Church of God (Seventh Day): “Does God Have a Plan for Your Life?”

In the December 2007 issue of CG7’s Now What? (a CG7 online magazine) there is an article by J. Grant Swank, Jr. (pastor of Windham Church of the Nazarene in Windham, ME) titled Does God Have a Plan for Your Life?

Here are perhaps the most relevant aspects of the article including its conclusion:

Does God have a plan for your life?

No — not if you do not will it. He permits you free will. When you activate free will for sin, self, and stupidity, the good God allows that due to His high regard for free will.

Does God have a plan for your life?

Yes — if you submit your free will to that plan. When you do, then Romans 8:28 kicks in, but not before: “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose” (NIV).

When you do, you will His will. You pray for God to return to Eden control for you. At that point He does, but only because you have activated that permission by your free will.

As long as you maintain that absolute submission, God’s will overlays your all…

However, faith in the good God still concludes that my house being swept away by a hurricane will work for the kingdom’s good and my good, because God will see to it — if my life is submitted to the ultimate scenario and if I have willed His will for my life.

The same goes for a bullet in the back of the head? Right. Ask John the Baptist who lost his by sword. Then move on to countless martyrs. They too banked on that when tied to the stake.

Next, ask Jesus on the cross. He also banked on that as He obediently died on the cross.

And you?

Comments by COGwriter

CG7 should be cautious about promoting articles written by Protestants (an article of possible interest may be Hope of Salvation: How the COGs differ from most Protestants).

Not only does the above article never really explain the plan of God for one’s life, it seems to sound a bit like how Islam (which means “submission”) would answer the question about God’s plan for one’s life.

God is love. His plan is one of love and His commandments show love.

Those interested in God’s plan for them personally should read the article What is the Meaning of Life?