THE WILL OF GOD
[p. 164] THE WILL OF GOD
Rem We thought we might take up the subject of the will of God in continuation of what we had before us last time. I suppose that the thought of the will of God takes us further than the gospel?
The will of God is more positive; it is the introduction of what is according to Himself; and it calls for the displacement of what does not answer to His mind, even of that which. He Himself ordained. Eden was established by divine appointment, and Adam was set over it, but he fell, and all that was displaced to make room for what is according to God. So we get, “He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second” Hebrews 10: 9. He takes away even that which was of divine institution because it did not meet His mind. God brought in certain things in the course of His dealings with man which were not really according to His mind, and all those are displaced in order to make room for what is entirely according to Himself, and for His own pleasure. I suppose Psalm 40 gives us the first definite idea of the will of God. “Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me, I delight to do thy will, O my God”.
Christ came to give place to all that is according to God, so that all may suit and answer to God’s pleasure. We get it coming out in the ministry of the Lord; the cross is the foundation of it all, but the will of God indicates to me the idea of everything being ordered according to God’s mind and pleasure. There must be a great difference between what must be when God is in the light of revelation compared with the time when He was hid.
Anyone can see what a difference has come in; a great many things could be tolerated when God was hid which could not be borne with now that He is in the light.
When God comes out in light, in the revelation of Himself;
[p. 165] all must be according to His pleasure. So the sacrificial system had to be taken away; christendom has tried to revert to it but it cannot have place now.
Ques Had God ever any pleasure in the sacrificial system?
No, I do not think so; there was a certain typical teaching in it, but God had no pleasure in it — “neither hadst pleasure therein”. Now that He has come out in grace and love, all must be according to His pleasure.
The will of God is a very large thought, and it will not be completed until everything is made conformable to the pleasure of God. The application of the will of God to us is that we are set apart for priestly service; we are sanctified by the will of God. But then the will of God has its application to Israel, and even to the whole world; Christ came to be a light for the revelation of the gentiles, and the glory of His people Israel.
Rem The will of God will be effected when God rests in His love.
I think so. We have to take into account that in the order of things which God has proposed to bring to pass, everything is to take its character from God; He will reconcile all things unto Himself: Things in this world have, to a large extent, taken their character from Satan.
Murder, lying, lust, pride and deceit are here; all this takes character from Satan. But in contrast to that, in the order of things which God purposes to bring to pass everything will take its character from Himself. That is the great contrast between the world that now is and the world to come. Christianity is in this world, and modifies things, but it has not altered the ruling principles of the world. There is a vast deal of murder which is not punishable by human law; every man that is greedy of gain is a murderer. “Every one that is greedy of gain ... taketh away the life of the owners thereof”, Proverbs 1: 19. A man enriches himself at the expense of others, and in that way takes away their life. The effect of christianity has been to bring in consideration for suffering and woe.
[p. 166] All the schemes for the alleviation of suffering which are abroad in the world today came in by christianity. They did not come through philosophy or science; I do not think there was anything of that kind among the Greeks or Romans. It is a well-known fact that the exposure of children among the Romans was of common occurrence.
Ques How far has the will of God been already effected?
In principle everything is effected in Christ. Everything has to come forth from Christ; He is the one Source of everything that is according to God. He is the living Bread which came down from heaven to give life to the world. “By the which will we are sanctified” is the sense in which the will of God has been effected so far as we are concerned. We get in christianity in anticipation, all that is going to fill the universe of bliss; we have not to wait for the day of display. Life is not yet given to the world, but we get the good of the living bread today.
When God comes out in the revelation of Himself the necessary consequence is that all must take its character from Him. It is brought about in regard to us already; that is what comes out in the detail of this chapter; we are to take character from God. The effect of the glad tidings is to put us in relation to Christ as Head and as Lord, and therefore it brings us into an order of things which is virtually that of the world to come. We come into the good of the living bread by being brought into relation to the Head. We receive from Him living water — His Spirit — and we live by Him. “He that eateth me, even he shall live by me”. When Christ becomes food to us there is no discontent or anything of that kind. “He that cometh to me shall never hunger, and he that believeth on me shall never thirst”. That is the practical result of being placed in relation to Christ as Head, and the first principle of the gospel is to set us in relation to Christ as Head and Lord.
Ques Why is the one body introduced here?
Because all takes its character from God now. This [p. 167] world takes its character from Satan, but the new world will take its character from God. Now the first principle which is of God is unity. The thought of unity really takes its rise in God. You remember the prayer in John 17, “That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me” verse 21. The great thought in the Old Testament was there is one God, but in the New we get that God is one, and the Mediator of God and men is one. The Father and the Son are one in the unity of the Spirit, and hence the first principle of christianity is unity; we get it pressed in every epistle. In the Old Testament what is insisted on is that there is one God in contrast to the multiplicity of heathen gods, but in the New Testament Persons are revealed in the Godhead, and it is now brought out that “God is one”. There are three Persons, but there is no diversity of mind; the Father and the Son are perfectly one in mind and counsel, and the Spirit is spoken of as the Spirit of the Father and the Spirit of the Son. In counsel and thought and purpose in regard of all men “God is one”. The revelation of God has brought to light the unity of the Godhead, and hence the first principle in regard of men is unity. So we get here (Romans 12) that “we, being many, are one body in Christ”. Then in Galatians, “Ye are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3: 28); and in 1 Corinthians 12: 13, “For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit”. Then in Ephesians, “There is one body and one Spirit” (4: 4); and in Colossians we get “the Head, from which all the body by joints and bands having nourishment ministered, and knit together, increaseth with the increase of God”, 2: 19. We get the same principle in regard of Israel, “Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity” (Psalm 133: 1); that will apply to Israel and Judah; they have been apart, but they are [p. 168] to dwell together in unity. The principle of unity is to pervade the whole divine system because it is characteristic of the revelation of God. So in this chapter (Romans 12) the first principle in connection with the will of God is that there is to be unity.
Ques Does it say, “There is one mediator” because He is distinct?
There is not one Mediator for the Jew and another for the gentile; there is no longer a Mediator for the Jew only, but all the truth of God has come to light; God is fully revealed, and Christ is Mediator between God and men. Christ is distinguished because He has become Man, but that does not separate Him from the unity of the Godhead; it is still true, “I and my Father are one”.
Ques What is “the mystery of his will” in Ephesians 1: 9?
The mystery of His will is to gather up all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and on earth. The will of God embraces all things, and all will be taken up in Christ. The church is the beginning of the will of God, but His will in the full extent of it is to gather up all things in the Christ. The will of God does not end with the church, though it begins there; the first element in the will of God is the church — the sanctified and worshipping company — but the will of God goes out to all things, and He has made known to the church the mystery of His will to head up all things in Christ.
Rem I thought the mystery had more reference to the church.
I do not think so, for it goes on to say, “having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself, that 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”. The word “mystery” is often used in Scripture, but it is always qualified by what follows.
[p. 169] Ques The heading up of all things was already revealed, then why is it spoken of as a mystery?
I do not think it is a mystery because it has no existence, but because it is not yet made manifest. When Psalm 8 was indited it had no existence because Christ had not yet come, but now it has existence because Christ is there, but it is not yet manifest, and is therefore in mystery. You get hints of the kingdom in the Old Testament, but you could not speak of the mystery of the kingdom then; but now that Christ has come the kingdom has place, but because it is not yet manifest it is in mystery. All the will of God is hid in Christ and pledged in Christ, but the part of God’s will which is being accomplished at the present time is the church, and that is in mystery because it is not yet manifested.
Ques So the mystery of His will covers all?
Yes, I think so. It is not only that it is made known to us, but the thing exists. In Old Testament times the will of God was more or less indefinite, but now the Son has come, the One in whom all things are to be headed up and the mystery of God’s will has a very definite place now.
Ques What is the meaning of, “The mystery of God should be finished”? Revelation 10: 7.
I think it means that all which God has been working out according to His will is finished, and everything has become manifest, so that it is no longer a mystery; it is the close of God’s ways and dealings that is in view.
Rem Then things which are in mystery began with Christ.
Yes, I think so, and not until Christ came. I doubt whether there was the existence of anything according to God’s will until Christ came; all that God was doing in Old Testament times was in view of Christ. There was no real point of departure until Christ came; He was the beginning of the new order of things which is for God. But things are not yet become manifest; even Christ is hid; when He is manifested there will be no more [p. 170] mysteries. The Spirit of God makes mysteries manifest to faith, and we ought to be in the intelligence of them.
We ought to be consciously in that system and order of things by which God means to supersede everything that exists. God will have a say in this world yet, but at the present time the gospel is the only thing that God has to say to this world, and the purpose of the gospel is to deliver people out of the world, and to bring them into the system of which Christ is Head. The gospel effects our translation from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of the Son of His love.
Ques Why does it speak of being “transformed” before the will of God is mentioned? Romans 12: 2.
We must be transformed in mind in order to take in the thought of the will of God. The natural mind cannot take it in, not even the greatest human intelligence; it is absolute foolishness to the natural man to speak of establishing an order of things which is entirely according to God, and which is to supersede the existing order, he cannot conceive it.
Ques What is the mystery of iniquity?
It is the mystery of lawlessness; it is not manifested; people do not care to proclaim themselves as lawless, but we know that this principle is at work, and that it characterises the general state of things today.
Ques Is it the will of God that we are to be conformed to Christ now?
Yes, we are to be so impressed by the revelation of God that the character of God comes out in us now, so that we become practically the children of God, shining as lights in the world, and holding forth the word of life. We get the detail of the will of God in this chapter (Romans 12), and all that comes out is really the character of God; it is all according to what Christ was down here. The first great thing is to think soberly of oneself; ‘I’ should have no place in my own thoughts. Then love is to be without dissimulation, evil is to be abhorred, and we are to cleave to what is good; then at the close of the [p. 171] chapter we are not to be overcome of evil, but to overcome in the power of good. It is the character of God coming out in the saints.
We touch the will of God by being attached to Christ; we cannot accomplish the will of God; it is by being attached to Christ that the will of God is effectuated in us. If the will of God comes out in us it is really by Christ; we are married to Another that we may bring forth fruit unto God. Two things come out in the early part of this epistle: first, we are brought to Christ as Lord, and are brought into the kingdom in that way; and second, we are attached to Him as Head. The latter part of the epistle rests on these two things. He is Lord to us, and we are brought to Him as Head, that we may take character from Him, and we get the consequences of this in chapter 12. Taking things practically, we cannot do anything except as under Christ the Lord; no man is free from the power of evil save as being under the Lord. We can only stand against evil as being strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Salvation depends upon the fact that there is One who has power and authority completely superior to all evil. It is in the knowledge of the power that is in Christ that I come into the enjoyment of salvation. Then again we have no divine character save as we derive from Christ as Head.
Ques Do we get power then connected with the Lord, and life with the Head?
Yes, life is connected with Christ as Head.
The will of God is to substitute one order of things for another, and our deliverance from this present evil world is included in that will. Galatians 1: 4.
Ques What are the mercies of God?
A man is so affected by the presentation of all that is of God, that he is content to be here for God’s will. The ground covered in this epistle is very large; the first eight chapters bring in the church, then in chapters 9, 10 and 11 we get the restoration of Israel, and their reception is life from the dead for the nations.
[p. 172] Rem But we do not get the thought of mercy until the end.
No, it follows on the close of the eleventh chapter, for in chapters 9, 10 and 11 we get the mercies of God exemplified in a remarkable way; sovereignty is brought in, and we get the compassions of God.
Ques What is the thought in “a living sacrifice”?
A sacrifice is a thing devoted, and that cannot be recalled; that is to be true of the believer’s body. The proper moral consequence of all that has been unfolded in the epistle is that you present your body as a vessel for the will of God. The body is to be, not a vessel for the flesh, not for my pleasure, but for God’s pleasure, and that in which the will of God is set forth.
The compassions of God take in the whole range of God’s dealings with men, both with Israel and the nations, and if we are affected by them the proper consequence is that we present our bodies to God as vessels for His will. If we do so it raises many questions; what are you going to do with your body? What use are you going to make of your tongue? It raises the whole question of what you are going to use your body for.
Rem There is a good deal of talk about consecration in certain quarters at the present time.
That is because they have not presented their bodies to God; a man who has done it does not talk much about it. The Spirit would not lead a man to talk about it very much, nor to hold meetings to discuss it.
One great principle in God’s ways is the principle of recovery; He delights in recovery. “It was meet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found” Luke 15: 32. That principle runs through all the ways of God; the church, in a certain sense, is recovery; so, too, Israel and the nations, and yet everything is morally new, because everything is of Christ.
I think few people really apprehend the will of God in the wide extent of it; they look at it in connection with [p. 173] the details of their course down here. We need a sober judgment in regard to the details of life, and we have to remember that many things are sent to test us. I do not doubt that the will of God will greatly affect me in the details of life, but that will is connected with all that which He has established in Christ — all that of which Christ is the beginning, and centre, and Head. Details down here test us, and bring out what we are about, and show what governs us, but I think we are left to judge as to our course down here. I do not think that God has any particular will as to whether I live in Peckham or in Greenwich. The great thing is, what governs you? If you are governed by the will of God, and you find yourself in circumstances which require a judgment, you will judge right. We should be governed by principles; in mind and spirit we have to be here absolutely for what is of God and His testimony. In regard of the detail of life we have to be guided by the Spirit; the Spirit will keep me right, and then I shall do what is right. What people regard as providential guidance very often deceives them; and those who speak much about guidance are often in bondage, and are mistaken in the end. It is in the detail of life that we are found out as to what line we are on. I have been tested myself in that way many a time. There are many things which are perfectly lawful, but the question is, are they expedient? If the affections are rightly directed the details of life will all find their place in reference to the will of God. That will is very simple; it takes in all that which it is His purpose to effect in Christ.
Ques What does James mean by “If the Lord will”?
It comes in to test your spirit; are you free in spirit, and in dependence? It is the spirit in which you take up things here. The christian does not do things independently. Christ is our Lord, and what we do, we do to the Lord; He expresses to us the authority of God. You might do the lowliest thing to the Lord; a housemaid [p. 174] may sweep a room to the Lord.
The first thing is to get an apprehension of the scope of the will of God. We are led into it by divine teaching and it all hangs on God’s revelation of Himself. God having come out to reveal Himself there must be a universe that takes its character from Him. Our part in it is that we are a sanctified and worshipping company on the one hand, and on the other a vessel of testimony for God’s will here. That is the will of God for us. In a coming day the earth will be completely controlled by the will of God; His will will be done on earth as in heaven; all will be established in the light of God. In Genesis 1 there is light on the first day, and then the sun on the fourth day, and then the ordering of the whole sphere, and so it is in the moral universe. The Sun of righteousness is set in the heavens, and everything placed in relation to Him.