Nothing has every happened that has been outside the plan of God, whether bad or good. God’s plan encompasses everything in all creation, both in heaven and on earth. Sadly, many Christians become distressed when evil comes into their lives because they forget everything is, “Father-filtered.”

At the same time, just because God allows evil it doesn’t mean that He is the author or origin of evil (James 1:13-18). Evil exists because God made free creatures that could choose between good and evil. Therefore, the choice for there to be “a choice to choose evil” was God’s, but both free humans and angels are responsible for choosing evil to be in creation.

And even though God’s plan did include the foreknowledge of His creatures choosing evil, there is no evil that doesn’t ultimately work for His good intentions. Most importantly, God has chosen and predestined fallen humans, in the midst of evil to bring Him glory and be trophies of His amazing grace.

Ephesians 1:3-14, “3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. 4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace 8 that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, 9 he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, 10 to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.

11 In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will, 12 in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of his glory. 13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of his glory.”

FOURTEEN THINGS PAUL WAS THANKFUL TO GOD FOR:

  1. Blessed with Every Spiritual Blessing, (v. 3).
  2. Chosen to be Holy & Blameless, (v. 4).
  3. Adoption to Sonship, (v. 5).
  4. Glorious Grace, (v. 6).
  5. Redemption & Forgiveness, (v. 7).
  6. All Wisdom & Understanding, (v. 8).
  7. Knowing God’s Mysterious Will, (v. 9).
  8. Unified with Christ, (v. 10).
  9. God’s Plan, (v. 11).
  10. Made to Praise God’s Glory, (v. 12).
  11. The Gospel, (v. 13a).
  12. Marked & Sealed by the Holy Spirit, (v. 13b).
  13. Guaranteed Inheritance, (v. 14a).
  14. God’s Possession, (v. 14b).

DEFINITIONS

  1. PLAN: Purpose set forth for action.
  2. CONFORMITY: Alignment to the plan.
  3. PREDESTINATION: God’s attribute of decreeing everything before anything ever existed or came to pass (Ephesians 1:11 & Acts 17:26-27).
  4. SOVEREIGN WILL: God’s attribute that describes His ability to do whatever is consistent within His nature of perfect love and holiness (Psalm 115:3,16).
  5. FOREKNOWLEDGE: God’s attribute of possessing all knowledge at all times (Romans 8:29 & Genesis 6:1-8).

THREE COMPONENTS OF GOD’S WILL

  1. GOD’S DESCRIPTIVE WILL: That which God commands for all people to do (Matthew 6:10).
  2. GOD’S PERMISSIVE WILL: That which God allows people to do (Jeremiah 19:5).
  3. GOD’S DECRETIVE WILL: That which God decrees He will do (Deuteronomy 28:1-2;15-16).

(Example A) Regarding Sin:

  1. GOD’S DESCRIPTIVE WILL: God: “It is my will that thou shalt not murder.”
  2. GOD’S PERMISSIVE WILL: Man: “It is my will to murder.’”
  3. GOD’S DECRETIVE WILL: God: “It is my choice how I judge murderers because I make the laws and murderers are law breakers.’”

(Example B) Regarding the Problem of Evil:

  1. GOD’S DESCRIPTIVE WILL: God: “I want everyone to obey me.”
  2. GOD’S PERMISSIVE WILL: Man: “I don’t want to obey God.”*
  3. GOD’S DECRETIVE WILL: God: “I will make a world where even those who don’t obey me bring me glory.”

*If God removed His permissive will, He would have to remove “free will” from mankind. Mankind would be forced to obey God and thus everything He commanded would be decreed for man to obey. However, since God has made man free He is not responsible for our sinful actions but only responsible to judge our sin. See this video for more information.

GOD’S PLAN

  1. Create the heavens and earth for His glory (Genesis 1:1).
  2. Make humanity in His multi-personal image (Genesis 1:26-28).
  3. Give humanity a choice to serve Him (Genesis 2:15-17).
  4. Use humanity’s bad choices for His ultimate good (Romans 8:28).
  5. Personally redeem humanity by becoming a human (John 1:1-18).
  6. Establish His Kingdom first in human hearts by the Holy Spirit (John 3:3 & Luke 17:20-21).
  7. Re-create a new humanity upon the new earth to dwell with mankind for eternity, the Kingdom of God on earth as it is in heaven (Revelation 21).

The plan of God was always to have a people that were made in His image who would freely choose to love and serve Him!