Expert: Dean Gade - 10/31/2009

Question
Dear Dean:

I have been thinking a good deal lately about the difference between God's law and God's will.  What is the difference?

In my mind, God's law is a subset of God's will.  It consists of that part of God's will which if it is violated is sin.

This means that God's law is the more important part, and the rest of God's will, the part that is not called "law," is less important.

Also I see a progression of Christian growth.  First we are under the law, then as we progress we become conformed to God's will.  At that stage we are a willing, eager participant in carrying out God's will.

Do these thoughts agree with your own?

Do you have any other definition of God's law and God's will?

Thanks.


Answer
Jeff,

I understand that when you write "the law" you are referring only to the 10 Commandments.  They do indeed tell us part of the will of God.

But the Law was never intended to give people salvation, "give us Life", as it is called or teach us the full will of God.  It was given only to lead people to Christ, or the promise of Christ before He came into the world.   The clearest explanation of this is the following:

Gal 3:19-25
19 What, then, was the purpose of the law ? It was added because of transgressions until the Seed to whom the promise referred had come. The law was put into effect through angels by a mediator. 20 A mediator, however, does not represent just one party; but God is one.
21 Is the law , therefore, opposed to the promises of God? Absolutely not! For if a law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would certainly have come by the law . 22 But the Scripture declares that the whole world is a prisoner of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe.
23 Before this faith came, we were held prisoners by the law , locked up until faith should be revealed. 24 So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith. 25 Now that faith has come, we are no longer under the supervision of the law .
NIV

Nobody has ever achieved righteousness by Law.  It was only given to be a ministry of death:

2 Co 3:7-11
7 Now if the ministry that brought death, which was engraved in letters on stone , came with glory, so that the Israelites could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of its glory, fading though it was, 8 will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious? 9 If the ministry that condemns men is glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry that brings righteousness! 10 For what was glorious has no glory now in comparison with the surpassing glory. 11 And if what was fading away came with glory, how much greater is the glory of that which lasts!
NIV

Though the Law does reflect some of the will of God, no one is a Christian if they are living under it.  It's an "either or.."  situation.  Either we are under the Law or we are in Christ.  Anyone living under the Law is still as a slave and has no inheritance in Christ as an heir of God's promises.

Gal 3:1-14
3:1 You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. 2 I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law, or by believing what you heard? 3 Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort? 4 Have you suffered so much for nothing — if it really was for nothing? 5 Does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you because you observe the law, or because you believe what you heard?
6 Consider Abraham: "He believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness."   7 Understand, then, that those who believe are children of Abraham. 8 The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: "All nations will be blessed through you."   9 So those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.
10 All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law."   11 Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because, "The righteous will live by faith."   12 The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, "The man who does these things will live by them."   13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree."   14 He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.
NIV


God is love and unless one knows God as completely loving them, they cannot "love God above all things and love their neighbor as themselves".  The Law doesn't teach love or how to love, but teaches the wrath of God against any and all sin.  This wrath is removed from us only in Jesus Christ who has now given us His perfect righteousness.

Knowing whether we are still under the Law when we desire to always do the will of God is easily discerned by whether we try to do the will of God to avoid any punishment from Him and/or to gain any favor from Him  OR because it is now our new nature which does good works as automatically as an apple tree grows apples.

However, knowing the will of God is a day by day thing for all of us. As much as I have learned about the will of God I still have to seek His will for each challenge put before me.  His primary will is that we assist people to be saved and live in the guilt free joy and rest we have in our wonderful God.

1 Ti 2:3-4
v 3 This is good, and pleases God our Savior, 4 who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth .
NIV

Mt 9:12-13
12 On hearing this, Jesus said, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. 13 But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice.' For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners."
NIV

The Law does give some sure guidance.   But His Will is so much more and we need seek His face and grace every day in order to be walking in it.  That having to seek the will of God daily is what often causes us to prefer the Law, something "solid", over walking by guidance of God's Spirit each day.