A Willing People
"Thy
people shall be willing in the day of Thy power, in the beauties of
holiness from the womb of the morning: Thou
hast the dew of Thy
youth."
-PSALM
110:3 [KJV]
ANY who suppose that God is sovereign in every area except over man's will, imply that man exercises some control that is outside the realm of God's power and authority. Were that true, then God would not be God! All creatures live, move, and have their being in Him [ACTS 17:28]. It also would mean that man is not completely lost, since he would still retain the power and possibility of believing on Christ. Such a teaching is contrary to all that the Scriptures witness of natural men. These fallen sinners are spiritually dead, unable, and unwilling to come to Christ, unless God first gives them the power and authority [JOHN 1:11-12].
Nevertheless,
it is just as wrong to assume that since God does the saving, that He
saves against
the sinner's will. The glorious truth of Psalm 110:3, and all of
Scripture, is that no matter how strong the sinner's opposition to
the Gospel of God's sovereign grace in Christ, God's will, purpose,
and grace will conquer. Notice that the verse reads, "Thy
people SHALL be willing..."
Who
are these people? They are God's by His eternal distinguishing
choice. He chose a people out of fallen humanity, that He might show
them His mercy and unmerited favor in Christ [EPHESIANS
1:3-5].
They are God's by redemption. When the Lord Jesus Christ died on the
cross, He purchased or bought back unto the Father, that people whom
God had chosen and given to Him. Christ prayed for them in the
garden, "I
pray for them: I pray NOT FOR THE WORLD, but for them which Thou
hast given Me;
for they are Thine.
And all Mine
are Thine,
and Thine
are Mine;
and I am glorified in them" [JOHN
17:9-10].
They are God's people by regeneration. In time, the Spirit of God
does a special, supernatural work upon the heart of every elect
sinner. He first produces life in them, by revealing in them Christ,
Who
is the Life [JOHN
14:6; I
JOHN
5:20].
They willingly come to Him in faith, believing on Him alone, whose
blood and righteousness cover them, and make them accepted in Christ
[EPHESIANS
1:6-9].
Are
you a willing sinner? Do you agreeably and uniquely trust Christ
alone for your salvation, giving Him all the glory for His almighty,
sovereign grace? Is Christ daily in your mind and heart? Do you serve
Him in every ordinance of His Word? Do you graciously receive all of
His doctrine? Are you generous in your giving and service, and
gracious in attitude toward one another? This is the power and grace
of God working in the hearts of the Lord's people, Ezra 1:1-6.
-copied
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