God has expressed His heart's desire for "A man after Mine own heart, which shall fulfill all My will," Acts 13:2222And when he had removed him, he raised up unto them David to be their king; to whom also he gave testimony, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, which shall fulfil all my will. (Acts 13:22), and has had that wish gratified by the Blessed Lord Jesus, who said, "I delight to do Thy will, O My God (Psa. 40:88I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart. (Psalm 40:8)); "I seek not Mine Own Will, but the Will of the Father which has sent Me." (John 5:3030I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me. (John 5:30)).
No adverse will in the Man Christ Jesus ever warred against God's Will -no sinful thought, or selfish desire ever marred the fragrance of His life. Distressing circumstances only served to display the perfection of His heart; His acquiescence in the Will of God He sweetly expressed, "Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Thy sight." (Matt. 11:2626Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in thy sight. (Matthew 11:26)).
To those He has redeemed, He reveals that marvelous delights flow to them from the Will of God, declaring that "Whosoever shall do the Will of My Father which is in Heaven, the same is My brother, and sister, and mother. (Matt. 12:5050For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother. (Matthew 12:50)). Thus He proclaimed the endearing character of spiritual relationship, using dearest natural ties only, to illustrate the Holy intimacy between Himself and His own—dearer than the dearest, nearer than the closest of natural ties. Inasmuch as "He stretched forth His hand toward His disciples," saying, "behold My mother, and My brethren," we are assured that the company of His redeemed He would have in the enjoyment of loving intimate association between the Savior, and His saved ones.
His sustainment, "my meat is to do the Will of Him that sent Me" (John 4:3434Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work. (John 4:34)), is also the needed food to nourish the believer's life. As a test of faith's reality our Lord has declared, "Not every one that saith unto Me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the Kingdom of heaven, but he that doeth the Will of My Father which is in heaven." (Matt. 7:2121Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. (Matthew 7:21)). His words assure every truly trustful soul that the Will of God secures eternal safety, "this is the Father's Will which hath sent Me, that of all which He hath given Me, I should lose nothing... this is the Will of Him that sent me, that every one that seeth the Son, and believeth on Him may have everlasting life," (John 6:39,4039And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day. 40And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day. (John 6:39‑40)). It is on record (Psa. 40:6-86Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened: burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required. 7Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me, 8I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart. (Psalm 40:6‑8)) that no service (sacrifice or offerings) could compare with our blest Exemplar's submission to God's Will, for God's "esteem," and our Lord's "delight." Believers, too, find their "delight" in such subjection to the Will of God as Isa. 58:13,1413If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honorable; and shalt honor him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words: 14Then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it. (Isaiah 58:13‑14) describes: "if... thou shalt honor Him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words, then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord."
God's blessed Will respecting all believer s, the scriptures as a whole, abundantly testify: "Predestinated to the adoption of children, according to the good pleasure of His will.' (Eph. 1:55Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, (Ephesians 1:5)). "Saved, and called with an holy calling... according to His own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began (2 Tim. 1:99Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began, (2 Timothy 1:9)). Teaching also "the mystery of His will"... His own purpose to fulfill His pleasure, in having all things gathered together in Christ, in heaven and on earth, in Whom we have obtained an inheritance, after the counsel of His own will, "to the praise of His glory." (Eph. 1:9-129Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: 10That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: 11In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: 12That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ. (Ephesians 1:9‑12)).
Those "born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God" (John 1:1313Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. (John 1:13)), learn the certainty of their blest relationship to God, for He declares, "Of His own will begat He us by the word of truth" (James 1:1818Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. (James 1:18)), that knowing "the pleasure of His will" (Eph. 1:55Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, (Ephesians 1:5)),— "the mystery of His Will" (v. 9) —"the understanding of His Will" (Eph. 5:1717Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. (Ephesians 5:17))—the subjects of His gracious purpose may be found "doing the Will of God from the heart" (Eph. 6:66Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart; (Ephesians 6:6)), as set apart (sanctified),—"for this is the Will of God, your sanctification" (1 Thess. 4:33For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication: (1 Thessalonians 4:3))—"by the which will we are sanctified" (Heb. 10:1010By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. (Hebrews 10:10)), unto well doing, "for so is the Will of God" (1 Peter 2:1515For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men: (1 Peter 2:15)); unto suffering "according to the Will of God" (1 Peter 4:1919Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator. (1 Peter 4:19)); encouraged by the prospect that having "patiently done the Will of God," receiving "the promise" compensates. (Heb. 10:3636For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. (Hebrews 10:36)).
The "proving" of God's "good, acceptable, and perfect will" (Rom. 12:22And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. (Romans 12:2)), is conditioned upon the "presenting of our bodies a living sacrifice,"—being "filled with the knowledge of His will, in all wisdom and spiritual understanding" (Col. 1:99For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; (Colossians 1:9))—"standing perfect and complete in all the Will of God" (Col. 4:1212Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always laboring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God. (Colossians 4:12)) "Rejoicing evermore," praying "without ceasing," "in everything giving thanks, according to the Will of God concerning you." (1 Thess. 5:1818In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. (1 Thessalonians 5:18)).
Be assured, dear fellow-believer, that such compliance with God's Will is unattainable by merely personal resolves or endeavors; but how surely you may rely upon the Spirit's "intercession according to the Will of God" (Rom. 8:2727And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God. (Romans 8:27)); and you may depend upon "the power that worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure." (Phil. 2:1313For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. (Philippians 2:13)). A guarantee of full compliance God has written; its terms are simple, yet exclude every dependence other than the enabling it affords for faith's humble appropriation. Take it to your heart, abandon yourself to its blest direction, and prove the happy outcome,-"Perfect in every good work to do His Will, working in you that which is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ; to Whom be glory forever and ever." (Heb. 13:20, 2120Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, 21Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. (Hebrews 13:20‑21).) Rejoice that "He that hath begun a good work in you will perform it." (Phil. 1:66Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ: (Philippians 1:6).)
For example other than the Blessed Lord, the Word testifies of the Apostle Paul: "The God of our fathers hath chosen thee, that thou shouldst know His Will... thou shalt be His witness." (Acts 22:14, 1514And he said, The God of our fathers hath chosen thee, that thou shouldest know his will, and see that Just One, and shouldest hear the voice of his mouth. 15For thou shalt be his witness unto all men of what thou hast seen and heard. (Acts 22:14‑15)). Self-will he abandoned when he cried, "Lord, what wilt Thou?" (Acts 9:66And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do. (Acts 9:6)). His apostleship by the Will of God, he recited in five of the Pauline Epistles—even his journeying by the Will of God, (Rom. 1:1010Making request, if by any means now at length I might have a prosperous journey by the will of God to come unto you. (Romans 1:10)), (Rom. 15:3232That I may come unto you with joy by the will of God, and may with you be refreshed. (Romans 15:32)), is on record. His Corinthian converts, we are told, "gave their own selves to the Lord...by the Will of God"; and surely the Holy Spirit is able to accomplish the Will of God in His children now, as in the time of the Apostle.
For clear views as to sound doctrine we have but to heed John 7:1717If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself. (John 7:17), "if any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine." Heartily subscribing to the solemn fact that there is but one sovereign will in the wide universe—that God has looked upon One who sacrificed every worldly advantage—Himself also—for His will—that, in the light of the Word, we see humble followers of Jesus yielded to the Will of God—that Adam's fall was due to self-will—that the essence of sin is self—pleasing; "Christ pleased not Himself,"—so the measure of the soul's obedience to the Will of God is Christ.
There will be no self-will in heaven, and there only, true happiness is known. Nothing but self-will in hell, and consequent weeping and wailing. Such realities should impress our souls to spurn the offers of the prince of darkness, remembering that every time self-will governs, we pay the fare, as Jonah did. It is costly to renounce our own wills, only as we fail to anticipate the eternal advantage; —
Meanwhile, here and now, we have the blessed assurance that "all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose." (Rom. 8:2828And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. (Romans 8:28).)
The calm of a soul which reposes in the Will of God is unspeakable. The Savior said, and we may say, "I delight to do Thy will"; delightful words to His and our loving Father's ear. Thus do we gratify His desire that full compliance with His blessed will be truly evidenced by our lowly subjection, and our happy acknowledgment that thus blessing is assured. Amidst all life's uncertainties, may we keep in view the sublime stability of which we have our God's assurance.
"My counsel shall stand, and, I will do all my pleasure... I have spoken, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed it, I also will do it. (Isa. 46:10, 1110Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure: 11Calling a ravenous bird from the east, the man that executeth my counsel from a far country: yea, I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed it, I will also do it. (Isaiah 46:10‑11)).
E. J. C.