The Will Of God

“And His name, through faith in His name, has made this man strong, whom you see and know. Yes, the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.” (Acts 3:16)

Here we see clearly that it is the faith OF JESUS, not our own faith, which makes us strong, or makes those we see strong. Faith that comes from our own heart or desires cannot and will not strengthen us. Most likely it will depress us for often our will does not coincide with His, therefore it does not come to pass...

“Jesus explained, my food is to do the will of Him who sent me and to finish His work…The One who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, because I always do what pleases Him." (John 4:34; 8:29)

So what is the will of God that Jesus finished? 

The salvation of the world!

Don't fall into the trap of thinking our free will is stronger than God's will. It is not, nor can so called free will prevent Jesus from finishing that which he came to do - save the world. 

Jesus always does the will of our Father God. We do not, for we do not know the details of his will for day to day life. However, we know from the bible that "all things are working together for good" (Romans 8:28), and that "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners", and that God "is the Savior of all mankind"  (1 Timothy 1:15; 4:9-10) – that is the "good" that all things are working toward.

God sent his one and only Son to save it, and as Jesus said after being lifted up on the cross - “it is finished” – having faith that after his death for our sins and burial in the earth, God would lift him “up from the earth” and "draw all men" to himself, not some, but the whole world drawn to him and saved.  It will be completed when he returns to lift us all up out of death into immortal abundant life, both those who keep his word in this age, and those who do not…

“…I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of Him who sent me. This is the will of Him who sent me, that of all that He has given me I lose nothing, but raise them up on the last day. For this is the will of My Father…I myself will raise them up on the last day. And when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself…as for anyone who hears my words and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world... So the soldiers took charge of Jesus. Carrying his own cross, he went out to the place of the Skull (which in Aramaic is called Golgotha). There they crucified him…Jesus said, It is finished. With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit...” (John 6:37-40, 12:32, 47; 19:16-17)

So just believe God and trust Jesus to always do the will of our Father, to save the world out of death, which is pleasing to God. Be comforted that a loved one whom you prayed for to get saved but died never having faith...well Jesus's faith trumps his...and he will rise to meet Jesus when he comes, and then, hand in hand with you, will bow with you and will confess Jesus as Lord, all to the glory of God's grace and mercy.

"And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross. Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place, and gave Him the name above all names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Philippians 2:8-11)

"Yet we do speak wisdom among those who are mature; a wisdom, however, not of this age nor of the rulers of this age, who are passing away; but we speak God’s wisdom in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God predestined before the ages to our glory; the wisdom which none of the rulers of this age has understood; for if they had understood it they would not have crucified the Lord of glory…” (1 Corinthians 2:6-8)

Paul tells us that it was the wise rulers (religious and political) of this age that crucified their Lord, but we learn from Peter in his sermons in Acts chapters 2 and 3 that it was God’s Will. And they are forgiven for Jesus asked the Father while on the cross… "Father forgive them, they do not understand what they are doing.” (Luke 23:34).

The wise men of today…Philosophers, Theologians and Politicians… still do not know what they are doing but are many times just “the blind leading the blind” (Matthew 15:14). They refuse to see…but God reveals His Plan to those who learn to love Him…

“…but just as it is written, THINGS WHICH EYE HAS NOT SEEN AND EAR HAS NOT HEARD, AND which HAVE NOT ENTERED THE HEART OF MAN, ALL THAT GOD HAS PREPARED FOR THOSE WHO LOVE HIM. For to us God revealed them through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God…” (1 Corinthians 2:9-10)

Only by believing the Word of God will the Spirit reveal the Glory that will be manifested when the whole creation is reconciled to God, and mankind is complete in the very image of God…

“…the thoughts of God no one knows except the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God, which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words." (1 Corinthians 2:11-13)

Be patient and THANKFUL mankind, we win…because God, in His wisdom, has predestined his creation to Glory!

Why Did God Create Evil?

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved.” (Ephesians 1:2-7)

The last two days I have been thinking about God’s plan for mankind, and I concluded in studying the word saint in the Scripture that all people are saints in God’s eye. Paul says above that it is God’s intention and choice to bless us, not curse us. In fact God decided and PREDESTINED this before He created any of us…and He knew that ALL would sin and fall short of the glory of God in this present evil age which must have been why he created evil…

“I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.” (Isaiah 45:7)

And the Bible seems to indicate that the reason He created evil and allows mankind to sin is so that he can reveal his MERCY and GRACE and demonstrate His LOVE by redeeming sinners through the blood of Christ Jesus…

“God demonstrates His love towards us in that while we were sinners, Christ died for us…God has committed them all to disobedience, that He might have MERCY on all...In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His GRACE which He lavished on us. In all wisdom and insight He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him” (Romans 5:8; Romans 11:32; Ephesians 1:8-9)

One day God will finish what He has begun in an age yet to come and says that we should view the evil we are experiencing in this age as follows…

”...with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth. In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, having been PREDESTINED according to HIS PURPOSE who works ALL THINGS after the counsel of HIS WILL." (Ephesians 1:10-11)

Mercy On Them All

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” (Romans 12:1-2)

There is a great difference between “renewing” our minds based on the Mercy of God and having our minds “brainwashed” by the opinions of a religious system. Most all of what Christians and Muslims are taught is the opinion of their respective leaders.

Paul above urges us to offer ourselves as a living sacrifice in view of God’s MERCY (as opposed to some religious idea of JUSTICE), and to not be "conformed" (brainwashed) to the pattern of the world which in his day was dominated by the views of Jewish religious leaders and Greek Philosophers.

When we focus on God’s MERCY, we can clearly see and understand what God "WILLS", which is to save mankind and reconcile all creation to Himself…and then we can undo the brainwashing by the religious, philosophical and politically dominated world system.

“Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning…For God has bound everyone over to disobedience so that he may have mercy on them all...this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who WILLS all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for ALL.” (Lamentations 3:22; 2 Corinthians 5:10; 1 Timothy 2:3-6)

“For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost… All have sinned…the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord…For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who was preached among you by us…was not Yes and No, but in Him was Yes. For all the promises of God in Him are YES, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God...” (Luke 19:10; Romans 3:23; Romans 6:23; 2 Corinthians 1:19-20)

My understanding of the Scripture is that God will save sinners as a "free gift" through Christ Jesus from the penalty of sin, which is death. It is not a Yes I believe or No I don’t believe question as to salvation. God reserved for Himself the eventual eternal destiny of all mankind. He did not make it a matter of choice. God has chosen to freely give mankind “eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord”. 

The choice God has left for mankind during this age is to believe this, not in order to be saved, but in order to enjoy the peace and hope it gives. When people do not believe this, they worry all the time about whether God will save them or condemn them. Or they decide there is no God at all for various reasons. But the PROMISES of God are always YES in regard to the eventual salvation of mankind…as I have come to understand the Scripture.

When God speaks, it comes to pass…whether religious doctrine agrees with Him or not!

"For I am the LORD. I speak, and the word which I speak will come to pass…the word which I speak will be done." (Ezekiel 12:25, 28).

"He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world...In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ...according to the kind intention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us...according to the riches of His grace which He lavished on us. In all wisdom and insight He made known to us the mystery of His will..." (Ephesians 1:4-9)

Unfortunately Christianity has made salvation an act of man's free will rather than the will of God. All we can do is come to the knowledge and believe what God has done for us. Some come to the knowledge of His salvation in this life, ALL in the next. Either way it is a time to rejoice and to praise Him for "the glory of His GRACE".

Note above that it is God who makes "known to us the mystery of His will"… and has "predestined" us to be sons. So what is the will of God?

“…God our Savior; Who WILL have ALL MEN to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom FOR ALL, to be testified in due time.” (1 Timothy 2:1-7 KJV)

”And whatever you ask in my name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in my name, I will do it” (John 14:13-14)

Wouldn’t that be great…or would it?

Ever prayed that your favorite football team would win the game? Well there is someone on the other team praying the same thing. Ever prayed for rain? Well there was probably someone praying it won't rain that day due to something they felt was important. And how about war…we sure want our side to win? Or how about praying for our favorite political party or politician who is going to stand up for what we believe in and want?

Get the picture?

Obviously Jesus did not mean we could ask and get anything we want. Thank goodness! What he did say was anything we ask in prayer that is in agreement with what the Father WILLS and who knows what is in our best interest, we will have it. Ask all you want but God is only going to give you want HE wants. So try praying for what HE wants……like the salvation of ALL…it is His WILL.

“I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for ALL MEN...For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior; Who WILL have ALL MEN to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom FOR ALL, to be testified in due time. Whereunto I am ordained a preacher” (1 Timothy 2:1-7 KJV)

You can’t save anyone…but God can and will save everyone...”in due time”. As for Paul and a few of us now…

“…we have put our hope in the living God, who is the Savior of ALL MEN…” (1 Timothy 4:10 NIV)

”…for the letter kills, but the spirit gives life…seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech…now the Lord is that spirit: and where the spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all…are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” (2 Corinthians 3:6-18)

Paul is talking about the difference between the Law and the Spirit…both are glorious because they are originated by God. However, one kills us and one brings us back to life.

“For the wages of sin is death but the free gift of God is eternal life...” (Romans 6:23)

Mankind participates in both…death by Law…life by Spirit. And it is all a part of God’s plan and He WILLS it to be so.

“For God is at work in you both to WILL and to WORK for HIS good pleasure.” (Philippians 2:13)

When mankind is finally “made alive” in “spirit” at the resurrection to "eternal life", then we will be set at liberty…free indeed…and God will then be "All in all".

”For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive… that God may be all in all.” (1 Corinthians 15:22-28)