THE WILL OF GOD
Message Six
Doing the Will of God in the Kingdom of God under the Government of God for the Church as the Israel of God
Scripture Reading: 1 John 2:17; Matt. 7:21; 1 Pet. 1:17; 2:24; 5:6-7, 10; Gal. 6:10, 15-16
I. We need to do the will of God in the kingdom of God—Matt. 7:21; 12:50:
A. "He who does the will of God abides forever"—1 John 2:17:
1. The world is against God the Father, and the things in the world are against the will of God—vv. 15-16:
a. On the positive side, we have the Father and His will.
b. On the negative side, we have the world and the things in the world.
2. We need to do the will of God habitually and continually, not just occasionally; this is indicated by the fact that the Greek verb for does in verse 17 denotes doing (things) habitually and continually by abiding (in the things).
B. In order to enter into the manifestation of the kingdom of the heavens in the coming age, we must do the will of our Father in this age—Matt. 7:21-23; 6:10; 12:50; Rev. 4:11; Rom. 12:2; Eph. 1:5, 9, 11; 5:17; Col. 1:9; 4:12:
1. The kingdom is absolutely a matter of God's will and completely fulfills God's will; in fact, the kingdom is God's will—Matt. 6:10.
2. The ultimate issue of the constitution of the kingdom of the heavens is the will of the heavenly Father—7:21.
3. As the kingdom people, we are on earth to do the Father's will—v. 21; 12:50.
4. In order to do the will of the Father, we need to enter in through the narrow gate and walk on the constricted way—7:13-14:
a. The narrow gate excludes the old man, the self, the flesh, the human concept, and the world with all its glory; only that which corresponds with God's will can enter in.
b. As we walk on the constricted way, we are restricted by a mysterious, invisible, inward control, and we live under this control.
5. Whoever does the will of the Father is a relative of the Lord Jesus—12:50:
a. Christ, the heavenly King, always submitted to the Father's will, taking God's will as His portion and not resisting anything—11:28-30; 26:39.
b. Whoever does the will of the Father is a brother who helps the Lord Jesus, a sister who sympathizes with Him, and a mother who tenderly loves Him.
6. The Father's eternal will is to build up the church upon Christ the Son as the rock—16:18; Eph. 2:21-22; 4:16.
II. In order to do the will of God in the kingdom of God, we must live the Christian life under the government of God—1 Pet. 1:17; 2:24; 5:6-7, 10:
A. In his writings Peter combines the Christian life and God's government, revealing that the Christian life and the government of God go together as a pair— 1:17; 2:21, 24; 3:15; 4:17; 5:5-8:
1. The subject of 1 Peter is the Christian life under the government of God, showing us the government of God especially in His dealings with His chosen people—1:2.
2. The subject of 2 Peter is the divine provision and the divine government, showing us that as God is governing us, He supplies us with whatever we need—1:1-4; 3:13.
3. God governs by judging; this judgment of God is for the carrying out of His government—1 Pet. 1:17; 4:17.
4. The judgment in 1 Peter 1:17, which is carried out by the Father, is the present, daily judgment of God's governmental dealings with His children.
5. God judges everything that does not match His government; therefore, in this age we, the children of God, are under the daily judgment of God—v. 17.
B. As believers in Christ and children of God, we should live a Christian life under the government of God— John 3:15; 1:12-13; 1 Pet. 4:13-19; 5:6-7:
1. The Epistles of Peter reveal the Christ who enables us to take God's governmental dealings administered through sufferings—1 Pet. 1:6-8; 2:3-4, 19, 21-25; 3:18, 22; 4:1, 15-16; 5:8-9.
2. In the death of Christ we have died to sins so that in the resurrection of Christ we might live to righteousness under God's government—2:24:
a. To live to righteousness is to fulfill God's governmental requirements— v. 24.
b. In our Christian life we should live in a way that matches the righteous requirements of His government—Psa. 89:14; Matt. 5:6, 10.
3. We should be humbled under the mighty hand of God, which carries out the government of God—1 Pet. 5:6:
a. In verse 6 the mighty hand of God refers to God's administrating hand seen especially in His judgment—1:17; 4:17.
b. To be humbled under God's mighty hand is to be made humble by God; however, we must cooperate with God's operation and be willing to be made humble, lowly, under His mighty hand—5:6.
4. We should cast all our anxiety on God because it matters to Him concerning us—v. 7.
5. We should commit our souls to the faithful Creator—4:19:
a. God can preserve our soul, and His loving and faithful care accompanies His justice in His governmental administration.
b. While God judges us in His government, He cares for us faithfully in His love; as we are suffering His disciplinary judgment, we should commit our souls to the faithful care of our Creator—Matt. 10:28-30; 11:28-29.
6. As we live under the government of God, the God of all grace will Himself perfect, establish, strengthen, and ground us—1 Pet. 5:10.
III. Doing the will of God in the kingdom of God under the government of God issues in the church as the Israel of God—Gal. 6:10, 15-16:
A. God's New Testament economy is not only to make us sons of God but also to make us the Israel of God; the real Israel, the spiritual Israel, is the church— Eph. 1:5; Heb. 2:10; Rom. 8:14, 19; Gal. 3:26; 4:6-7; 6:16; Matt. 16:18.
B. We need to become such an Israel, a prince, to execute God's government on earth—6:9-10.
C. The apostle Paul considered the many believers in Christ—who are the household of the faith, the new creation—collectively the Israel of God—Gal. 6:10, 15-16; 3:7, 29.
D. In God's New Testament economy we have been made both the sons of God and the Israel of God—v. 26; 6:16:
1. We are sons of God, members of God's family, for His expression—v. 10.
2. We are kings-to-be, those destined to be kings; kingship is related to the Israel of God—Rev. 5:10.
3. Our destiny is to be sons of God expressing God and also kings reigning in the kingdom of God—21:7; 22:5b; 12:5a.
E. As the Israel of God, we represent God, exercise His authority, and carry out His administration on earth for the fulfillment of His purpose—Gen. 1:26, 28; Luke 10:19; Rev. 12:5, 7-11:
1. God wants His creature man to deal with His creature Satan in order to bring the earth back to God—Psa. 149:7-9.
2. God needs man to do the work of God—to reign over His creation, to proclaim His triumph, and to cause Satan to suffer loss—Gen. 1:26.