God Makes His Will Our Will
God Makes His Will Our Will
December 15, 1999
John 3:16
“Whoever believes in him shall not perish …” In order for us to be saved, God must make our will concur with His will. What is God’s will for us? God wills that, “all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth” (1 Tim 2:4). That is why he gave his one and only Son that all might believe and not perish. That is why our Lord Jesus prays for believers every day: “[Father,] my prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one” (Jn 17:15).
What Is Our Will?
With just this short introduction, we know what God’s will is for us. We even know what Jesus prays for on our behalf. The question, though, is not what His will is, but what our will is. Does our will coincide with His? Does our will cause us to pray as he did for our loved ones? That they be protected from the evil one? Before you rush to answer these questions, perhaps we should think it through just a little.
Is our concern for those who are perishing, that is for those who are being destroyed spiritually? Do we really want our friends and relatives to “believe in him and have eternal life” or, are we content with the wishful thinking that they are saved? When the Lord uses the word “perishing” It is not a friendly term at all. It indicates that the one perishing is already released from God’s loving grace. They are on their own. And yet, in the midst of this truth, we console ourselves with wishful thinking that does not concur with God’s will. Have we never heard the words of Jesus saying, “This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.”? How can anyone who says they love the Light of Christ continue to deny that Light in their own lives? Is it fear of exposure that keeps them distanced from God? Or do you think it is God’s love that keeps them away? God’s love is expressed most clearly in the incarnation, death, and resurrection of His one and only Son. Yet, who has bothered to study the incarnation? Who has delighted in the Word of truth that brings God into our own flesh?
So, what is your will this Christmas season? Is it to walk in the light as He is in the Light? Is it to behold the incarnation of God in human flesh? You see, the flesh wants everything its own way for its own good. But the incarnation is God giving himself for someone else’s good, yours, and mine. Is that our will? I’m sure we would all like to say “Yes.” But we all know that isn’t what we really think. God’s priority is the salvation of humanity. Our priority is gratifying self.
What Are Our Priorities?
And so the faint voice of our Lord’s call comes through the din of Christmas sounds—“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” Over the clamor of this holiday, Advent is a time provided to us to prepare our hearts. It is a time to reflect our will against that of God’s, and repent. It is a time to realize who and what we really are. And in doing this, God will also do His thing. He will, “Have mercy on me, … according to [his] unfailing love. … He will, “Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.” Yes, He will be “proved right when [He] speak[s] and justified when [He] judge[s]. But we can also ask Him as David did, to “Cleanse me … and I will be clean;” to “wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.” (vv 1-2, 4). And God, who is faithful, will do it.
Can you imagine what would happen if we all came to celebrate Christmas with the mentality of a repentant, forgiven sinner? We would all be in compliance with the Holy Will of God for us. That, my friends is an awesome thought. Too bad, some will never hear about this because they will not give up their own will and priorities in life. How very sad, indeed!
Repent and Prepare
As we approach God in Word and Sacrament, we prepare ourselves for glory. As we believe that Word he gives us, we prepare ourselves for eternity. As we resolve to know God in flesh more and more, we prepare ourselves to let Him make His will our will.
As we do these things, we will also realize how very disparate our condition really is. But the more we realize the more we are enabled to “put aside the deeds of darkness” in our own life and “put on the armor of light” (Rom 13:12). It’s true, the struggle is not an easy one for the faint-hearted. Although I won’t presume to know how this will all work out in your life, I do know what God’s will is for you. “God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
When God makes His will our will, he also moves us from one degree of glory to another. Although we will fail, time and time again, God is faithful, and never fails. Can we be sure? Absolutely, because God has spoken. His Word has revealed the secret. “God is love.” And it also says, “Love never fails.” When love works, we will not stay the same. Our life will come closer and closer to His Love. So much so that His love will even be seen through us, through our flesh each and every Christmas. In closing, consider the words of the apostle John: My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.” Amen.