A Believer’s Will 573
We will recall that God wishes no one to “perish but that all
should reach repentance” because He “desires all men to be saved
and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (2 Peter 3.9; 1 Tim. 2.4).
No problem arises concerning whom God wants to save or whom He
will let perish. The problem before us is, rather, what is the sinner’s
attitude towards God’s will? If he decides to be a Christian because
he is naturally inclined towards “religion,” naturally contemptuous of
the world or naturally influenced by his heredity, environment or
family, he is as far from God and His life as are other sinners. If the
sinner chooses to be a Christian at the moment of excitement or
enthusiasm, he may not fare better than the rest. It all reduces itself to
this: what is his attitude towards God’s will? God loves him, but will
he accept this love? Christ calls him, but will he come? The Holy
Spirit wants to give him life, but is he willing to be born? His will is
useful only in choosing God’s will. The question now is, and solely
is, how does his volition react towards God’s will?
Have we noticed the difference here? If man himself commences
the search for salvation, he is yet perishing. Various founders of
religions belong to this category. But if man, upon hearing the
gospel, is willing to accept what God offers to him, he shall be saved.
In the one case, man originates; in the other, he receives. The one
does the willing himself while the other accepts God’s will. John 1
speaks of man himself willing, whereas John 5 and Revelation 22
refer to man’s accepting God’s will. Hence no contradiction exists
between these two; rather is there a very crucial lesson for us to
learn.
God is instructing us that in such a paramount and excel- lent
matter as salvation anything which proceeds from self cannot be
accepted but is rejected by Him. Indeed. if we wish to advance in our
spiritual development we must understand and bear in mind every
vital principle God used in dealing with us at the time of
regeneration. These initial principles betoken how we ought to
continue in our spiritual life. What we have just now discussed