Monthly Archives: May 2019
IN Christ Jesus
MATTER OF FACT
Peculiar
WILL TO FOLLOW
“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16
Every Bible believing Christian understands Salvation is for whosoever will. When the sinner is convicted by the Holy Spirit under the hearing of the Word of God, faith the size of a mustard seed is imparted in their heart and if they so ‘will’ (choose) to accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, they are born again; born of the Spirit of God, alive unto God through God’s Grace by their faith. This faith that is given us under the convicting power of the Holy Spirit comes as we understand our need for a Saviour. If we will to believe, we are given the ability to believe. If we will not to believe, we already have that ability – as should be obvious.
Mankind cannot be Saved without the convicting power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus said if He be lifted up, He will draw all men unto Him (Jn. 12:32). Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God (Rom. 10:17). The convicted sinner then has a choice to make. The Lord will never tamper with our free moral agency.
Again, this is something every Bible believing Christian understands.
Here is what they don’t understand:
Just as the lost have the capacity to use their will to accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour, the Believer has the same will to follow Jesus Christ…if they ‘will’ (want) to do so. It is our will to go God’s Way that gives the Holy Spirit latitude to do His mighty work in our heart. God’s Way is Jesus Christ and Him crucified. Who Jesus is and what He did affords us God’s Grace. God’s Promises are conditional and if we don’t go to Him His Way, we are not walking in Grace but have in fact fallen from Grace.
“Jesus said unto him, I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life: no man comes unto the Father, but by Me.” John 14:6
Once we will to go God’s way and our faith is placed solely and exclusively in the Cross of Christ, it is not our willpower that overcomes…our willpower is not effected at Salvation but it is our faith; more specifically the object of our faith, that breaks the power of sin in our lives. If our will is to say no to the devil, he will not flee. No, not at all. If our will is to say ‘yes’ to God, we submit unto Him and His Grace flows uninterrupted into our heart and we can resist the devil and the devil will flee.
“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” James 4:7
For many Bible believing Christians they do not understand our free will to choose to go God’s Way after our Salvation. They think it’s a one time event. Again – not so. We are Saved once but we must choose daily who we will to follow.
“And He said to them all, If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.” Luke 9:23
Until we deny ourselves, our self-will, we cannot pick up our cross and follow Jesus. Our cross is a place of great blessing for the Believer. Our cross is everything the Cross of Christ afforded whosoever will believe. No where in the Bible does it say it is by the ‘willpower’ of the Believer that we are Sanctified. It is by faith in Jesus Christ and Him crucified that the Believer is afforded God’s Grace which breaks the power of sin. Whosoever wills to go God’s Way is afforded the ability to do so but we all must choose in Whom we are going to follow.
“And the Spirit and the Bride say, Come. And let him that hear say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.” Rev. 22:17
Jesus Christ and Him crucified, be determined to know nothing else among you. Will today to go His Way.
-Donna Clark Warren