The Will of God Is His Law
By M. C. Israel
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: 21. Where is the will of God to be found? Rom. 2: 17, 18 says, “Behold, thou art called a Jew, . . . and knowest His will, and approvest the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the law.” The verses following show that this is the law of God; and the one who obeys it, is the one who has done the will of God. Christ is our example, and of Him it is predicted: “Sacrifice and offering Thou didst not desire; . . . burnt offering and sin-offering hast Thou not required.” Ps. 40: 6. Whence the necessity of these offerings? — Because man had transgressed God’s law — committed sin. “To obey is better than sacrifice.” 1 Sam. 15: 22. If man had not sinned, these offerings would not have been necessary. “Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me, I delight to do Thy will, O my God: yea, Thy law is within my heart.” Ps. 40: 7, 8. “He taketh away the first [sacrifices and offerings], that He may establish the second. By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” Heb. 10: 9, 10. “This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put My laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them; and their sins and iniquities will I remember no more. Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.” Verses 16-18. When the law of God is written in the heart of an individual, and his past sins are forgiven, he will never sin any more, provided he remains in that relation to God’s law. Ps. 37: 31; 119: 1-3. He will be fully sanctified, holy, perfect. This is to know God. “They shall not teach every man his neighbor: . . . for all shall know Me, from the least to the greatest.” Heb. 8: 11. This is the class who know righteousness. “Harken unto Me, ye that know righteousness, the people in whose heart is My law; fear ye not the reproach of men, neither be ye afraid of their revilings.” Isa. 51: 7. These are called “trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He might be glorified.” Isa. 61: 3. EVIDENCES OF BEING THE CHILDREN OF GOD
“We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren.” 1 John 3: 14. “By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep His commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not grievous.” 1 John 5: 2, 3. “And whatsoever we ask, we receive of Him, because we keep His commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in His sight.” 1 John 3: 22. Some might ask, What commandments are here referred to? The answer is in the following verses: “And this is His [the Father’s] commandment, that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as He gave us commandment. And he that keepeth His commandments dwelleth in Him, and He in him.” The Father’s will is, “that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ”; and the Son says, “If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments, . . . Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal,” etc. Matt. 19: 17-19. “Blessed are they that do His [the Father’s] commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.” Rev. 22: 14. “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: 21. To do God’s will on earth through faith in Christ, will make us citizens of the heavenly kingdom. “Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.” Matt. 6: 10. This says and means God’s whole will, as contained in His law. James 2: 10-12. “For our citizenship is in heaven; from whence also we wait for a Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ.” Phil. 3: 20, A. R. V. M. C. ISRAEL.