Judges 6:14–16, 36–40; Matthew 16:1–4; Romans 12:1–2

Bible Studies for Life
Associate Professor of Divinity, Beeson Divinity School, Samford University

DO YOU REQUIRE SIGNS?
Judges 6:14–16, 36–40; Matthew 16:1–4; Romans 12:1–2
Previous lessons in this series on “Finding and Following God’s Will” have given attention to aspects of God’s will that have been disclosed clearly in Scripture and apply generally to all who seek to follow Christ. But what do we do when we are faced with a situation that is not directly addressed by the Bible or seems to have many possible courses of action that would accord with the pattern of life that we know from Scripture is within God’s will for Christians? In those times, we naturally wish God might give us some additional help for discerning His will. “Give me a sign,” we sometimes find ourselves asking God. Sometimes He providentially grants us a sign, and other times, the all-wise God withholds such signs so we might discern His will in other ways. The focal passages in this week’s lesson emphasize the dangers of depending on extraordinary signs as reliable means of discerning God’s will, while suggesting other ways He guides believers.

Providential Signs (Judg. 6:14–16, 36–40)
When some Christians speak of “putting out a fleece,” in seriousness or jest, they are referring to the story of Gideon’s preparations for leading the Israelites into battle against the Midianites in Judges 6. God had already promised Gideon He would be with the Israelite troops and would see to it that they would triumph over the Midianite army. Gideon acknowledged God had promised this, and his awareness that this promise should be all the assurance he needed is reflected in his plea, “Do not let your anger burn against me.” Gideon asked on two occasions that God give him a sign confirming He would fulfill His promise — first by allowing dew to be present only on the fleece and then allowing only the fleece to be dry while everything else was wet with dew. God indulged Gideon’s request both times — not as a paradigm for all believers to follow but as a concession to Gideon’s lack of faith on this particular occasion.

The late Baptist theologian James Wm. McClendon Jr. called such signs “providential signs.” God does not always grant them, and they are not the normal pattern for discerning His will in our lives. In God’s wisdom and providence, however, we do, on occasion, experience extraordinary forms of guidance.

The Dangers of Extraordinary Signs (Matt. 16:1–4)
Often God does not provide extraordinary signs, and this is especially the case when we are not really interested in doing His will, even if He should make it clear to us. Jesus’ opponents in this passage already had other forms of divine guidance available to them that could have led them to locate God’s will in the person of Jesus. Because they already had rejected Jesus as the bearer of God’s will and had no intentions of reconsidering this rejection, Jesus did not heed their request for additional signs. We must first give ourselves to the ordinary ways in which God makes His will for us known; if we do not do so, then no other guidance is likely to be forthcoming.

The Ordinary Practices of Discernment (Rom. 12:1–2)
This passage tells us the ordinary practices of the Christian life help us discern God’s will. As we yield our lives to God, especially our embodied selves by which we relate to others, we are able to receive His direction. As we resist conformity to the surrounding culture, we are able to receive God’s direction. And as we allow ourselves to be transformed by a reorientation of our thinking that comes about through prayer, Bible study, participation in worship and fellowship with others who are seeking God’s will, we are able to receive His direction. It is significant that these admonitions were addressed to hearers and readers of Romans not in the singular but the plural. The letter was not primarily addressed to the individual Christian. It is not making too much of this detail to suggest that the discernment of God’s will is a communal practice of the church. We should seek God’s will as individuals, but our fellow members of the church are often the best help He provides.