Holman Bibles, B&H Español, and B&H Kids)

B&H Books



Christian

Pub Date 01 May 2017

I am reviewing The Will of God is the Word of God through B&H Publishing Group and Netgalley:

This book reminds us God is the Word of God, and the word of God is the will of God. God's word gives us a ton of freedom within God's will.

This book points out that God has a will for each and everyone of us. We all have a unique purpose in this life. We are reminded too that if God wants us to do something he will show us that in a tangible way.

We are reminded too that God can control everything without controlling anything.

I give The Will of God is the Word of God five out of five stars!

Happy Reading!

First sentence: Do You wonder about God’s will for your life personally? Do you ponder specific decisions you need to make and if they are in line with God’s will? It might reassure you to know that most believers frequently wrestle with God’s will for their lives. Welcome to the puzzle party!

Premise/plot: Ever been confused about the will of God? Or confused about what God's will for your life is? James MacDonald has some good news to share with you. He explores misconceptions about the will of God, how Christians have perceived and applied this concept of doing-being-finding-seeking-discovering God's Will. His argument is simple yet profound:
The will of God IS the Word of God. The Word of God IS the will of God. Each IS true. And that discovery leads to a glorious experience of freedom for every Christ-follower. You no longer need to worry and wonder about the minute details of life. If you are increasingly the person God wants you to be, then you can be confident you are living the fullest and most joyful life possible. That, in the end, encapsulates for you personally what the will of God actually IS.
and
Stated simply, the will of God IS about who you are. The will of God IS about your sanctification, that refining process in which you are conformed more and more into the image of Christ Jesus.When we are increasingly the people God wants us to be, then we can be confident we are where God wants us to be and with whom God wants us to be. In other words, your character traits, spiritual priorities, and manner of living—what Christians have for twenty centuries called “holiness”—this is the will of God.
Throughout the book, MacDonald's focus is on God, on the Bible, and on the importance of obeying the revealed will of God found within the Word. The book is practical and packed with advice on how to understand and apply the Word of God.

My thoughts: I liked this one very much. I still prefer, I think, John MacArthur's glorious little book on the subject. It is more concise, perhaps. But this is a solid, straightforward, practical book on the subject. I agreed with much of what MacDonald has to say.

In The will of God is God's Word, James MacDonald sets to dispell misconceptions about God's will especially among Evangelicals. And he used a seven-question checklist to reveal such wrong belief. In one question, he asked if it's true or false that God calls some people into full-time ministry and others into a vocational job. In his answer, he says it's false because, "The Bible nowhere distinguishes between professional and amateur Christians." Is that true?

I think the major flaw in this book is the exaltation of mechanical human Bible study while trivializing the role of the Holy Spirit in the fulfillment of God's will in earth. I believe any Bible reading or way of reading (hermeneutical principle) that celebrates the disenchantment of the Scriptures should be viewed with great caution. I know this book will be well reviewed especially among Reformed circles because of it's strong Calvinistic undertones, but I wasn't convinced.

In the first part of the book, James MacDonald presents a series of questions that seem as though they have obvious answers. He then sets out to systematically dismantle our false beliefs about the will of God. The overall message of this book is simple: God's will for us is found in the Word. Using scripture, MacDonald explains the will of God in easy to understand terms. He dives into the concept of sanctification as he describes God's sovereign will, God's moral will, and God's individual will. Sanctification is the lifelong process in which Christ-followers are refined and increasingly conformed to the behavior pattern of Jesus Christ. God’s sovereign will encompasses His planned purposes and the power to bring them about; God’s moral will relates to the human behavior He prescribes in His Word; God's individual will is more complicated. This is the concept that God allows us to make our own choices and decisions. He knows we will make bad choices sometimes. We must learn from our mistakes and seek Him in all we do. Every decision we make should be tested against the scriptures.

MacDonald highlights scripture that is often misquoted or taken out of context. This common problem will lead to misunderstanding and false teaching. God's will is not carried out when we misuse the scriptures. He will not be glorified. If God wants you to do something, He will reveal it to you in a very obvious way. MacDonald also presents practical questions to determine if teachings are true and if you are following the will of God. Each chapter ends with a prayer that directly reflects the theme of that chapter.

I found this book to be very interesting and helpful in explaining God's will. In essence MacDonald delves into the concept of compatibilism, which is the view that God's sovereignty is mutually compatible with human freedom and responsibility. The differing views on this subject stem from the teachings of John Calvin and Jacob Arminius, but that is a whole other topic altogether.

I recommend this book to all Christians as we seek to live according to God's will as laid out in the scriptures. I received this as a free ARC from B&H Publishing Group on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.