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    What the Bible Says about How to Know God's Will
    What the Bible Says about How to Know God's Will
    What the Bible Says about How to Know God's Will
    Ebook89 pages1 hour

    What the Bible Says about How to Know God's Will

    By Wayne Grudem

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    About this ebook

    At some point, every Christian wonders, What is God's will for me in this situation? There are many situations for which Scripture doesn't provide a black-and-white answer. In this book, adapted from his larger work Christian Ethics, Wayne Grudem helps readers stop overcomplicating God's will and instead embrace the different ways they acquire wisdom for daily life. He lays out guidelines for making decisions both big and small. After looking at the 4 dimensions of every action (the action itself, attitudes, motives, and results), Grudem works through 9 sources of information and guidance, both objective (information from the Bible, information from studying the situation, information about ourselves, advice from others, changed circumstances) and subjective (the conscience, the heart, the human spirit, and the Holy Spirit). Readers will gain insight into how to make the right decisions about situations that arise in their lives.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherCrossway Books
    Release dateApr 16, 2020
    ISBN9781433569937
    What the Bible Says about How to Know God's Will
    Author

    Wayne Grudem

    Wayne Grudem (PhD, University of Cambridge) is a member of the Translation Oversight Committee for the English Standard Version of the Bible, the general editor of the ESV Study Bible, and the author of over twenty-five books. He served as a professor for over 40 years at Phoenix Seminary and Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. 

    Read more from Wayne Grudem

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      Book preview

      What the Bible Says about How to Know God's Will - Wayne Grudem

      Thank you for downloading this Crossway book.

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      Besides its straightforwardness, clarity, and grounding in Scripture, what I like most about this book is its practicality. By following its counsel and being led by the Holy Spirit, Christians will be well equipped to discern and commit to God’s will for their lives!

      Gregg R. Allison, Professor of Christian Theology, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary; Pastor, Sojourn Community Church; author, Sojourners and Strangers; Roman Catholic Theology and Practice; and Historical Theology

      "In my forty-five years of pastoral ministry, there is one question that I’ve been asked more than any other: How might I know God’s will? That is why I’m so happy to recommend Grudem’s short treatment of this topic. His analysis is not only thoroughly biblical, but also incredibly practical and easy to grasp. So whether you are a seasoned believer or a young Christian, were you to ask me that all-too-familiar question, I would send you to this book. I highly recommend it!"

      Sam Storms, Senior Pastor, Bridgeway Church, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

      I wholeheartedly recommend Wayne Grudem’s book. These principles have guided my own decisions, and I’m thrilled to know they are in a book I can give to others.

      Jason Fritz, Lead and Founding Pastor, Illuminate Community Church, Scottsdale, Arizona

      What the Bible Says about How to Know God’s Will

      Books in This Series

      What the Bible Says about Abortion, Euthanasia, and End-of-Life Medical Issues

      What the Bible Says about How to Know God’s Will

      What the Bible Says about How to Know God’s Will

      Wayne Grudem

      What the Bible Says about How to Know God’s Will

      Copyright © 2020 by Wayne Grudem

      Published by Crossway

      1300 Crescent Street

      Wheaton, Illinois 60187

      All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher, except as provided for by USA copyright law. Crossway® is a registered trademark in the United States of America.

      The content of this book has been adapted from How to Know God’s Will: Factors to Consider in Making Ethical Decisions in Wayne Grudem, Christian Ethics: An Introduction to Biblical Moral Reasoning (Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2018), 148–86 (chap. 6).

      Cover design: Jeff Miller, Faceout Studios

      Cover image: Shutterstock

      First printing, 2020

      Printed in the United States of America

      All Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

      All emphases in Scripture quotations have been added by the author.

      Trade paperback ISBN: 978-1-4335-6990-6

      ePub ISBN: 978-1-4335-6993-7

      PDF ISBN: 978-1-4335-6991-3

      Mobipocket ISBN: 978-1-4335-6992-0

      Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

      Names: Grudem, Wayne A., author. 

      Title: What the Bible says about how to know God's will / Wayne Grudem. 

      Description: Wheaton: Crossway, 2020. | Includes bibliographical references and index. 

      Identifiers: LCCN 2019034901 (print) | LCCN 2019034902 (ebook) | ISBN 9781433569906 (trade paperback) | ISBN 9781433569913 (pdf) | ISBN 9781433569920 (mobi) | ISBN 9781433569937 (epub)

      Subjects: LCSH: God (Christianity)—Will—Biblical teaching. | Christian Ethics—Biblical teaching. | Decision making—Religious Aspects—Christianity—Biblical teaching. 

      Classification: LCC BT135 .G78 2018 (print) | LCC BT135 (ebook) | DDC 241—dc23

      LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2019034901

      LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2019034902

      Crossway is a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

      2024-04-17 12:57:51 PM

      Contents

      Introduction

      Decisions Can Be Quick or Drawn-Out, and Can Involve Major Events or Small Daily Activities

      Four Dimensions of Every Action

      Nine Sources of Information and Guidance

      The Danger of Making This Process Too Complicated

      Acquiring Wisdom: The Personal Skill Necessary for Ethical Living

      Appendix: A Response to Garry Friesen’s Book Decision Making and the Will of God

      Questions for Personal Application

      Special Terms

      Bibliography

      Scripture Memory Passage

      Hymn

      General Index

      Scripture Index

      Introduction

      What factors should we consider in making decisions?

      What does it mean to be led by the Holy Spirit?

      Christians instinctively want to live in a way that pleases God. In fact, Jesus said, If you love me, you will keep my commandments (John 14:15). But sometimes it is unclear what keeping God’s commandments implies when facing a specific decision. There are many times when it does not seem as if any specific teaching of Scripture can decide an issue for us.

      This book is intended to provide helpful guidelines whenever people wonder, What is God’s will for me in this specific situation?

      A. Decisions Can Be Quick or Drawn-Out, and Can Involve Major Events or Small Daily Activities

      Some decisions must be made instantly. When Joseph was working in Potiphar’s house in Egypt, one day Potiphar’s wife caught him by his garment, saying, ‘Lie with me.’ But he left his garment in her hand and fled and got out of the house (Gen. 39:12; notice also his earlier pattern of wise responses in vv. 7–10). Joseph had only an instant to

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