The Danger Of Presumption And God

Obidos, Vila Natal, Portugal-trekearth

Continuing on from the last post..

13 These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life. 14 This is the confidence which we have [a]before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. 15 And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him. New American Standard Version I John 5: 13-15

13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life. 14 And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. 15 And if we know that he hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him. English Standard Version I John 5: 13-15

R.W. Orr reasons that this section of Scripture should provide assurance of eternal life (technically theologically and philosophically everlasting life according to the explanations on this blog, please see related posts in archives or on popular posts lists), as there is human fellowship with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit and this should bring about a 'childlike frankness and assurance' while praying. Orr (1986: 1584).

Observing my life and other (s), although of course from more of a distance, I can philosophically see that there is the potential for 'The Danger Of Presumption And God'. I was discussing my career with my brother last night and I noted as I have with friends over the years, that I reasoned the Lord has primarily led me over a twenty year academic degree period to be a Theologian and eventually more clearly Theologian/Philosopher, but there was never a clear leading that I should be necessarily a professor.

I simply secondarily assumed/presumed that becoming a professor was the most likely career move after obtaining BA and MTS degrees and British MPhil/PhD theses only degrees. I am still willing to work as a professor but that is not necessarily my only option. There are other options with my degrees such as academic publishing and media. But work is difficult to find presently in academia, publishing and in media. I am presently working with my family in a network marketing business.

Therefore I conclude, that there was a reason why my directive was to obtain a PhD in Theology/Philosophy primarily and any more than this would have risked a dangerous presumption of God.

Further...

To arrive at a point to realize what should actually be a directive, from God required years of prayer, trial and error, careful theology and philosophy. It was not primarily based on social rules, Church views, family pressures, world philosophies, peer pressure and other factors that often have some benefits but too must be subjected to the will of God within Scripture and the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Millard Erickson writes that God’s perfect will, will 1 as he calls it, is God’s general intention and what pleases him most. Erickson (1994: 361). God’s will 2, is God’s specific intention in every given situation and what God actually decides will occur. Erickson (1994: 361). This is permissible will. Erickson explains that there are many times when evil and sin occur that God, in his perfect will, does not wish these events to take place, but permits them. Erickson (1994: 361). He explains that with will 2, since God does not intervene to prevent particular evil and sin, he permissibly wills it. Erickson (1994: 361).

It is also stated that certain things and events occur within God's will 2, the permissible will that God causes and wills that are not his perfect will. In my mind as God has both a perfect and permissible will and it again highlights 'The Danger of Presumption And God'.

So, to further explain...

A person may assume/presume God may grant an aspect and blessing of life within God's perfect will, or as the person's sees it, but in reality God is willing and planning something permissible.

The person with his/her own perhaps less than optimally open-minded agenda due to non-Biblical and non-Spirit led factors (social rules, family pressures, world philosophies, peer pressure), could miss out on greater blessings because of such thinking and life approach.

God, hypothetically could teach or at least effect someone through a loss of God's perfect will, or something close to it, possibly due to sin and perhaps dangerous presumptions and end up with God's permissible will taking place that is distant from God's perfect will.

I see this as legitimate within a limited free will, non-libertarian free will perspective as although God causes and wills all things as God knows the human spirit and therefore 'heart' of a person, God knows in the case of a believer how that person is going to be effected and taught in life.

Therefore, even within a compatibilistic framework where God causes and wills all things, a person should still take limited free will and moral responsibility seriously as a Christian and seek to be guided by The Holy Spirit (John 20, Acts 2) through prayer, study, and fellowship in order to avoid dangerous presumptions in regard to God.

ERICKSON, MILLARD (1994) Christian Theology, Grand Rapids, Baker Book House.

ORR, R.W. (1986) 'The Letters of John' in The International Bible Commentary, Grand Rapids, Zondervan.