The admonition to understand the Will of the Lord implies the ability of the average person to read, study, and apply the Scriptures for himself. Let it be emphasized that an understanding of the Bible depends entirely upon one’s desire to study and apply the Scriptures for himself. The idea that the ability to understand the Bible is the realm of a “seminary” trained “clergy” is a sectarian concept and is wholly foreign to the truth! Of those things revealed through the apostles, Paul wrote, “Whereby, when ye read, ye may understand my knowledge in the mysteries of Christ<\/em>” (Ephesians 3:4).<\/p>\n The ability to understand the Will of the Lord is primarily an issue of attitude. Paul wrote, “And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for that cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: that they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness<\/em>” (II Thessalonians 2:10-12).<\/p>\n We continue to plead with all to develop and cultivate the desire to “speak where the Bible speaks and be silent where the Bible is silent.” By doing so, it will be possible to “do Bible things in Bible ways and call Bible things by Bible names.”<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" by Charles L. Morton via The Preceptor, Vol. 28, No. 5, March 1979 “Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the Will of the Lord is” (Ephesians 5:17). Some things are involved in this text that are basic. Your attention is invited to some of them. The admonition to understand the Will of the Lord…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[27],"tags":[972,964],"class_list":["post-19586","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-article","tag-gods-will","tag-understanding-the-bible"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":9052,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/can-the-bible-be-understood-by-the-common-man\/","url_meta":{"origin":19586,"position":0},"title":"Can the Bible be understood by the common man?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"March 19, 2007","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Have you heard of Eli Soriano? What do you think about his teachings? Answer: I looked briefly at Eli Soriano's website. I'm afraid I didn't get far because there was a statement on the first page that I knew to be contrary to God's Word. \"The Bible contains many\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":10976,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/what-saves-us-from-sin\/","url_meta":{"origin":19586,"position":1},"title":"What Saves Us from Sin?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"September 30, 2008","format":false,"excerpt":"by Clem Thurman via Gospel Minutes, Vol. 57, No. 28, July 11, 2008 We are not saved by one thing to the exclusion of all others, for there are many factors that work out our salvation. Rather than focus on just one passage that speaks of our being saved, we\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-content\/uploads\/2008\/09\/saved.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":22319,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/can-a-person-understand-the-bible-without-the-holy-spirits-help\/","url_meta":{"origin":19586,"position":2},"title":"Can a person understand the Bible without the Holy Spirit’s help?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"April 3, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Regarding the Ten Commandments: Hi there. My advice is that you take and read the Bible. Do not put your ideas into it. There are other people who do understand the Bible. Therefore, read Deuteronomy 4:2; 12:32. This is exactly what you do on your web site. I am\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":58553,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/patience-in-seeking-truth-a-necessity\/","url_meta":{"origin":19586,"position":3},"title":"Patience in Seeking Truth,\u00a0a Necessity","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"January 28, 2009","format":false,"excerpt":"by Garreth L. Clair \u00a0 John 8:32,\u00a0\"and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.\" ASV John 17:17,\u00a0\"Sanctify them in the truth: thy word is truth.\" ASV II Timothy 3:16-17,\u00a0\"Every scripture inspired of God (is) also profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for instruction which\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":27487,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/obedience-to-god\/","url_meta":{"origin":19586,"position":4},"title":"Obedience to God","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"November 13, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"by Paul Southern via The Preceptor, Vol. 1, No. 10, August 1952. The subject of obedience is an important theme that should engage the thought of every responsible person. Rebellion against constituted authority seems to be a trait inherent with mankind. On every hand, we witness infractions of constitutional, statutory,\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Article"","block_context":{"text":"Article","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/article\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":69915,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/same-sex-marriage\/","url_meta":{"origin":19586,"position":5},"title":"Same Sex Marriage?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"September 25, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"by Jerry Joseph In today's news, you hear much about what is called \"same-sex marriages.\" What is promoted by such is a man married to a man or a woman being married to a woman. What about such marriages? Are they approved of God? 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The admonition to understand the Will of the Lord implies that the Will of the Lord is available to man. If one does not understand the Will of God it is not because God has not spoken to man, for He has (Hebrews 1:1,2). The Will of God has been revealed to man by the inspired writings of the apostles. Paul wrote: “For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the Word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the Word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe<\/em>” (I Thessalonians 2:13). Again, “If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord<\/em>” (I Corinthians 14:37). The New Testament is, therefore, the full, final and complete revelation of the Will of God to man (II Timothy 3:16,17).<\/p>\n