Discover the will of God for you – Part 27

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven,” (Mat 7:21).

Some self-professed athletes can “talk” of a great game, but that tells you nothing about their athletic skills. And not everyone who talks about heaven belongs to God’s kingdom. Jesus is more concerned about our “walk” than our “talk.” He wants us to do right not just say the right words. Your house (which represents your life, Matt. 7:24) will withstand the storms of life only if you do what is right instead of just talking about it. What you do cannot be separated from what you believe.

“Does the will of my Father.” Jesus emphatically taught that carrying out the will of His heavenly father was a condition of entering the kingdom of heaven (Matt. 22-27; Matt. 19:16-26; Matt. 25:31-46). However, this does not mean that we can gain or merit salvation by our own efforts or works.

This Is True For The Following Reasons:
• God’s forgiveness comes to us through faith and repentance made possible by the grace and sacrificial death of Christ (see 26:28; Luke 15:11-32; 18:9-14).

• The obedience to the will of God demanded by Christ is indeed an ongoing condition for salvation, but Christ also declares that it is a grace belonging to the salvation of the kingdom. As such we must continually pray for it, receive it and put it into effect by sincere faith and earnest endeavour. Note the Lord’s Prayer (Matt. 6:9-13) and the many admonitions directed towards believers, to put sin to death and to present themselves to God as living sacrifices (cf. Rom. 6:1-23; 8:1-17; 12:1-2; see Mat 5:6).

• We are capable of doing the will of God and living righteous lives by virtue of this gift — God’s grace, power and spiritual life continually given to us through Christ (Eph 2:5). Scripture declares that “by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God … for we are his workmanship” (Eph. 2:8-10).

• God’s grace always makes possible the obedience He demands of us. It is ascribed to God’s redemptive action. “For it is God, which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure” (see Phil 2:13). Yet God’s gift of grace does not annul human responsibility or action. We must respond positively to God’s gift of obedience (Eph. 4:22-32; Jude 20-21, 24; see Phil 2:12), for we remain free to reject God’s grace, to refuse to draw near to God through Christ (see Heb. 7:25), and to refuse to pray for and accept the life of obedience (see Mat 5:6).
“Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man’s all,” (Eccl 12:13).
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