Project Description

2015/03

Willing to do the Father’s Will

The strength of the Christian gospel lies in the truth that the work of salvation is done for us, not by us. Other religions consistently teach that to know God we must ‘do.’ The Gospel teaches that we know God because of what He has done!  The words of Christ on the cross manifest that truth: ‘It is finished.’ (John 19:30)  But what is it that is ‘finished?’

The answer to that question is given by John in various texts which refer to Christ doing the will of His Father.  “Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.” (John 4:34)  A key feature of the Lord’s condescension to be our Saviour was to submit Himself, as the incarnate God-man, to the Father’s will.  Eternally, the Son of God consented to the sovereign will of the Father to redeem a people unto Himself.  Coming into this world, the eternal Son takes to Himself our nature, ‘a true human body and reasonable human soul’.  As incarnate Deity, we read of the Saviour agreeing to and delighting in the Father’s will.  Step by step on the road to the cross we see the Lord consenting to do the Father’s biding.  As Emmanuel, the eternal Son, co-equal and co-eternal with the Father, humbles Himself, taking a place of submission.  The Father determines the way in which sinners can be saved and the Son willingly performs the required task.
This is prophesied in Psalm 40
“I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.” (v8 cf Hebrews 10) This was realised in the Lord’s entire life.  ‘He was obedient to death, even the death of the cross.’ (Philippians 2:8)

Christ does the Father’s will in His perfect obedience to the Law of the Father.  “And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.” (John 8:29)  He fulfils all righteousness: He does all and only that which is righteous. He fulfils the precepts of the Law. He provides the obedience we need, but cannot perform, to be accepted by God.  He also does the Father’s will in paying the penalty of the Law. In the Garden we see the Saviour consenting to drink the cup of God’s wrath in His death. “He… prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done.” (Matthew 26:42) “Then said Jesus unto Peter, Put up thy sword into the sheath: the cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?” (John 18:11)  Thus, on the cross He cries: ‘Finished!’

Christ came willingly, from heaven, sent of God, to live the life that we cannot live, and to die the death that we deserve.  This is the core of the gospel.  This is the only gospel worth believing and proclaiming to all the world.

“Upon a Life I have not lived,
Upon a Death I did not die,     
Another’s Life; Another’s Death,
I stake my whole eternity.”

Why did He come?  He came to do everything that the Father required for the salvation of sinners.

Dr. Stephen Pollock.