Self-will, in the context of biblical teaching, refers to the human inclination to prioritize personal desires and decisions over divine guidance and commandments. This concept is often contrasted with submission to God's will, which is a central theme throughout Scripture. The Bible provides numerous examples and teachings that highlight the consequences of self-will and the omniscience of God in knowing the hearts and intentions of individuals.

Biblical Examples of Self-Will

1. Adam and Eve (Genesis 3:1-6): The first instance of self-will is seen in the Garden of Eden, where Adam and Eve chose to eat from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, despite God's explicit command not to do so. Their decision to follow their own desires led to the fall of man and the introduction of sin into the world.

2. King Saul (1 Samuel 13:8-14): King Saul's self-will is evident when he offered a burnt offering without waiting for the prophet Samuel, as instructed by God. Saul's impatience and desire to act on his own terms resulted in God's rejection of his kingship. Samuel said to Saul, "You have acted foolishly; you have not kept the command the LORD your God gave you" (1 Samuel 13:13).

3. Jonah (Jonah 1:1-3): Jonah's initial refusal to go to Nineveh as commanded by God demonstrates self-will. Instead of obeying God's directive, Jonah attempted to flee to Tarshish. His actions led to a series of events that ultimately reaffirmed God's sovereignty and Jonah's need to submit to His will.

God's Omniscience and Self-Will

The Bible consistently affirms that God is all-knowing and fully aware of human thoughts and intentions. This divine attribute underscores the futility of self-will when it opposes God's perfect knowledge and plan.

1. Psalm 139:1-4 : "O LORD, You have searched me and known me. You know when I sit and when I rise; You understand my thoughts from afar. You search out my path and my lying down; You are aware of all my ways. Even before a word is on my tongue, You know all about it, O LORD." This passage highlights God's intimate knowledge of every individual, emphasizing that nothing is hidden from Him.

2. Proverbs 21:2 : "All a man’s ways seem right to him, but the LORD weighs the heart." This verse illustrates the contrast between human perception and divine insight. While individuals may justify their self-willed actions, God discerns the true motives and intentions behind them.

3. Hebrews 4:12-13 : "For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any double-edged sword. It pierces even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and intentions of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight; everything is uncovered and exposed before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account." This passage underscores the penetrating power of God's Word and His comprehensive knowledge of human hearts.

Consequences of Self-Will

The Bible warns of the consequences that arise from self-will, often leading to spiritual and sometimes physical repercussions. These consequences serve as reminders of the importance of aligning one's will with God's.

1. Proverbs 16:25 : "There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death." This proverb warns that self-will, when not aligned with God's will, can lead to destructive outcomes.

2. James 4:13-15 : "Come now, you who say, 'Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business, and make a profit.' You do not even know what will happen tomorrow! What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, 'If the Lord is willing, we will live and do this or that.'" This passage encourages believers to submit their plans to God's will, acknowledging His sovereignty over the future.

Encouragement to Submit to God's Will

The Bible encourages believers to seek God's will and submit to His guidance, recognizing His perfect wisdom and love.

1. Romans 12:1-2 : "Therefore I urge you, brothers, on account of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God." This exhortation calls believers to surrender their self-will in favor of discerning and following God's will.

2. Matthew 6:10 : "Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven." In the Lord's Prayer, Jesus teaches His followers to prioritize God's will, reflecting a heart of submission and trust in God's perfect plan.Isaiah 48:4
Because I knew that you are obstinate, and your neck is an iron sinew, and your brow brass;
Nave's Topical Index

Of the Ordering of all the virtues through the Seven Gifts of the ...
... words which Christ ever spoke; for, by His renunciation of self-will according to ...
Now mark this: although God knows all hearts, yet such a man is often tempted ...
/.../john/the adornment of the spritual marriage/chapter lxiii of the ordering.htm

Out of the Deep of Suffering and Sorrow.
... burning out of them the chaff of self-will, and self ... it was; what was the secret
chastisement which God sent to ... watching the melted metal till he knows that it ...
//christianbookshelf.org/kingsley/out of the deep/i out of the deep.htm

To the Venerable Religious, Brother Antonio of Nizza, of the Order ...
... But not thus does he whose self-will is lively within, seeking ... For he seems to think
that he knows what he needs ... It seems to me that I am wronging God in this ...
/.../benincasa/letters of catherine benincasa/to the venerable religious brother.htm

God's Exhaustive Knowledge of Man. [*Continued]
... We come now to the second position: That God accurately and exhaustively knows all
that ... Though it is sin and self-will, though it is thought and feeling ...
/.../shedd/sermons to the natural man/gods exhaustive knowledge of man 2.htm

Carnal or Spiritual?
... Self-will, self-pleasing, self-confidence. ... the Spirit, devoted to Jesus, following
Him, fully giving up all for Him?""must say with sorrow, "God knows I am ...
/.../murray/the deeper christian life/iii carnal or spiritual.htm

What are Consequences of Backsliding in Heart.
... God, and taken the attitude of self-will, God will inevitably ... Having enjoyed the
love of God, and forsaken Him ... If he attempts religious duty, he knows there is ...
/.../finney/the backslider in heart/iv what are consequences of.htm

Preaching at Nazareth
... impoverishment that lays hold of every soul that wrenches itself, in self-will,
apart from ... the habits of your lives, which you know as well as God knows it, to ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture e/preaching at nazareth.htm

How to Meet God
... does"'worketh righteousness.' Every master knows how much ... an almost imperceptible
film of self-will and evil, dropped between oneself and God, will make ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture h/how to meet god.htm

Knowledge and Peace
... Without Him no man knows God; 'No man knoweth the ... the unrest of tumultuous passions
and storms of self-will. ... rage, and when we have become God's friends, that ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture g/knowledge and peace.htm

The Race of Life
... I cannot, God knows. ... well for that; if we will rebel, and try our own way, and rush
out of God's road after this and that, in pride and self-will, as if ...
//christianbookshelf.org/kingsley/the good news of god/sermon x the race of.htm

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