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God Cannot Wait
by Tom Stewart
October 15, 2001
God cannot wait until we get to Heaven, for us to begin consistently
walking obediently, being always focused on the LORD Jesus Christ, living continually
without sin, and depending solely on the power of the Holy Spirit working in us for
all things.
In these troublous times, what Christian wouldn't rather be Home in Heaven? But,
is it possible that our Heavenly Father has just as intense a desire toward us down
here before He invites us Home to Heaven? To show you the record of how intensely
Jehovah may feel towards us, listen to our God vent His emotions about the people
of His Old Covenant. "8
How shall I give thee up, Ephraim? how shall
I deliver thee, Israel? how shall I make thee as Admah? how shall I set thee as Zeboim?
Mine heart is turned within Me, My repentings are kindled together. 9 I will not execute the fierceness
of Mine anger, I will not return to destroy Ephraim: for I am God, and not man; the
Holy One in the midst of thee: and I will not enter into the city" (Hosea 11:8-9). God must feel with great intensity,
or else it would be difficult for us to imagine any great yearning in His Heart for
us, when He sent His Only Begotten Son to die for us. "For
God so loved the world, that He gave His Only Begotten Son, that whosoever believeth
in Him should not perish, but have Everlasting Life" (John
3:16). [For more on the emotions of God, read "Affections
and Emotions of God" ---New Window by Charles
G. Finney ---New Window.]
Walking Obediently. What True Saint would debate the necessity of obedience
to Christ, if he claims to be a Christian? "3 And hereby we do know that we know Him, IF we keep His
Commandments. 4 He that saith, I know Him, and keepeth not His Commandments, is a
liar, and the Truth is not in him" (1John 2:3-4). But, walking obediently all the time, seems to be "more than
we are capable, too much to be expected, and unachievable until we get to Heaven."
Absurd! "God forbid. How shall we, that
are dead to sin, live any longer therein?" (Romans
6:2). Obviously, we measure differently than the Living God. "For My Thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are
your ways My Ways, saith the LORD" (Isaiah 55:8). When we claim that we have a sinful nature that necessitates our sinning,
then we are, in effect, telling God that, as Loving as He is, He is demanding too
much that we would walk obediently all the time. "Be
ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in Heaven is perfect" (Matthew 5:48). This verse only means that we can
and are to give 100% of our heart to Him as He has given 100% of His Heart to us.
"We love Him, because He first loved us" (1John 4:19). We need to settle it in our heart that
if our Loving Heavenly Father commanded it, then that is the Highest Possible Evidence
that we are able to do it. "I can do ALL
things through Christ which strengtheneth me" (Philippians
4:13). Our continual obedience to Christ is The Way that God
has provided to demonstrate that we love Him. "For
this is the Love of God, that we keep His Commandments: and His Commandments are
NOT grievous [burdensome, unbearable, impossible]" (1John 5:3).
[See our editorial, "Is It Possible
to Guarantee Our Obedience?" ---New Window,
for encouragement on this pivotal Promise of the New Covenant, i.e., "And
I will put My Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in My Statutes, and ye shall
keep My Judgments, and do them" (Ezekiel 36:27).]
Focused on the LORD Jesus Christ. If we would constantly remind ourselves
that the LORD Jesus Christ is the Focus of our religion, then we would not find ourselves
wandering from the "straight paths" (Hebrew 12:13). It is not a novel thought that Jesus
is the "Author and Finisher of Our Faith" (12:2). So then, why should it be thought strange
that our life, ministry, and usefulness should be consumed with how we relate to
Christ, Who "is made unto us Wisdom, and
Righteousness, and Sanctification, and Redemption" (1Corinthians
1:30). Exploring, Discovering, and Understanding better the LORD Jesus
Christ is the Key to the present time, and it will be the Source of unending joy
throughout Eternity. "For ye are dead,
and your life is hid with Christ in God" (Colossians
3:3). Our focus on the LORD Jesus Christ must be demonstrated by a
complete trust in Him that engages all of our agency in our Salvation; but at the
same time, it will be in union with His Divine Agency working in us, causing
us "to walk in [His]
Statutes" (Ezekiel
36:27). That is the secret of our obedience. "12 Wherefore,
my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more
in my absence, work out your own Salvation with fear and trembling.
13 For it is God which
worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure"
(Philippians 2:12-13).[Read "The
Relations of Christ to the Believer" ---New
Window by C. G. Finney for help in "looking
unto Jesus" (Hebrews 12:2).]
Without Sin. What is more harmful to the Kingdom of God, a Lost Sinner, who
denies any necessity of being without the sin he loves, or a Professed Christian,
who cannot see how he can be completely holy in conduct all the time? "Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which
no man shall see the LORD" (Hebrews 12:14). If we could conveniently define holiness as something that we are
given in spite of our unwillingness to obey and abide in Christ, i.e., "He that saith he abideth in Him ought himself also
so to walk, even as He walked" (1John 2:6), then all such talk of being without sin could be disposed of as unbalanced
ramblings. But, if sin can be correctly demonstrated to be only a willful
rebellion and transgression of the Law of Love, that "sin
by the Commandment might become exceeding sinful" (Romans
7:13), then any defense that Christians are still sinners, would evaporate.
"Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth
also the Law: for sin is the transgression of the Law"
(1John 3:4). [See our article, "Must
We Then Sin?" ---New Window, to Scripturally think through
this question.] Since the Law of Love, the Statutes, and Judgments
are from God, then why would He not provide the children of Adam a remedy for their
continual pattern of disobedience? HE HAS! He sent His Only Begotten Son to seal
with His Own Blood the New Covenant, i.e., the "God
of Peace, that brought again from the dead our LORD Jesus, that Great Shepherd of
the Sheep, through the Blood of the Everlasting Covenant" (Hebrews 13:20), that guarantees obedience to those who receive the Promise of the New
Covenant in faith. "And I will put My
Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in My Statutes, and ye shall keep My Judgments,
and do them" (Ezekiel 36:27).
By the Power of the Spirit. When will we cease to elevate ourselves to the
level of trusting in ourselves as our own deliverer?
"Cease ye from man, whose breath is in his nostrils: for wherein is he to be
accounted of?" (Isaiah 2:22). Only when the Living God
delivers us from destruction, Hell, the world, sin, the flesh, the Devil, and even
ourselves, then are we truly delivered. "Through
God we shall do valiantly: for He it is that shall tread down our enemies" (Psalm
108:13). God is not interested in teaching us how to be saved, sanctified,
delivered, or glorified, without showing us our utter necessity of Himself as the
Author of it all! "Not by might, nor by
power, but by My Spirit, saith the LORD of Hosts" (Zechariah
4:6). When we comprehend that the perfection that God demands of us
is to totally and continually give Him our whole heart, i.e., "My son, give me thine heart" (Proverbs
23:26), then He finally has the opportunity to give us the influence
of His Spirit of Promise. "13 In Whom ye also trusted, after that
ye heard the Word of Truth, the Gospel of your Salvation: in Whom also after that
ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of Promise, 14
Which is the Earnest of our inheritance until
the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of His glory. 15 Wherefore I also, after I heard of
your faith in the LORD Jesus, and love unto all the Saints, 16
cease not to give thanks for you, making mention
of you in my prayers; 17 that
the God of our LORD Jesus Christ, the Father of Glory, may give unto you the Spirit
of Wisdom and Revelation in the Knowledge of Him: 18 the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye
may know what is the Hope of His calling, and what the riches of the glory of His
inheritance in the Saints, 19 and what is the exceeding greatness of His Power to us-ward
who believe, according to the working of His Mighty Power"
(Ephesians 1:13-19).
Maranatha!
.
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