Finding the Will of God by Bruce Waltke 1

Ok, so I was recommened to read this book, and bought it from the CCK book store last Sunday. I flew through the book. It wasn't a very difficult read. But, for the first time ever really, I have serious reservations about a book carried in CCK's book store. (I have disagreed at points with almost every book I have read, but this one was a bit more serious.)

Also, if anyone here has read this book and wants to offer criticism of me, please do.

Ok, the book had two main goals. First, to show that finding the will of God, as if you are searching for some treasure hidden in the depths of the mind of God is not an action the church so do today, and secondly he attempted to set up the way that God actually does guide us today.

The action that Walkte is arguing against is a Christian trying to find God's wil for a situation. An example of this today would be someone praying for a sign or some indication for God as to whom we should marry, or what job offer we should accept. Waltke believes that this action of seeking God's will in this way is more of a pagan notion than a Christian one.

The main (only) point that he has for why the church should not seek God's will like this is that there are no commands or examples of this after Pentecost in the NT. However, there were many examples of seeking God's will in scripture before Pentecost.

My first gripe with the book is that it assumes that the lack of examples of seeking God's will after Pentecost means that this isn't supposed to happen at all now. And now acts (like casting lots) which we have biblical examples (Acts 1) and Biblical statements concerning its use (Proverbs 16:33) are now pagan notions, and as such are not fit for the church. The only evidence he has for this transition is silence. I don't think that this suffices.

More on this will come later....