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What is the difference between God's sovereign will and God's perfect will?



    
    

Clarify Share Report Asked July 01 2013 Mini Anonymous (via GotQuestions)

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Shea S. Michael Houdmann Supporter Got Questions Ministries
When speaking of God's will, many people see three different aspects of it in the Bible. The first aspect is known as God's decretive, sovereign, or hidden will. This is God's "ultimate" will. This...

July 01 2013 0 responses Vote Up Share Report


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Mini Grant Abbott Child of Father, Follower of Son, Student of Spirit
God's perfect will is revealed in the scriptures. Romans 8:29-30 tells us:

"For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified."

God knows that from time to time we will stumble and fall into sin, missing the mark of his perfect will as described in Romans 8:28:

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."

God's hidden will is referred to many times in scripture but not explained or revealed to us. Here are two examples:

Romans 8:19-23
"For the creation waits in eager expectation for the children of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God. We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies."

Matthew 24:34-36
"Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.

July 02 2020 0 responses Vote Up Share Report


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