Meditationen am Gnadenstuhl: Our Will vs. God’s Will - Proverbs 16:1-5
Tuesday, November 15, 2022
Proverbs 16:1–5
[1] The plans of the heart belong to man,
but the answer of the tongue is from the Lord.
[2] All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes,
but the Lord weighs the spirit.
[3] Commit your work to the Lord,
and your plans will be established.
[4] The Lord has made everything for its purpose,
even the wicked for the day of trouble.
[5] Everyone who is arrogant in heart is an abomination to the Lord;
be assured, he will not go unpunished.
God’s Will vs. Our Will
v.1 No matter what plans you have and what course human beings think they are on—God's will will be done regardless of our intentions. That does not mean we do not have free will. Rather, it means that what God wills will come to pass one way or another. God even provides us with the words to give Wisdom to others.
v.2 God judges humans differently than the way we judge ourselves. A terrible sinner can judge his own actions as righteous and his motivations as pure. We are blinded by our own sin, and we minimize its influence on our thoughts and actions. God sees directly to the truth of all things, free of the blinders we wear. We can discern that truth in His Word, provided for our instruction.
v.3 This proverb builds upon the previous one. Since we are all sinners and none of our actions are pure, it is easy for the believer to descend into a pit of despair, believing we cannot succeed at anything we attempt. But there is, of course, a solution for our inability to accomplish anything pure or righteous. God brings such ability to those who surrender their trust in themselves and their own plans (which are always tainted by sin) and put their trust in God. Very easy to say, very difficult to do. "But I put my trust in God!" Do we? Really? True freedom of purpose lies in total surrender to God and His will for us. All our difficulty lies in our resistance to it.
v.4 God carries out this good and gracious purpose for the entirety of creation (Proverbs 8:22-31; John 1:3; Romans 11:32-36; 1 Timothy 2:4). The second part of this verse, "even the wicked for the day of trouble," does not imply that God predestines some for damnation, but rather promises the punishment that awaits those who reject God's mercy. We are the natural enemies of God (Romans 5:10; Philippians 3:18). Despising God's Word causes the heart to harden (John 12:40; Romans 1:21-28; Hebrews 3:13), making him even more deserving of His judgment on the last day (Revelation 22:11). The rejecter of God’s Grace is not that way as a consequence of God’s will for him, but because of his own stubbornness.
v.5 This verse explains that the wicked person of verse four deserves the “day of trouble” because of his arrogant attitude toward God and other people. His refusal to repent and turn from his wicked ways disgusts God and will ultimately earn His wrath.