The Harmony Of Wills

At the seat of all our decisions is our will. While situations may influence our decisions, we are responsible for the exercise of our will.

We are not puppets without a will of our own. Having been created in God’s own image, we are morally capable of having a will of our own and will be held accountable for our decisions.

When parents ask their child to obey them, it is asking the child to align his or her will to theirs. When the child does this willingly, we may well call that submission. Submission is not so much one’s bending of knees, but one’s bending of will.

We see a perfect example of submission in the Lord Jesus Christ. He, though being God himself, submitted to the will of his Father. He said, “I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me” (John 5:30). He also said in another place, “My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and finish his work” (John 4:34). He sought and did the will of the Father.

In the hours before he was arrested and crucified, we see him in exceeding sorrow praying to his Father, saying, “Thy will be done” (Matt. 26:42). He fully knew aforehand the horrendous way in which he would suffer. Yet, his will was in complete harmony with the Father’s will. There was no trace of resistance in him. He finished the work, died on the cross and rose again the third day.

In contrast to the perfect submission of the Son, we see a failure in mankind to submit to God. We are at enmity with God due to our sins. In an inharmonious relationship, one cannot please the other until the issue causing the separation is dealt with. Today, mankind has devised many ways to try to please God. He brings his religion and good works thinking that this will give him salvation. However, this is nothing further from the will of God.

“[God] will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth” (1 Tim. 2:4). He has perfected the way of salvation through the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ. “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). God’s will is that we believe in the Lord Jesus Christ for our salvation.

God’s will is good, perfect and supreme for all mankind. It is therefore for man to submit himself to the will of God in order to be in a harmonious relationship with him.

When we do not do that, we are found living in rebellion. God does not coerce us nor force us into submitting to his will. He instead solemnly exhorts us, “Today if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts”. He warns us to put away unbelief, “lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin” (Heb. 3:7,8,13).

There is a day of judgement approaching when God will hold us accountable for our decisions. If we have rejected his plan of salvation, we will receive the wages of our sins which is eternal damnation. But they who have submitted to his will by believing in the Lord Jesus Christ, have peace with God and enjoy a harmonious relationship with him even unto eternity.