| The Christian Life | July 1945 |
The Acceptable Will of God
“For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”—Romans 1:16
THE manner in which a member of the fallen and sin-cursed human race may be assured of a standing with God and enjoy the hope of everlasting life, is the principal theme throughout Paul’s letter to the church at Rome. It is evident that the congregation of believers at Rome, to whom the epistle was addressed, was made up partly of Jewish and partly of Gentile converts to Christianity; hence the apostle shows how God’s grace through the Gospel is available to both, for he argues that the Gospel of Christ “is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.”
In chapter 5:1 the main theme of’ the epistle is referred to as justification—“being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” The people of the world are alienated from God by wicked works, and are strangers to His promises. This does not mean that all outside of Christ are moral delinquents, or viciously wicked. According to the world’s accepted standards of righteousness, there are many noble unbelievers. Many, indeed, pride themselves in their uprightness. But from God’s standpoint there is “none righteous”—“all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.”—Rom. 3:10,23
For centuries the Jews had tried to attain righteousness that would be acceptable to God by keeping, the Mosaic Law, but they failed. Despite this failure, however, there were Judaizing teachers in the early church who insisted that Christians, in addition to believing in the merit of Christ’s shed blood, should endeavor also to keep certain ceremonial features of the Law. Apparently some of these teachers were disturbing the church at Rome, and Paul would have these believers know that “by the deeds of the Law shall no flesh be justified in His [God’s] sight.”—Rom. 3:20
The apostle also emphasized that the Gentiles, although not under the Jewish Law, were nevertheless guilty, for there was a sufficient remnant of the original godlikeness remaining in their hearts to be a guide to them, indicating what was right and what was wrong, and they had been unable to measure up to the standard which they thereby knew to be right. Thus the Gentiles, as well as the Jews, Paul shows, stand guilty before God.
This means that the only way of being at peace with God is through faith in Christ. God esteems very highly those who exercise an abiding faith in Him and in His promises. Paul indicates this by his reference to the justifying faith of Abraham. This ancient patriarch believed God “and it was accounted unto him for righteousness.” (Gal. 3:6; Rom. 4:3; Jas. 2:23) He was counted righteous because of his faith prior to the time he was circumcised, so it was his faith in God, and not the ceremony of circumcision which justified him.
It is the Christian’s faith in the promises of God which have been ratified by the blood of Christ, that gives peace with God. Peace with God, in contrast with alienation from Him, is one of the essential elements of salvation through Christ, and is therefore included in the Gospel, or “good news” of the divine plan in Christ.
No Condemnation
Chapter 8, verse 1, brings the reader of the epistle back to its theme again. Here the blessed boon of God’s favor through Christ, instead of being referred to as “justification,” is described as a condition in which there is “no condemnation.” The text reads, “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”
Paul’s reference to the “no condemnation” standing of the Christian, even as his reference to “justification” in the opening of the 5th chapter, is in contrast to the failure of the Law. In the Law Covenant there was condemnation. The apostle cites his own experience, explaining that there was a law of sin working in his members which made it impossible for him to do as he would like to do. “O wretched man that I am!” he writes, “who shall deliver me from this body of death?”—Margin
“I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord,” the apostle continues. Yes, it was through Jesus that he had found deliverance, and the deliverance from condemnation and death is available for all who, through faith in the blood and by full consecration, come into Christ Jesus. “Justification” and “no condemnation” convey essentially the same thought, which is that of God’s favor through a faith-standing of righteousness, and this blessed relationship with Him is possible only through Christ.
But to enjoy this state of “no condemnation” it is necessary to be “in Christ Jesus”—that is, as members of His body. This also implies walking “after the Spirit” rather than after the flesh. It is reasonable, we think, judging from Paul’s general argument, that any effort to keep the Law in order to attain to the state of “no condemnation” could be properly considered as walking after the flesh. This is borne out by Paul’s letter to the Galatians where, in pointing out their error of trying to attain God’s favor by keeping the Law, he says, “Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?” —Gal. 3:3
Paul had found—even as it is true of all the fallen race—that death was working in his flesh. According to the terms of the Law, his imperfections brought him under condemnation to death. In his imperfect condition any and all efforts to gain life by that method were, therefore, certain to lead to death rather than to life.
Only by being in Christ Jesus and by walking after the Spirit can one be free from condemnation. In Jesus we have a perfect example of what it means to walk after the Spirit. At the beginning of His ministry He received the Spirit without measure. It was His guide and inspiration, but it led Him in the way of sacrifice even unto death. There are, of course, various ways of viewing the thought of walking after the Spirit, because it is related to every phase of the consecrated life. From one standpoint it would seem that Jesus gave us the essence of what it implies when he said to Peter, “whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for My sake shall find it.”—Matt. 16:25
A Daily Laying Down
The Jewish approach to the keeping of the Law was largely that of the benefits they hoped to derive from their efforts. The rich young ruler who declared that he had kept the commandments from his youth up, was seeking eternal life. Jesus told this young man that there was one thing which he lacked. Fundamentally, that “one thing” lacking was the proper viewpoint. Jesus said to him, “Go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor,” and added, “take up the cross, and follow Me”—that is, follow a Spirit-guided example.—Matt. 19:21; Mark 10:21
True, Jesus said to this man, “Thou shalt have treasure in heaven,” but this treasure could be laid up only by thinking of the present life from the standpoint of sacrifice. The young ruler had been seeking to save and maintain his life by keeping the Law, yet all the while he was losing it. But if he would be willing to lose his life, that is, sacrifice it in the interests of others, even as Jesus was doing with His own life, then he would save it, and would receive the great heavenly treasure of “glory and honor and immortality.”—Romans 2:7
This, then, is one of the important ways in which we walk “after the Spirit.” It is the way of God, hence the way of love. It is the way of the cross. It is the way in which Jesus walked. It is the narrow way of self-sacrifice even unto death. It is the way of selflessness. It is the way of doing good unto all men as we have opportunity, especially unto the “household of faith.”—Gal. 6:10
But we need not limit the matter of walking after the flesh to one’s vain effort to gain life by keeping the Law. It undoubtedly includes any and all walks in life which may be motivated by the selfish interests of the flesh. The Jews failed to obtain life by keeping the Law, and many have failed along various other lines of unauthorized “work.” It is, of course, fulltime work, or service, faithfully to walk “after the Spirit,” but the state of “no condemnation” to which such efforts lead is due to being “in Christ Jesus.”
Too often those who seek to please the Lord make the very serious mistake of being “in” organizations and denominations, and working for these with the mistaken thought that thereby they are working for the Lord and following after the Spirit. The genuine “no condemnation” test is that of being “in Christ Jesus,” and then devoting one’s self entirely to the all-consuming task of following after the Spirit.
The Sons of God
“As many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God,” says Paul. (Rom. 8:14) Certainly the sons of God are the objects of His favor and love. His sons are not under condemnation. His sons are justified. Yes, God loves His sons and cares for all their needs. If they need discipline, they feel His corrective rod; but this is but a further evidence of His love and favor and watchcare over them.
And we know that we are the sons of God, for “the Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: … if so be that we suffer with Him.” (Rom. 8:16,17) The Old Testament prophets, moved by the Holy Spirit, testified concerning the “sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.” (I Pet. 1:11) Hence, if we have the privilege of suffering with Him, the Holy Spirit’s testimony through the prophets speaks to and of us, giving us the assurance that we are “in Christ Jesus,” and, as members of His body, are enjoying the blessed privilege of sharing in the foretold sufferings of The Christ, hence have a right to hope for a share in the glory to follow.
The “All Things”
Romans 8:28 is another assurance of God’s favor, a blanket promise, as it were, of God’s abounding grace and love. “We know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.” No one who was depending upon his efforts to keep the Jewish Law could claim any such blessed relationship with God as is outlined in this wonderful text. Only those who love God even as He loves them, and who are called according to “His purpose,” are thus so richly blessed.
To be called according to God’s purpose implies co-operation in that purpose. His purpose centers in Christ Jesus. Our calling by God is based upon our faith in Him and our being “in” Him. It implies our willingness to walk after the Spirit and to suffer and die with Jesus. These are the conditions of the call, and if we are complying with these conditions then we may “know” that we are so fully in the favor of God that He is causing all things to work together for our good.
“What shall we then say to these things?” continues the apostle, “If God be for us, who can be against us?” The thought evidently is, “since” God is for us, rather than “if” God is for us, as our Common Version states it. (Emphatic Diaglott) There is no “if” connected with God’s interest in His people. He assuredly is for those who are “justified by faith,” “in Christ Jesus,” and walking “not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” God’s Spirit bears witness of His favor toward His sons, assuring them of a grace so abundant that all of their experiences are brought into the orbit of usefulness and made to contribute toward their eternal welfare as new creatures in Christ Jesus.
What then shall we say to “these things”? We can say nothing less than what the apostle himself concluded, that they testify to the unmistakable fact that God is for us. And, inasmuch as God is for us, and knowing of His great love and care, we can safely raise the question, “Who is he that condemneth?” Surely it is not God; for as He views us, there is now “no condemnation.” Instead of condemning us, God has justified us, and who can properly lay anything to the charge of those whom He justifies?—Rom. 8:31-34
“Who Shall Separate Us?”
“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?” Paul asks. If we have sensed the weight of Paul’s arguments up to this point in the epistle, we will have some idea of what he means by the expression, “the love of Christ.” He tells us at the outset of his letter that he is not ashamed of the “Gospel of Christ.” And when we learn from his point by point analysis of what that Gospel means to sin-cursed and dying members of the fallen race, we realize that “love” is the only word which could adequately describe it.
It is like the love of God and the love of Christ—their unselfish interest in those who were unable to help themselves. All that has been asked of us is that we believe and follow—believe in Jesus and in the merit of His sacrifice, and follow in His footsteps of self-sacrifice. We may follow falteringly in His steps at times, but our faith in Him, in the merit of His blood, and the righteousness of the divine cause, will bear us up, and we will realize His help in every time of need.
Thus we can say with the apostle, that nothing will be permitted to separate us from divine love, not even “tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword.” These things but increase our determination to remain close to our Lord, to remain “in” Christ Jesus, for through Him the Spirit bears witness of our sonship. “As it is written,” says Paul—written by the prophet, but inspired by the Holy Spirit, which bears witness to us by foretelling the sufferings we should expect to endure, “For Thy sake are we killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.”—Rom. 8:35,36; Psa. 44:22
Therefore Brethren
Chapters 9, 10 and 11 of this comforting epistle are in the nature of a parenthesis to the apostle’s main discussion. In the earlier chapters he writes so emphatically concerning the hopelessness of all efforts to attain God’s abiding favor by keeping the Jewish Law, and emphasizes so emphatically that the Jews who still thought they could thus please God were really outside of His favor entirely, that he takes the trouble in chapters 9, 10 and 11 to assure all Jews who might read the epistle that he still loved his “brethren” according to the flesh, and that God still loved them, “for the fathers’ sakes.”—Rom. 11:28
As Paul outlines God’s plan for the then cast-off natural house of Israel, the wonderful love and mercy of God toward this stiff-necked people is highlighted. It is with this background of thought that he continues in chapter 12, saying, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God [or on account of the mercies of God], that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.”
Yes, there is something for all of us to do in order to merit God’s favor—something which, through Christ, is acceptable to Him. It is not doing something for ourselves, but everything for God, the presenting of ourselves a living sacrifice to serve Him with all our heart, mind and strength. And we can do this knowing that our sacrifice, though actually imperfect, will be counted “holy” through Christ.
But the mere presenting of ourselves thus for sacrifice, is not sufficient. We must proceed to put into action that which we covenanted to do. This leads to what the apostle mentions in the next verse—“And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”—Rom. 12:2
How to prove what is the acceptable will of God is what Paul has explained throughout the epistle. And how do we prove it? Not by keeping the Law; not by works of sell-righteousness: but by faith in God and in His provision through Christ; by renouncing our own wills and accepting instead the headship of Christ; by being “in” Christ; by walking “after the Spirit” rather than after the flesh; by following so faithfully the leadings of the Spirit that we will have the privilege of suffering with Christ; and by presenting our bodies a living sacrifice, keeping that sacrifice on the altar until it is wholly consumed.
Faithfulness in these things will surely separate us from the world and its spirit of self-seeking and unrighteousness. It would be impossible to walk after the Spirit and at the same time be “conformed to this world.” The world is selfish. Its aims are selfish. Its approach to every undertaking is that of self-interest. “What can I do to gain something for myself?” is the uppermost question in the mind of the worldling.
But Paul would have us realize the truthfulness of Jesus’ teaching that he who seeks to save his life shall lose it. This viewpoint was illustrated by Jesus in His reference to the man who increased the size of his barns in order selfishly to store up more goods for his future needs, and of whom it was said “Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee.” (Luke 12:20) “Be not conformed to this world”—this world which is governed by such a wrong viewpoint of self-interest.
“But be ye transformed by the renewing of your minds.” Take God and His love as your pattern. “Looking unto Jesus the Author and Finisher of your faith; who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame.” (Heb. 12:2) As your mind is transformed you will recognize the privilege of suffering with Him, you will see the righteousness of the way of love and sacrifice. You will not be oblivious to the hope of life, for there is a joy set before you too,—the joy of appearing with Christ in glory. This joy will inspire you to faithfulness, but your motive in sacrifice will be the glory of God and the blessing of your fellows.
A justifying faith in God, in His promises, in the love which is represented in the shed blood, leads to transformation into god-likeness. It means that we recognize the rightness of God’s way, the way of justice and love. This leads to the surrender of our own wills, our own ways, that we may give ourselves wholly to the doing of His will.
Details of God’s Will
Beginning with the 3rd verse of chapter 12, Paul calls attention to one after another of the details involved in being transformed by the renewing of our minds that we may know and do the perfect will of God. Among these are mentioned the importance of our proper humility before God and the brethren; faithfulness in whatever privileges of service may be ours; sincerity and impartiality in our love for the brethren; love, instead of hate, for those who persecute us; proper attitude toward the “powers that be”; walking honestly as in the day; owing no man anything but love; refraining from judging our brethren; the privilege of the strong to bear the infirmities of the weak; and that we be of one mind.—Romans, chapters 12-16
These last four chapters of the epistle are largely devoted to setting forth details of the consecrated life. We have mentioned a few of the points, but there are many more. These many items take on a greater significance when studied in the light of the great principles of the Christian life as set forth in the preceding chapters of the epistle, because they are all related to being in Christ Jesus and to the necessity of renewing our minds.
Many of these details will not be pleasing to our flesh, but we should ever remember that our flesh is being offered in sacrifice. If we are “in Christ Jesus” it means that we are being “planted together in the likeness of His death.” (Rom. 6:5) If our planting in the likeness of Jesus’ death is genuine, we, like Him, will delight to say, “Not my will, but Thine be done.” May God give us grace thus to walk after the Spirit, happy in the thought that we have the privilege of proving, and by His grace doing, the perfect will of God.