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Guidance of Scripture in Life Decisions and Decision-Making

The guidance of Scripture in life decisions is understood by many Christian traditions as foundational for navigating one's conduct and choices, offering divine instruction and wisdom for both present and future life [9, 13]. The Bible itself is presented as "given by inspiration of God" and "by inspiration of the Holy Spirit," serving as the "Word of God" and "Word of truth" [3].

The concept of divine guidance for decision-making is deeply rooted in biblical texts. Psalm 32:8 states, "I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you shall go. I will counsel you with my eye on you" [2]. This verse suggests a personal, attentive guidance from God. Similarly, Psalm 119:175 expresses a desire for God's "decisions" to be a source of support [4]. The "counsel of the Lord" is understood to include God's instruction and will [11]. John Gill, in his commentary on Proverbs 19:20, identifies the "counsel and instruction of Wisdom, of Jesus Christ, the Wisdom of God, the wonderful Counsellor," as well as "his Gospel and of the Scriptures," as capable of making a person "wise unto salvation" [9]. This wisdom is not merely for theological understanding but for practical living, enabling one to be "wise in thy latter end" by considering a future state and the good of the soul [9].

The Scriptures are seen as a primary means through which God reveals his will and offers direction. Christ himself sanctioned the Scriptures by appealing to them and teaching from them [3]. Believers are encouraged to "search the scriptures" to find the "charter of eternal life" and to understand Christ's role as the "appointed Dispenser" of that life [12]. This emphasis on searching the Scriptures implies an active engagement with the text to discern God's will.

Decision-making in the Christian life is characterized by a commitment to God's ways. Torrey's Topical Textbook lists various aspects of decision necessary for serving God, including seeking God with the heart, keeping His commandments, being on the Lord's side, following God fully, serving God, and loving God perfectly [1]. These actions are contrasted with a "divided service," "double-mindedness," "halting between two opinions," or "not setting the heart aright" [1]. The path of God's commandments is presented as a source of delight for the believer [15].

The "judgments of God" are understood in several ways, including the "secret decisions of God's will" and "the revelations of his will" [7]. While some of God's decisions remain secret, His revealed will, found in Scripture, provides clear guidance [7]. The "decrees of God" are described as His "eternal, unchangeable, holy, wise, and sovereign purpose, comprehending at once all things that ever were or will be" [8]. These decrees govern all events and are understood to be unfrustrable [5, 10]. While the doctrine of predestination, which refers to God's plan of salvation, is acknowledged as complex and belonging to the "secret things" of God, the revealed word of God is presented as the guide [5]. The "counsel of the Lord" stands forever, encompassing God's purposes and decrees in both providence and grace, including the choice of persons to everlasting life and their redemption [10].

The Christian life is described as a "walk" or "course" on earth, governed by faith rather than by sight or outward appearances [14]. This means that decisions are made based on trust in God's revealed word and His unseen purposes, rather than solely on immediate circumstances or visible outcomes [14]. The concept of "life" in Scripture encompasses physical existence, immortality, conduct, spiritual salvation, and eternal life, with God and Christ being the ultimate source of all life [6]. Therefore, decisions made in this life have implications for one's spiritual and eternal well-being.

The guidance offered by Scripture is not merely a set of rules but a means to cultivate godliness, which is seen as beneficial for both "this life" and "the life to come" [13]. This perspective encourages believers to direct their thoughts and conduct towards a "right course" [16]. The emphasis is on hearing counsel and receiving instruction from the Scriptures to gain wisdom for one's entire life journey [9].

Sources

  1. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Decision — Necessary to the service of God -- Lu 9:62. Exhortations to -- Jos 24:14,15. Exhibited in Seeking God with the heart. -- 2Ch 15:12. Keeping the commandments of God. -- Ne 10:29. Being on the Lord's side. -- Ex 32:26. Following God fully. -- Nu 14:24; 32:12; Jos 14:8. Serving God. -- Isa 56:6. Loving God perfectly. -- De 6:5. Blessedness of. -- Jos 1:7. Opposed to A divided service. -- Mt 6:24. Double-mindedness. -- Jas 1:8. Halting between two opinions. -- 1Ki 18:21. Turning to the right or left. -- De 5:32. Not setting the heart aright. -- Ps 78:8,37. Exe”
  2. Psalms “I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you shall go. I will counsel you with my eye on you. -- Psalms 32:8”
  3. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Scriptures, The — Given by inspiration of God -- 2Ti 3:16. Given by inspiration of the Holy Spirit -- Ac 1:16; Heb 3:7; 2Pe 1:21. Christ sanctioned, by appealing to them -- Mt 4:4; Mr 12:10; Joh 7:42. Christ taught out of -- Lu 24:27. Are called the Word. -- Jas 1:21-23; 1Pe 2:2. Word of God. -- Lu 11:28; Heb 4:12. Word of Christ. -- Col 3:16. Word of truth. -- Jas 1:18. Holy Scriptures. -- Ro 1:2; 2Ti 3:15. Scripture of truth. -- Da 10:21. Book. -- Ps 40:7; Re 22:19. Book of the Lord. -- Isa 34:16. Book of the law. -- Ne 8:3; Ga 3:10. Law of the Lord. -- Ps 1:2; Isa”
  4. Psalms “Psalms 119:175 (BBE) — Give life to my soul so that it may give you praise; and let your decisions be my support.”
  5. Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Predestination — This word is properly used only with reference to God's plan or purpose of salvation. The Greek word rendered "predestinate" is found only in these six passages, Acts 4:28; Rom. 8:29, 30; 1 Cor. 2:7; Eph. 1:5, 11; and in all of them it has the same meaning. They teach that the eternal, sovereign, immutable, and unconditional decree or "determinate purpose" of God governs all events. This doctrine of predestination or election is beset with many difficulties. It belongs to the "secret things" of God. But if we take the revealed word of God as our guid”
  6. Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Life — Generally of physical life (Gen. 2:7; Luke 16:25, etc.); also used figuratively (1) for immortality (Heb. 7:16); (2) conduct or manner of life (Rom. 6:4); (3) spiritual life or salvation (John 3:16, 17, 18, 36); (4) eternal life (Matt. 19:16, 17; John 3:15); of God and Christ as the absolute source and cause of all life (John 1:4; 5:26, 39; 11:25; 12:50).”
  7. Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Judgments of God — (1.) The secret decisions of God's will (Ps. 110:5; 36:6). (2.) The revelations of his will (Ex. 21:1; Deut. 6:20; Ps. 119:7-175). (3.) The infliction of punishment on the wicked (Ex. 6:6; 12:12; Ezek. 25:11; Rev. 16:7), such as is mentioned in Gen. 7; 19:24, 25; Judg. 1:6, 7; Acts 5:1-10, etc.”
  8. Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Decrees of God — "The decrees of God are his eternal, unchangeable, holy, wise, and sovereign purpose, comprehending at once all things that ever were or will be in their causes, conditions, successions, and relations, and determining their certain futurition. The several contents of this one eternal purpose are, because of the limitation of our faculties, necessarily conceived of by us in partial aspects, and in logical relations, and are therefore styled Decrees." The decree being the act of an infinite, absolute, eternal, unchangeable, and sovereign Person, compre”
  9. Proverbs (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Proverbs 19:20: Hear counsel, and receive instruction,.... Of parents, masters, and ministers; especially the counsel and instruction of Wisdom, of Jesus Christ, the Wisdom of God, the wonderful Counsellor; and of his Gospel and of the Scriptures, which are able to make a man wise unto salvation; that thou mayest be wise in thy latter end; in the latter end of life, at death; that then it may appear a man has been so wise as to be concerned for a future state, for the good of his soul in another world; by listening to the counsel and instruction of Christ, in his word; by lookin”
  10. Psalms (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Psalms 33:11: The counsel of the Lord standeth for ever,.... By which are meant, not the doctrines of the Gospel, nor the ordinances of it; though these will stand firm, and remain to the end of the world; but the purposes and decrees of God, which are wisely formed in himself, are eternal and unfrustrable, and relate to all things in providence and grace. The Lord does all things according to the counsel of his will in the government of the world, and in the salvation of men: the choice of persons to everlasting life is according to it; and so are their redemption, effectual call”
  11. Psalms (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Psalms 107:11: 107:11 God’s counsel includes his instruction and will.”
  12. John (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on John 5:39: Search the scriptures, &c.--"In the Scriptures ye find your charter of eternal life; go search them then, and you will find that I am the Great Burden of their testimony; yet ye will not come to Me for that life eternal which you profess to find there, and of which they tell you I am the appointed Dispenser." (Compare Act 17:11-12). How touching and gracious are these last words! Observe here (1) The honor which Christ gives to the Scriptures, as a record which all have a right and are bound to search--the reverse of which the Church of Rome teaches; (2)”
  13. 1 Timothy (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on 1 Timothy 4:8: 4:8-9 physical training . . . godliness: Cp. 1 Cor 9:24-27; Col 2:23. • benefits in this life . . . the life to come: Cp. 1 Tim 4:16; 6:6-8; Mark 10:29-30; Eph 6:2-3. • trustworthy saying: See study note on 1 Tim 1:15.”
  14. 2 Corinthians (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 2 Corinthians 5:7: we walk--in our Christian course here on earth. not by sight--Greek, "not by appearance." Our life is governed by faith in our immortal hope; not by the outward specious appearance of present things [TITTMANN, Greek Synonyms of the New Testament]. Compare "apparently," the Septuagint, "by appearance," Num 12:8. WAHL supports English Version. Co2 4:18 also confirms it (compare Rom 8:24; Co1 13:12-13). God has appointed in this life faith for our great duty, and in the next, vision for our reward [SOUTH] (Pe1 1:8).”
  15. Psalms (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Psalms 119:33: Make me to go in the path of thy commandments,.... Lead, guide, direct me in the path, and use me to it; work in me both to will and to do; give both ability and a willing mind to walk therein; by granting fresh supplies of grace, and more spiritual strength; by drawing with the cords of love, and by putting in him the good spirit of grace, to cause to walk in the statutes of the Lord, and keep his judgments and do them, Eze 36:27; for therein do I delight; in the law of God, after the inward man; in the commandments of Christ, which are not grievous; in wisdom's ”
  16. Proverbs (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Proverbs 23:19: guide . . . way--or direct thy thoughts to a right course of conduct (compare Pro 4:4; Pro 9:6).”
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