Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered outside the gate. Therefore, let us go forth to him outside the camp, bearing his reproach. For we have no continuing city here, but we seek one to come.
Select a thought to read by choosing a collection, the month, and then the day:
From a sermon at Grandma's farmhouse by Preacher Clark in mid-May, 1975.
"If
any man will do [God's] will, he shall know of the doctrine,
whether
it be of God or whether I speak of myself."
Jn. 7:17
I remember the day, long ago now, when I had learned Greek well enough to (slowly) read the New Testament in the original language, and I came upon John 7:17. I excitedly dashed to the phone to call my father and tell him what I had just learned. I had previously understood that verse to mean that if we obey the will of God, then we will be able to recognize and understand God's one true doctrine, but that is not at all what Jesus was saying. Jesus was saying simply that if anyone desires to do God's will, then God will make certain that person is able to distinguish the truth from every other doctrine taught by men.
How exciting that was to me! And how much more loving God is revealed to be when we are given a right understanding of those words from Jesus. God does not require us to do His will before He shows us His doctrine. He only requires that we be sincere in our desire to please God. Think of it! Jesus has promised that if we truly are willing to obey God, then God will show us what His truth is. If we really want to do God's will, we shall come to know THE doctrine of God!
In the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, this is what Jesus is recorded to have said: "Anyone who resolves to do the will of God will know whether [my] teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own." What a great promise from God! We are not required to possess the knowledge of God's doctrine when we start our walk of faith. We only must have a sincere desire to do God's will, and He will lead us into all truth.
If the sincere desire of your heart is to do God's will, God will not allow you to be deceived or confused for long. Jesus has promised that you will come to know what is the one right way of God!
In that long ago prayer meeting, my father quoted the words of Jesus, "If any man will do God's will, he shall know of THE doctrine", but then added, "And if any man will not do the will of God, he will believe A doctrine." Amen.
Every wrong doctrine taught is the result of somebody unwilling to do the will of God. And every person who trusts and supports a minister teaching a wrong doctrine is doing so because that person is also unwilling to do God's will. Believe the words of Jesus! God's promise to reveal the truth to whoever desires to obey God leaves us with no decisions to make concerning why there are so many doctrines and why there are so many people who believe them. Jesus said everyone who is willing to do the will of God will come to know the one true doctrine of God. Then, if we believe Jesus, we must say that everyone who does not understand and believe the doctrine of God has not desired to do God's will above his own. In the face of the promise Jesus made to all who desire to do God's will, what else can we say? I'm pinning all my hopes on Jesus. He always told the truth.