"They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable." 1 Cor 9:25

Whoever Does the Will of God

(1 John 2:17, Preaching: Pastor Stephen Magee, May 29, 2016)

And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.

The world that is passing away

In 1 John 2:17 the apostle writes about the Christian hope for those who do the will of God—that we will abide forever. What is the will of God, and how could we be counted as those who do it? Before we can answer these two important questions, we need to understand why “the world is passing away along with all its desires.”

Paul tells us in Romans 5:12, that “sin came into the world through one man,” Adam, “and death through sin.” He says that “death spread to all men.” In fact, he says that death reigned. How could it be that God could allow such a thing? God did not merely allow it. In fact in Romans 8: 20 we learn this: “The creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope.” The One who subjected the creation to futility had a good purpose in what He did, something that was worthy of His own perfectly confident expectation about where everything would lead. This is what is meant by God's “hope.” The fact that the existing world is passing away is not a mistake. It is God's justice, and it is a part of a much larger plan.

The world that will abide forever

Even if there was no Word from God for us in Romans 8:20 about futility, it is obvious that we live in a world of loss and decay. Is there anything here that lasts? Yes, that hope that Paul referred to is one of the major themes of the Bible. God has a plan with His Son at the very center of a new resurrection world. That new world will abide forever.

Jesus refers to those things that last and those which will fade away, which John in 1 John 2:17 calls “the world” and “all its desires.” He says in John 12:24, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.” This is first and foremost about Him. He is the grain of wheat that died. He is the seed that has risen again to new life is bearing much fruit.

But it is also about all who are connected to Him. Back to Romans 5:

[1] Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. [2] Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. [3] Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, [4] and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, [5] and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

Whoever does the will of God

Now that we see the truth about two worlds, one that was subjected to futility by the Almighty and the other that has begun in the resurrection of Jesus and in the gift of faith for all who belong to Him, we can come back to the two very important questions from 1 John 2:17 that demand some clear answers. What is the will of God, and how could we be counted as those who do it?

Our souls long for eternity. Whoever does the will of God will abide forever in an eternal world of which Jesus is the Cornerstone. As with John 12:24 about the seed that dies and the fruit that eventually follows, this doing the will of God and then abiding forever is first about Him, and then, only through His perfection, about us.

Jesus has done the will of the Father. God's voice declared this from the heavens in Matthew 3:17, 17:5; Mark 1:11, 9:7; Luke 3:22, 9:35; and it was noted again in 2 Peter 1:17. It is also recorded in a parable that Jesus told about Himself in Mark 12:6 and Luke 20:13. “This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased.”

Then for those who are found in Him, this is the work that we are called to do: First we believe in Him, John 6:27-29:

[27] Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For on him God the Father has set his seal.” [28] Then they said to him, “What must we do, to be doing the works of God?” [29] Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.”

And then His righteousness is counted as ours, Romans 4:1-8:

[1] What then shall we say was gained by Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh? [2] For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. [3] For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.” [4] Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. [5] And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness, [6] just as David also speaks of the blessing of the one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works:

[7] “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven,

and whose sins are covered;

[8] blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin.”

With this confidence that Jesus' perfect doing the will of God for us counts for us, we are called to offer up our bodies as living sacrifices to God as those who are prepared to give ourselves for the sake of a kingdom that lasts forever, Romans 12:1-2:

[1] I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. [2] Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

We are rightly moved by the actions of those who gave their lives for kingdoms that have already faded or that will one day be gone. I remember Roland Hanscom's reaction as he related to me a former pastor's Memorial Day Sunday moment of silence. Profound. How much more are we to be moved by those who have given their all for a kingdom that endures forever.

I am inspired by Diane Dickerson, who recently died from cancer after a long battle. She went to Jesus' kingdom above. Her husband writes, “Please continue to pray for all those who were touched in some way by Diane's life. As John 12:24 tells us, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. Pray for a great harvest to come from this precious kernel that so recently fell to the ground.” What does Will Dickerson desire? People who hear the Word and live forever. (1 Peter 1:24-25) Amen.

Old Testament Reading—Psalm 145 – Worthy of eternal praise

Gospel Reading—Luke 6:46-49 – A house that lasts