“Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.” (Heb. 13:8)

Beloved Brothers and Sisters in Christ, I greet you in the precious name of our Lord Jesus with Rom. 9:24-26,

“Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?

As he saith also in Osee, I will call them my people, which were not my people; and her beloved, which was not beloved.

And it shall come to pass, that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people; there shall they be called the children of the living God.” (Hos. 1:10).

It was God’s intention even since before the foundation of the world to have sons and daughters. Adam was the created son of God in the image of God. Jesus Christ, the second Adam, is the Son of God begotten by the Holy Ghost — the very image of God (2. Cor. 4:4; Heb. 1:3). Throughout the Old Testament the birth of the Son of God was announced. At the beginning of the New Covenant we see the fulfilment (Mt. 1:18-25; Lk. 2:1-14). In the Son all sons and daughters of God were accepted and placed into their original position. “… having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will …” (Eph. 1:5). For all things which were designated unto us by God according to the plan of Salvation He gave us promises and all those who truly believe experience the fulfilment thereof.

Abraham believed what God promised to him and did not stagger because of unbelief (Rom. 4). Thus he finally experienced the fulfilment of something that seemed humanly impossible. True believers are the seed of Abraham, they do not stray because of unbelief, for they themselves are the children of promise, “Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.” (Gal. 4:28).

God’s promises remain true for ever. By the covenant of His blood Jesus confirmed what He promised in His Word. There is an absolute in every promise, a divine assurance which does not leave any room for doubt (2. Cor. 1:20).

The Lord God has taken an oath for the things He promised. “For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself …” The same oath applies to us, “… wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath.” (Heb. 6:13-20). Amen. Amen.

God concerns Himself with the realisation of His plan of Salvation, above all with the Church of Jesus Christ, with the sons and daughters, with the people that He chose for His Own. The Almighty God/Elohim Who already manifested Himself throughout the entire Old Testament as Lord/Yahweh is the same invisible One Who showed Himself in a visible form and thus walked in the Garden of Eden, visited Abraham, and spoke to the prophets; the same God, besides Whom there is no other, has revealed Himself as our Father in heaven and in His only begotten Son here on earth, “But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, born of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.” (Gal. 4:4-7).

Time and again we are told about His plan of Redemption for humanity, “For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.

For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren, saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee (Ps. 22:22). And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold I and the children which God hath given me (Isa. 8:18).” (Heb. 2:10-18).

The example for all sons and daughters of God who are predestined to obedience in the Will of God is the Son of God Himself, Who was obedient right to His death on the cross (Phil. 2:5-11). On His way to the crucifixion He prayed in the Garden of Gethsemaneh and said, “My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death … and He fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.” (Mt. 26:38-39).

Mark writes in his gospel, chapter 14, verse 36, “… nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt.” Once it states, ”not as I will”, and then, “… not what I will, but what thou wilt.”

In Luke 22 we are told that our Lord and Saviour prayed in the agony of His soul, “Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.” (v. 42). We also must consciously submit our will to the Will of God. Only then can we be in fellowship with Him and walk in His ways, so that we are finally transformed to do the good, acceptable and perfect Will of God (Rom. 12:1-2). For only they that do the Will of God shall abide for ever (1. Jn. 2:17)!

Our Lord said, “For whosoever shall do the will of God, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother.” (Mk. 3:31-35). They are the ones, “… which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” (Jn. 1:13).

Lucifer, the son of the morning, removed himself by his own will from the Will of God and thus became the adversary and enemy of God. Repeatedly he said, “I will ascend …”, “I will exalt my throne …”, “I will …”, “I will …” (Isa. 14:12-14). That was his sin, his fall, and he pulled a part of the angelic world down with him. Lucifer exalted himself, he wanted to be equal to God, just as, “… the man of sin who exalts himself above everything that is called God, or that is worshipped …” (2. Thess. 2:1-12). After being cast down to earth he visited paradise, entered the serpent, and entangled Eve in a conversation about what God had said. First Satan dragged Eve, then Adam, and subsequently all of humanity into the fall, thus taking them out of the Will of God. The enemy succeeded in luring Eve with his interpretation, pulling her into unbelief, into disobedience, and then into the transgression, subjecting her to his will. He is still the prince of this world who misleads the people in all the religious institutions by getting them to believe his interpretations instead of God’s Word. The Son of God withstood the enemy in all the temptations, for even with Him he tried to use the catchphrase, “It is written …”, “It is written …”, “It is written …” (Mt. 4:1-11; Lk. 4:1-13). Christ has delivered us from the power of Satan, saved us from the power of darkness, and has brought us back into the Kingdom of God, according to the Will of God (Col. 1:13).

Our Lord admonishes us with these very serious words, “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.” (Mt. 7:21). Of what use are the Lord’s prayer, a “prosperity gospel” that people love to hear, meetings where Bible stories are told, or services that are held for religious entertainment? What good are all the charismatic healing services if everything with everyone happens according to the will of a man? What is gained by singing, “He is Lord, He is Lord”? To what avail do the false prophets, who present themselves as the anointed ones of the Lord, list the many things they have done in His name?

“Did we not prophesy in Your name?”

“Did we not cast out demons in Your name?”

“Did we not do great wonders in Your name?”

It becomes obvious that the most important thing is not found in their list. Not one of them can say,

“Have we not been baptised in Your name as the Apostle Peter commanded?” (Acts 2:38; a. o.).

“Have we not baptised the believers in Your name as the Apostle Paul did?” (Acts 19:5; a. o.).

The apostolic baptism in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ is generally being rejected and declared to be a heresy in front of the people. Yet the apostles dutifully carried out the Great Commission according to Mt. 28:19-20, exactly as the Lord commanded, and, as instructed, they baptised into the name in which God revealed Himself as Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

On that day the Lord will have to pronounce the verdict upon those who had the gifts of the Spirit, those who worked miracles, the ones who, according to their conviction, preached the Full Gospel, even those who used His holy name to cast out demons from others, “And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” (Mt. 7:21-23). In the eyes of men they seemed to be very blessed, in the eyes of God they were men conducting their own programs without personally submitting to the Will of God. In 1. Sam. 15:23 we read that rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Of what use are their worship services, when the Lord Himself says, “This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.” (Mk. 7:6b-7). Wherever creeds and man-made declarations of faith are introduced and made a rule, all the worship is in vain, for God can only receive a worship that is offered unto Him in the name of Jesus Christ in Spirit and in truth (Jn. 4:24).

Time and again the Apostle Paul speaks about the Will of God. At his calling he was told, “The God of our fathers hath chosen thee, that thou shouldest know his will, and see that Just One, and shouldest hear the voice of his mouth.” (Acts 22:14). A true calling requires that, first of all, the one ordained for service must have the Will of God revealed to him. A calling for service is a call to recognise the Will of God, a commission is the actual proclamation of the Will of God to the people of God. On account of a divine calling I, too, write to the Church today, as Paul did back then, addressing the true Bible believers to bring them into the perfect harmony with the written Word, for only therein the Will of God is declared.

The following Scriptures are given to us for reflection and for confirmation of the fact that the Lord, our Redeemer, builds His Church according to His Will and that He shall complete His Work unto the day of His glorious return.

“Paul, called to be an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God …” (1. Cor. 1:1).

“Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself ...” (Eph. 1:9).

“For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding …” (Col. 1:9).

“… Lo, I come to do thy will, O God … by the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all … For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.” (Heb. 10:9-14).

The Will of God is shown to us solely in the Word of God, and only when we actually believe as the Scripture says, then the prayer of the Son, Who calls the redeemed His brethren (Jn. 20:17), will be fulfilled, “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.” (Jn. 17:17).

The true Church of Jesus Christ must now be built on the original foundation of the apostles and prophets according to the perfect Will of God. In teaching and in practice the divine order of Salvation must be restored and become a reality in the lives of all believers who are part of the Body of Christ. As the Church was in the beginning, so shall she be at the end.