For Who Hath Resisted His Will

Chapter 1: Two Wills—Two Worlds: Humanism vs. Theism There Must Be a Change! “AND you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others” (Ephesians 2:1–3). Paul describes us as we were, before we entered the world of the beloved. So we see the difference between the world of man’s will—the world of unbelievers —and the world of the true believer is God’s will for His children. Two wills, two worlds. Oil and water will never mix. And just as Jesus turned the water into wine, He has changed the goats to lambs. Paul declares there is a war going on within God’s children. Old man, the flesh, fights for his will. However, the child of God now is able to not sin. It is natural man who attempts to serve two masters. He interjects himself as a co-redeemer in the sovereign work of God through His Son, Jesus Christ. Carnal man is unable to deny his glory in himself, fixating on the acceptance of other men rather than on receiving our Lord. Yet herein the truth shall set you free. “According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will. To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved” (Ephesians 1:4–6). The children accepted in the beloved receive the grace and faith from God through our Savior, Jesus Christ. Many people rely on a co-redeemer, and many claim their will as a part of salvation. These need only look to Jesus for salvation. It was His blood did save me, and His alone. “And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?” (Daniel 4:35). The spiritual man knows the change was not forced but was a work of God, whereby irresistibly we cry, “Abba,” having been given the gift of faith mentioned in Ephesians, chapter 2, a work of God in us. Must God wait and be grateful to man for accepting? The man led by the Spirit is submissive and thankful unto the will of his Father in heaven. A Changed Will Oh, most sovereign and immutable Father in heaven, I shan’t ask you why, But in my heart I find anew A loving Spirit that is true. A new man I come now To you, Lord, to worship and bow. My will I no longer care For it is your will has brought me here. How I love you, how I serve you, I pray you tell me, For it is that, I love to do, Sealed to that day of redemption, by you. In the book of Ecclesiastes, Solomon declares that there is “nothing new under the sun,” meaning there is nothing one can do that hasn’t already been done, nothing one can see that hasn’t already been seen and so on. And although I believe this to be reality, I also know that to every individual, each thought and each day is a new experience. However, after being drawn to Jesus by His Father, our perspective is different. In God’s will, we see that the cause and effect of everything is to His purpose. God’s love is dependent on no one, and nothing reigns above His sovereignty. Even His unmerited favor, grace, is bestowed on those He chooses. It is free grace given to the bride-elect. God’s grace changes our entire being. It’s no longer our free will, but His will be done, as Jesus said. “For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me” (John 6:38). It is our position in Christ that changes our will to God’s will in us. Being drawn by God definitely results in salvation for the elect. Many people try to define the word draw to mean “woo” the natural man to Jesus, but I believe the true meaning is “to drag.” Then carnal man would say, “What about my free will? Does God bring a man kicking and screaming to be born again?” To this, I answer, Paul didn’t want to be a Christian. He hated Christians! It was against his will to be a Christian! Newborn babies always kick and scream as they leave what to them seems a safe haven. Paul wasn’t wooed off his horse. I’m sure his experience on the road to Damascus was a change he neither wanted nor was willing to accept. But at the appointed time, God draws whom He will, and His sheep come, being convicted by the Holy Spirit. Jesus declares, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me” (John 10:27). It was “my will” that kept me in bondage. Having my eyes opened for the first time, I was drawn by the Father to the Son. “No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day” (John 6:44). We were dead in our trespasses until God drew us to Jesus and we received the free gift. <“as thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him” (john 17:2). thou="" hast="" given="" him="" power="" over="" all="" flesh,="" that="" he="" should="" give="" eternal="" life="" to="" as="" many="" as="" thou="" hast="" given="" him”="" (john="">