“I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just, because I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me. ” (John 5:30, ESV)
The heart of a true follower of Christ always beats in harmony with the heart of the Lord Himself, just as His chimed in sync with the Father’s. Believers are called to be Christlike – a call to live our lives imitating Christ, becoming more and more He who said, “I can do nothing on my own…”!
“I can do nothing on my own…” is a humble expression of Christ’s willing submission to the Father’s will. And what does this exactly tell us about Jesus? Is it a sign of weakness as the ungodly today would be inclined to suggest? Or was it that He lacked the capacity to think for himself and lacked the ability to act by His own initiative and power? Well, the answers are no, no and no. What it does say, however, is that Christ made a decision to do nothing except that which meets with God’s approval and to do it in a way that reflects the love and purpose of God.
And all who received Christ as Saviour and Lord are urged also become conformed to the image of Christ, or to grow in Christlikeness. That means, think and act like Christ:
“Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. ” (Philippians 2:5–8, ESV)
We have many decisions to make daily; and for every situation we face, we are almost always brought face to face with competing options of how to react or respond. But to be Christlike in our responses, those who love the Lord must willingly submit to God’s leading. The believer totally eschews independent will in favour of complete dependence on God as we freely submit to His word as our final authority, and following in the footsteps of Christ our Lord, we do nothing on our own.
Jesus said, “As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just…”, and such would be the character of the yielded heart. Unfortunately, however, there are some so-called Christians who have used and continue to use words like these as a cloak for maliciousness to coerce, oppress, manipulate, and deceive others. They say what God has not said and have done or continue to do what God has not ordered. God denounces them and says, “Woe…” (See for example, Ezekiel 13:3)!
But how did Jesus exemplify His own submission to the will of the Father who sent Him? He did not do it by imposing on others and manipulating them for His own benefit, rather He exemplified it by giving expression to the Father’s love. He did not insist on being served but served in love (Mark 10:45), “He went about doing good and healing all…”(Acts 10:38)
There was no selfish motivation behind what Jesus taught and did. There was no ulterior motive behind Him laying down His life and dying on the cross; He resolutely submitted to the will of the one who sent Him. Even as a young lad of twelve years old, Jesus was devoted to God the Father and committed to doing His business.
As the One who we must imitate, Christ’s own attitude must be our prime example and our guide. He did not seek his own reputation, but pursued the will of He who sent Him. He said, “I seek not my own will but the will of Him who sent me”.
Jesus was free and had the ability to do whatever He desired, but He chose to be dependent and sought to glorify the Father in His life as we all should aspire to do today.
Give yourself to God by faith, serve Him according to the grace that He bestows, and do nothing by the arm of the flesh or a carnal mind. Be intentional in your submission to His Holy will, and do all that you do not seeking your own will. And He will glorify Himself in you and honour you, as He did Christ, and bless you beyond measure!
Embrace the Father's will and do not be weary in well-doing!
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
No comments:
Post a Comment