Things God is Unwilling to Do

Things God is Unwilling to Do

(2 Peter 3:9)

Logan Peters

Introduction:

1. Are there activities that we are completely unwilling to do? We all had an image pop into our minds of something we would never have any business participating in. Personally, what came to my mind was the idea of skydiving. I have no business, desire, or even second thoughts about going thousands of feet in the air and jumping out of an airplane. It is just not going to happen, folks!

2. Everyone has a limitation to what they are willing to do. There is a line that we have set for ourselves mentally that we never intend to cross. It is not only a commonsense decision for each individual but a safeguard in that we will not even entertain the idea of crossing into something we feel is not wise.

3. Did you know that there are things that God is unwilling to do? I know what you are thinking. You are thinking about different records throughout Scripture that tell us the power of God (Gen. 1; Jer. 10:12). God makes us fully aware of His awesome might. When we pray to God and study His Word, we should always be in awe of His amazing power.

4. Even with His power and might, there are some things that He is unwilling to do. This is not a sermon on the weaknesses of God, because there are none. What we want to investigate today is the fact that God is unwilling to do certain things for our benefit. In 2 Peter 3:9, we read that God does not desire for any to perish, but that all men would come to know Him and repent.

5. When we think about things that God is unwilling to do, we want to examine four aspects:

a. God is unwilling to give up when a person tries.

b. God is unwilling to let you down.

c. God is unwilling to lie to you.

d. God is unwilling to stop loving you.

I. Unwilling to Give Up When a Person Tries (John 6:32-39)

A. Many of us have experienced that feeling of dissatisfaction when we give all our efforts into something and fall short of our goal. The human mind expects results when one works hard. Perhaps you remember a time you played a sport and no matter how much time and effort you put into the game; you never made the starting lineup. Maybe you worked a job and genuinely put in the time and effort, but you were let go due to low sales numbers. Whatever it may be, just because we put our best foot forward, does not guarantee results.

1. We can have disappointments as a Christian as well. What do we feel when we work hard to overcome a temptation, but still sin? What about when we feel inadequate as Christians? Jesus says that when we go to Him, He will not cast us out (John 6:37). The Greek word utilized for this refers to being driven out. All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Rom. 3:23). There is no doubt that we all fail in some aspect of our faith. When we fail, God still does not give up on us. We are not cast out of his hand.

2. God is longsuffering toward us. So much so that He is longsuffering and desires that all men would come to repentance (2 Pet. 3:9). Scripture reveals that God is longsuffering even in our failures. He desires that all would repent and come to Him, including Christians. This characteristic of God shows His patience and love toward His children. It is comforting to know that God does not condemn us when we fall short of his glory. However, we must be careful that we do not take advantage of God’s mercy. Paul writes by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, that we cannot continue in habitual sin and expect God to accept us (Rom. 6:1).

B. Now, how is this applied to us? What we want to examine is the attitude one has in everyday Christian life. Good news for us, God has given us His Word that answers every single question of life (2 Timothy 3:17; Jude 1:3). Everything we do in our lives as Christians requires our sincere effort. Whether it is benevolence, evangelism, or our secular jobs, God requires that effort. Everything we do needs to be done as if we are going to hand it to God when we are done (Col. 3:23).

1. Our attitude and effort mean more to God than we believe. There is this notion that once a person is saved, they must maintain a perfect condition, or their salvation is invalid. As we examined earlier in Romans 3:23, all have fallen short of the glory of God. When we fall off the horse what is our next step? Do we stay in the dirt or dust ourselves off and hop back on the horse? This is the attitude the Christian needs to have!

2. God is unwilling to give up on us when we fail because we have godly sorrow that leads us to proper repentance (2 Cor. 7:10). This leads us to properly change our minds and actions. In turn, we improve every single day of our lives in Christ. If God is unwilling to give up on us, then we can be unwilling to give up on ourselves. When you fall, get back up. When you make a mistake, accept the consequences, and grow from it. The Christian life is a marathon, not a sprint. Give yourself a little grace, but do not settle. We must continue to study and improve our lives for God (Col. 3:23).

II. Unwilling to Let You Down (Psa. 18:2)

A. For us to examine this point, we must observe what this point does not mean. It does not mean that God will fold to our will. He is not going to do what we believe is the best decision. God is still the omnipotent One (Rev. 19:6). Everyone has been let down in some way. If you are a golfer, you understand that disappointing feeling when your round gets rained out. What if we go a step further? What if you feel let down by a family member? Maybe that family member did something wrong and refused to repent. Perhaps he or she failed to come through on a promise. This feeling is felt in our hearts and causes a lack of trust in the family. Friends, our God does not let us down. He does not leave, nor will he forsake us. Our Father is a strong tower and is a shelter at any point in our lives (Pro. 18:10). God is unwilling to let us down in any way.

B. No matter the stage of life or current circumstance, it is imperative that the Christian realize that God is always a source of support (Psa. 18:2). David describes God’s capability of being our stronghold. We can trust in God and that He will be sheltering in times of storm and sunshine. Throughout Scripture, God makes promises to His children, and they always come to fruition. The Christian can be secure in our God because He is the ultimate authority. We must remember that this is the same God that created everything (Gen 1-4). In the book of Joshua, alone, there are countless accounts of God bringing His children through on His promises (Jos. 21:45). We can trace all the goodness of God through these examples. Never once, did God let down His children.

C. By way of application, I want us to move into our next point. God does not let us down and keeps his promises because he is unwilling to lie to us.

III. Unwilling to Lie to You (Tit. 2:3)

A. God is righteous. He is righteous to the extent that there exists no unrighteousness in His presence. There is no darkness in God whatsoever (1 John 1:5). This means that God cannot lie because of His light and righteousness. When we reflect on the Israelites, we can notice how they prospered, but only if they abided by the law of God. God set boundaries and consequences for disobedience. For the Israelites, if they did not follow the commands of God, there were consequences of this insubordination.

1. The hope of salvation promised by God to the Christian ought to remind us of the goodness of God because He cannot lie, we can know that the words are true (1 Pet. 1:3-9, Acts 2:37-38). Although all of this is true, there still are stipulations to be met. One must continue obeying the laws of God. Even as Christians, we are commanded to continue to uphold the rules and regulations that God has set forth for us to know how to live.

2. This means that because there is a promise of salvation to the obedient, then there is a promise of eternal punishment to the wicked (Mat. 25:41-46). How seriously do we take this passage? We must look at this very carefully. This example given to us by Christ goes to show that there will be those who fall into everlasting fire. Is it because God let them down? No, they let themselves down by being disobedient. Did God lie to them? No, God gave us the Word so that we could understand what He desires us to do. God laid out the blueprint, it is up to us to follow it.

B. Friends, God will not let us down. If we are faithful members of the Lord’s body (Col. 1:18), we have a living hope inside of us. A hope of a promise given to us by God that cannot lie. A promise of eternal praise to Him. We can be thankful for the mercy and grace of God that He is unwilling to let us down or to lie to us.

1. The key application to these last two points can be summarized by the word obedience(Mat. 7:21-23). Our obedience is significant because, without it, we do not have a lively hope. One who does not obey God’s law only has one promise that will come to fruition. The promise the disobedient one has is that of an eternal fire. If God is unwilling to let us down and unwilling to lie to us, then we must be willing to be obedient to His Word.

2. The promise of an eternal home with God is precious. It is an encouragement to the Christian. No matter what happens to us in this life, and no matter how severe it is, this promise gives us the motivation to stay on the narrow way that leads to life (Mat. 7:13-14).

IV. Unwilling to Stop Loving You (Jer. 31:3)

A. Finally, God is unwilling to stop loving you. Jeremiah reveals that God’s love is everlasting. God’s love is not only here and now but will be eternal. God loved the world enough that through His grace, He gave us Jesus (Rom 5:8). There was enough love that He sent His only Son to be the propitiation for our sins (1 John 2:2). God made a way of salvation for man, that he could spend eternity with God the Father.

1. This ultimate display of love God has shown us is not specifically for a select few, but for every single man that walks on this earth (John 3:16). Christ tells us that God loved the whole world. It is easy to forget that God’s love is everlasting. He has always loved us, even from before the beginning and God will continue to love us in eternity. It is hard to wrap our minds around this kind of love. We think about the love parents have for their children but multiplied to the millionth degree. God loves intimately that He even knows the number of hairs on our heads (Luke 12:7). There has always been love from God, and there will always be love from God.

2. From the lowest point of our lives to the highest, God has looked upon us and loved us. The Lord only desires that we obey the gospel and become His children. He desires for the ones that He loves to be with Him for eternity in heaven. God loves you unconditionally.

B. Because God first loved us, we must love Him (1 John 4:19).

1. I encourage us to sit down and write out on a piece of paper how many blessings we have received from God. This is a list that we could never finish.

2. God shares His never-ending love with us. How do we show that love back to him? Jesus says, “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 1:15). This is such a simple statement with a powerful message behind it.

3. What is our driving force in obeying God? Is it a fear of eternal torment? Is it a need to fulfill a duty? Jesus tells us that our love for Him is what drives our commitment to obedience. We love our God, and we desire to serve Him. James refers to himself as a servant of God (James 1:1). This word servant is a reference to a bondservant. This is one that only knows the law of his master and follows it. We must have this same attitude. Our love for Jesus, the Master, creates a zeal for knowing His law.

Conclusion:

1. We have seen four things that God is unwilling to do. There was a commonality within every single one of them. Each one of these points requires our obedience to God. Our obedience will

a. Cause us to not give up when we fail.

b. Allow us to accept the promises of God.

c. Motivate us to travel the road that leads to heaven.

d. Express to God our love for Him.

2. Obedience is our expression to God that shows we completely submit to His will and authority for the rest of our lives. It is not simply enough to have faith. One must act upon that faith (James 2:20). What kind of attitude do we possess when it comes to the obedience of God? Are we just trying to get to heaven to avoid hell? Let this not be our main motivation, friends. No one wants to go to hell, and we all want to go to heaven. Our prime motivation should be our love for God. A desire to express the love we have for Him just as He expressed His love for us by sending Jesus to be the ultimate sacrifice for the remission of sins.

3. If you are here today and have not obeyed the gospel, we want you to understand that God loves you. He sent His Son to live a sinless life, and to be an unblemished lamb to be the propitiation for our sins. After His sacrifice on the cross, He would arise from the grave completing the foundation for the salvation of man. Are you ready to be an obedient child of God? He requires that you

a. Hear the word (Rom. 10:17).

b. Believe that word (Heb. 11:6).

c. Repent of your sins (Acts 2:38).

d. Confess Jesus as the Son of God (Rom. 10:9-10).

e. Be baptized for the remission of sins (1 Pet. 3:21).

f. Live faithfully (1 Cor 15:58).

4. We are ready to help you do those things necessary to be obedient to God. Maybe you have already done those things but have fallen away. God offers a second law of pardon (Acts 8:22). Pray to God and ask for forgiveness, repenting of your sin and He shall be just to forgive you (1 John 1:9).

God is ready for you to come home. Will you be His loving, obedient child today?