Col. 1:9 "...That you may be filled with the full knowledge of His will
in all spiritual wisdom and understanding."
Eph. 1:5 "Predestinating us unto sonship through Jesus Christ to Himself,according
to the good pleasure of His will."
11 "In whom also we were designated as an inheritance, having
been predestinated according to the purpose of the One who works all things
according to the counsel of His will."
God is a God of purpose, having a will of His own pleasure. He created
all things for His will that He might accomplish and fulfill His purpose.[The
book of Revelation], which unveils God's universal administration, shows
us the purpose of God. Hence, in the twenty-four elders' praise to God concerning
His creation [in 4:11], His creation is related to His will. (Rev. 4:11,footnote
2)
God's will is not only His heart desire and His mingling with man but
also the fulfillment of His plan....Many people ask, “Is it God's will that
I go to a certain place today? Is it His will that I seek a doctor for my
sickness? Is it His will that I seek this occupation?” We miserable beings
can never forget ourselves when we mention the will of God! Nor can we be
separated from the trivial matters of life! We always view the will of God
from an earthly standpoint, from our present situation, and from ourselves.
Actually, none of these trivial matters of life can come up to the will of
God! How great and how high is the will of God!
The book of Ephesians reveals to us God's heart desire and God's plan.God'
s plan in Christ originated from His heart desire. God in eternity had a
plan, which He purposed to fulfill. This plan is the will of God. Therefore,
the will of God is for the fulfillment of His plan. All the works of God
in this universe are according to His will and for the fulfillment of His
plan. (The Experience of Life, p. 161)
The Body is not mentioned in the thirty-nine books of the Old Testament.
The first mentioning of the Body in the New Testament is in Romans 12:5.According
to Romans 12, we must present our physical bodies (v. 1) for the mystical
Body of Christ (v. 5). When we present our bodies and are renewed in our
mind, we see, discern, and prove by testing that the will of God is to obtain
a Body for Christ to be His fullness and expression (v. 2). (The Central
Line of the Divine Revelation, p. 268)
As the Creator of the heavens and the earth, Christ is the origination
and the source of all the created things. This proves that He is the very
God who is over all and is blessed forever (Rom. 9:5b). His creation of
the heavens and of the earth began the fulfillment of God's eternal plan
to carry out God's intention to have a full expression in man in the universe.
(The Conclusion of the New Testament, p. 675)
God's will [in Colossians 1:9] refers to the will of His eternal purpose,
of His economy concerning Christ (Eph. 1:5, 9, 11), not His will in minor
things....Years ago, when young saints asked about things such as marriage
or employment, I referred them to this verse in Colossians. I told them
that they should seek spiritual knowledge in order to know God's will. But
the will of God here is not focused on things such as marriage, jobs, or
housing; it is concerned with the all-inclusive Christ as our portion. The
will of God for us is that we know the all-inclusive Christ, experience
Him, and live Him as our life. To know Christ in this way is to have the
full knowledge of God's will. (Life-study of Colossians, p. 19)
[Colossians 1:9 speaks] of being filled with “the full knowledge of
His will.”To be filled with the full knowledge of God's will simply means
to have the revelation of God's plan, so that through this revelation we
know what God plans to do in this universe. As believers we have to know
God's universal plan. What did God plan in eternity past to do in time throughout
all the generations? We need such a revelation so that we can have the full
knowledge of God's eternal plan. (The Mystery of God and the Mystery of Christ,
p. 29)
Further Reading: The Experience of Life, ch. 8; Life-study of Colossians,msg.
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