Pastor Ralph Posted December 21, 2014 Report Share Posted December 21, 2014 Q3. (John 7:17) Can we truly know God’s will if we’re not really willing to obey the truth we know? Why not? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gerbrand van Schalkwyk Posted January 10, 2015 Report Share Posted January 10, 2015 Q3. (John 7:17) Can we truly know God's will if we're not really willing to obey the truth we know? No Why not? It is by obeying God that we experience God. Once we experience God we don't just believe because we read or heard about Him but because through experience we know He Really IS. This builds your faith from knowledge to practical knowledge. This gives you confidence to do more and experience Him more. Thus faith and obedience builds one another and therefore builds your relationship with God as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JanMary Posted January 10, 2015 Report Share Posted January 10, 2015 Q3. (John 7:17) Can we truly know God’s will if we’re not really willing to obey the truth we know? No, we can't truly. It's only "head knowledge" until we put it into action. Why not? The only way to know God's will is to firmly resolve to follow wherever He leads, regardless of the cost. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoiKosum Posted January 13, 2015 Report Share Posted January 13, 2015 (John 7:17) Can we truly know God’s will if we’re not really willing to obey the truth we know? Why not? We cannot know God's will if we are not willing to obey God's words and truth. Only through obedience can we really and truly experience God. This would then bring us closer to Him and enable us to understand God. From this understanding, we will then be able to know God's will. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jen Posted January 13, 2015 Report Share Posted January 13, 2015 Q3. (John 7:17) Can we truly know God’s will if we’re not really willing to obey the truth we know? Why not? Why would we want to know God's will if we do not obey what we do know. Is it to pick and choose the parts we want? Then it cannot be God's will. His will is to love Him above all else and to obey. If we do love Him we will obey Him. God starts us with the foundation which is Christ and to do small things and leads us onto bigger and harder things. Through out our faith is tried and tested, as we grow into deeper knowledge of Him. To know His will is to obey what He puts before us. In Philippians 3:10 Paul says I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings, becoming like Him in His death. This is knowing Him and not just about Him. God Bless! Jen Philippians 3:12, 15, 16 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeteD Posted January 13, 2015 Report Share Posted January 13, 2015 Can we really know God's will if we're not really willing to obey the truth we know? Why not? No, Jesus says it quite plainly. We have to have a change of our heart. We have to will or resolve to do God's will. We have to commit to doing God's will and actually do it. Then we can know that what Jesus is teaching is the truth. Being wowed by his miracles or by his impressive learning or the style of his delivery is not enough. Our belief has to go deeper. It seems that in the thick of actually doing God's will we really learn to trust and lean on God. It's in this doing that we can come to a point when we obey to glorify God and not ourselves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lighthouse2014 Posted January 13, 2015 Report Share Posted January 13, 2015 Q3. (John 7:17) Can we truly know God’s will if we’re not really willing to obey the truth we know? Why not? We can never know God's truth if we are unwilling to surrender ourselves to Him. Even if we are learned and skilled in his work, we most allow the Holy Spirit to do his work in us and guide us in his will. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guitar Jim Posted January 14, 2015 Report Share Posted January 14, 2015 Q3. (John 7:17) Can we truly know God’s will if we’re not really willing to obey the truth we know? Why not? I don't think so. Things happen when they're ready to happen. As Jesus said earlier in our lessons on John's Gospel, no one can come to salvation unless God enables him/her to come. Even then, God has a timetable at work regarding our sanctification. I'm sure we've seen people who you'd think would be still newbies in the faith, yet are attending Bible college and on their way to being called Reverend. God purposely fast-tracked them because it was His will and pleasure to do so, just like He did with the apostle Paul. Then there are those of us who seem to struggle all the time with the basics of Christian living. We seem to be on the verge of a productive ministry, only to have life and circumstances snatch it away. How happy the person who has an unshakable faith that he's in the will of God and is on the life path God has set before him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pickledilly Posted January 14, 2015 Report Share Posted January 14, 2015 No, we can never truly know God’s will if we are not honestly and sincerely willing to obey the truth we already know. God does not overwhelm us all at once with a deluge of truth that we could never process. Growth in the Christian life comes step-by-step, layer upon layer. When we receive any degree of truth, we must be willing to fully accept it and then act on it so that it’s incorporated into our system of belief that shapes thoughts, words, and deeds. As we step into that truth we step further into the will of God that we be led into freedom by it (8:31-32). Then we are ready to progress to the next unveiling of truth that will lead us even deeper into that divine will for our lives. As we grow in this process of doing God’s will of obeying truth and its commandments, Jesus promises to manifest Himself to us (14:21). And of course, Jesus is Truth personified. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blezed Posted January 14, 2015 Report Share Posted January 14, 2015 (John 7:17) Can we truly know God’s will if we’re not really willing to obey the truth we know? Why not? No we cannot. The only way we can know God's will is to commit ourselves to doing His will by learning of Him and obeying His word. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delivered Posted January 14, 2015 Report Share Posted January 14, 2015 Q3. (John 7:17) Can we truly know God's will if we're not really willing to obey the truth we know? Faith is revealed in our willingness to follow in obedience. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clarence Posted January 15, 2015 Report Share Posted January 15, 2015 (John 7:17) Can we truly know God’s will if we’re not really willing to obey the truth we know? Why not? Often, I don't obey the truth that I already know- its called sin. So I probably miss out on God's blessings and will in my life according to John 7:17 and 8:31-32. So I wonder what my life would be like if I had diligently obeyed God's will and obeyed His word. "What keeps us away from Christ so that we don't eagerly drink of his refreshing, life-giving presence? Answer: our preoccupation with ourselves and our own concerns. Perhaps our creeping secular mindset. Our pride in doing it ourselves and not asking for help. Our spiritual dullness" (Pastor Ralph notes)". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quilter Posted January 15, 2015 Report Share Posted January 15, 2015 1.We cannot to do God's will unless we know it. Many of us goes along our daily lives and don't think a think of being obedient to God. First we must get to know God through His word and give our live to Him and become a believer. When we come to believe we will want to know God's will for us. We will want to do His work in telling others what He has done for us because we are willing to obey Him and His truth.So my answer to this question no we cannot do God's will if don't know God. 2. if we don't put God first in our lives and are willing to obey we are not of the Father.You have to read God's word pray the Holy spirit will fill you this will happen if you believe and obey the truth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hanks Posted January 16, 2015 Report Share Posted January 16, 2015 Q3. (John 7:17) Can we truly know God's will if we're not really willing to obey the truth we know? Why not? No, we cannot hope to know God’s will if we are not willing to obey His commands. Jesus Himself said: “If you love me, you will obey what I command (John 14:15)”. Only by obeying Jesus can we ever begin to know God’s will. There, therefore, has to be a full acknowledgement of the Lordship of Christ. We need to find out what His will is and then we must do it. Proverbs 3:6 reads: “in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight (Proverbs 3:6)”. As we can see it will be to our advantage to abide by His Word. We know Jesus to be the source of absolute truth and His way is the only way to eternal life with God. We do not have the freedom to do whatever we feel like, but rather the freedom to follow God. We will discover when we fully submit to the will of God that Jesus’ teaching is indeed the very truth of God and therefore that Jesus is who He claims to be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RebeccaMallinson Posted January 17, 2015 Report Share Posted January 17, 2015 It is not possible to know God’s will in its entirety as He is far beyond our human comprehension. God does not tell us even what is around the corner, let alone his entire will. However, we need to put ourselves at God’s service and try to do His will. We cannot do this without a real commitment to following the way shown to us by Jesus. This is because he needs our hearts as well as our minds. Only then will we be on the right path. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
royk Posted January 17, 2015 Report Share Posted January 17, 2015 Q3. (John 7:17) Can we truly know God's will if we're not really willing to obey the truth we know? Why not? In our hearts we know what is right and wrong. We might not know how to help someone, we might no know how to help ourselves become more willing... but if we ask God's help and pray for more willingness... one we understand that there is no other way, that this is the best way, we are on the right path. We can go deeper by asking God to help us, sincerely. We/I pray for more willingness to humble ourselves/myself and follow Him. To pick up our cross and follow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
haar Posted January 19, 2015 Report Share Posted January 19, 2015 Q3. (John 7:17) Can we truly know God's will if we're not really willing to obey the truth we know? Why not? One cannot truly know God’s will if one is not really willing to obey the truth one knows because God reveals his will only to those who truly want to know it and obey. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scotty10 Posted January 21, 2015 Report Share Posted January 21, 2015 Q3. (John 7:17) Can we truly know God’s will if we’re not really willing to obey the truth we know? Why not? I do not believe so. If you are not willing to commit to the teachings of Jesus then how can you find His truth. Bits and pieces of a large puzzle will not bring the picture together. If you do not commit to putting all the pieces together you will never truly see the entire picture. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grace2free Posted February 11, 2015 Report Share Posted February 11, 2015 Q3. (John 7:17) Can we truly know God’s will if we’re not really willing to obey the truth we know? We will never know God's will if we're not really willing to obey the truth that Jesus is teaching. The only way to know Christ -- to really know him and know the truth of his teachings -- is to experience him yourself, by choosing a path of learning and obedience, the path of a disciple who hungers after the truth and pursues it. "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." (8:31-32) Why not? There are many people who are "always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth" (2 Timothy 3:7). They dabble here and then study that -- sampling one thing after another. Many people are unwilling to repent of their sins and follow Christ. They love their lifestyle more than finding God. Sad, but true. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stanley Tavaziva Posted March 11, 2015 Report Share Posted March 11, 2015 Q3. (John 7:17) Can we truly know God's will if we're not really willing to obey the truth we know? Why not?Jesus said, Anyone who wants to do the will of God will know whether my teaching is from God or is merely my own Those who attempt to know God’s will and do it will know intuitively that Jesus was telling the truth about himself. Have you ever listened to religious speakers and wondered if they were telling the truth? Test them: (1) Their words should agree with, not contradict, the Bible; (2) their words should point to God and his will, not to themselves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoanG Posted June 2, 2015 Report Share Posted June 2, 2015 I feel that the truth we know is the only way to God. we need to live by the word and the word is LOVE. We as humans need to have open hearts in order to know what the purpose of our life is. God is unable to come through a closed heart. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe_Applegarth Posted July 30, 2015 Report Share Posted July 30, 2015 Q3. (John 7:17) Can we truly know God's will if we're not really willing to obey the truth we know? Why not? I’m sure we all know someone who tries to shroud him/herself in a veil of Christianity simply on the basis that they regularly read God’s word, can quote scripture with the best of ‘em and have memorized verse after verse in an attempt to portray what they would like others to believe about them, BUT, even though we can parrot His words, if we don’t truly understand, if we don’t make an attempt to truly know Him and to obey His commands we are, plain and simple, a hypocrite at best. None of us can “truly” know God’s will for our lives. As a general rule I don’t believe that “knowing” His will for our earthly lives is a real priority in the grand scheme of things. Simply knowing that He actually does have a plan for us along with our faith, prayer, Bible Study and fellowship with other Christians will guide our footsteps through this life. Our primary focus should never be on earthly things. Guided by faith, our eyes should always be on the spiritual kingdom that’s awaiting us after we’ve gone from here. While we’re here though, we need to know, understand and obey His commands because the things that we do and say here plays a very serious role in determining our eligibility. [1 Peter 4:11] teaches that, “If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God.” Well, in order to “speak the very words of God” you would not only have to know those words, but you also have to truly understand and live them in your own life. In other words, you not only have to talk the talk, you also have to walk the walk of faith in our Lord and Savior Christ Jesus. “If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides.” Scripture says that we won’t be judged on our works alone but, works (service) is still of the utmost importance. I really hesitate to quote one scripture to clarify another as that in itself would seem (at least to me) a bit hypocritical but Paul says what I want to say so much better than I, so here goes. “We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.” [1 Thess. 1:3]. Peter concludes 4:11 by telling us how we should conduct ourselves; “…so that in all things GOD may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.” One final note and then I’ll finish; please note that Paul said “in all things GOD may be praised through Jesus Christ. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dtredo Posted October 11, 2015 Report Share Posted October 11, 2015 Can we truly know God’s will if we are not really willing to obey the truth we know? Why not? Jesus says "No, we can't" - so apparently we can't. Jesus says to know if His teachings are from Heaven, we must first "do" what he teaches (John 7:17). I suppose that simply means obedience to His Word. Of course you can't be obedient to something you know nothing about. So God wants us to study His Word and to do it. It's easy to do superficial things and think all is fine (like attending Church). Or gaining only 'intellectual' knowledge without ever incorporating it into our life. This is what the Pharisees did and also the teachers of the law. They prided themselves on having knowledge of Gods Word but were hypocrites because they didn't live it out in love. Jesus called them 'white washed tombs' - clean on the outside but dead on the inside. God desires His Word to be in us - as we are in His Word. It's the only way to conform our lives to the image of Christ and bring Him glory! A Personal Testimony: I was recently looking for a job and a company called me after submitting my resume. I must have passed the phone interview because they called me a few days later for a face-to-face interview. I had the interview (it was with one person) and it went well enough for them to call me back for a 2nd interview about a week later. The second interview was more intense because it was before a panel of 3 people. It lasted almost 90 minutes, and I thought it went very well. In fact, I thought God had me peak just at the right time - I thought I nailed it! By this point in the process, I was getting really excited about getting this job and thought God had paved the way. But guess what happened? After the 2nd interview - a week passed and they never called me back! I never even got a courtesy call from them letting me know the position was filled. I was devastated! It was a total rejection. Boy did I take it hard. I couldn't believe it because I thought everything went so perfect and God was making it happen. So do you know what I did? I got mad at God and yelled at him for a whole day. I was so angry with Him because I thought He threw me under the bus. I started doubting Him, and even toyed with the idea in my head that maybe He doesn't exist after all. Maybe all my prayers are nothing more than talking to the walls. Wow! How weak my faith really is!! After a full 24 hours of complaining, moaning, and doubting God - I finally came to my senses, ask forgiveness, repented, and recovered. From this experience, I realized three things: 1) That I could never leave God completely because He's so much a part of me now. 26 years of seeking Him has got Him into me. I'd be totally lost without Him and I told Him so. 2) That His ways are far above my ways and maybe He was protecting me from something I might never know about. Perhaps He has a much choicer place for me in another company. I reminded myself that His plans are intricate and precise and timed perfectly. 3) That no one on earth was ever rejected more than Jesus. His rejection made mine pale in comparison. And yet, He never responded so immaturely like I did. Under the worst of rejection, He was undeterred from His mission. He moved forward and never once doubted! He always transcended his circumstances. He walked by faith and not by sight. He was a rock! So in faith, we must stay with God no matter what and keep our eyes on Him. We must trust His plan and His timing and walk in His Strength by waiting patiently. So I asked Him to forgive me and I received that forgiveness (In Christ, there is no condemnation). THAT IS HOW WE KNOW JESUS TEACHINGS ARE TRUE - WE HAVE TO LIVE BY FAITH ESPECIALLY WHEN IT LOOKS LIKE ALL IS GOING WRONG. That's what Joseph did (the son of Jacob). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RuthRW Posted July 26, 2017 Report Share Posted July 26, 2017 These scriptures make me realise what an absolute privilege it is to know God's truth and hear His voice. Just like some special friends in our lives with whom we will only share profound and important things with because we know they are committed to us and we can trust them. I think if we do not obey Jesus' commandments we grieve the Holy Spirit and block His voice. In our Christian journey, if the Lord shows us something to obey or do and we fail to do it, we probably don't progress until we yield and are obedient. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Jerry Posted July 25, 2018 Report Share Posted July 25, 2018 I don’t think that we can know God’s will if we aren’t willing to obey the truth we know. We would be doing our will and we will not be able to hear what God wants us to do. Our hearts will turn to stone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.