To Will What He Wills

“For it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13).  Yesterday I read something in Richard Sibbes’ sermon on this verse that was very profound.  He said that God does not deal with us as human authorities do.  Governments and human authorities on all levels lay down laws and commands, and then expect people to comply.  Most religions work the same way.  They use rules and laws to compel or force people to obey.  One of the great glories of biblical Christianity is that it operates differently!  God does not constrain our wills, or force our wills to do what we really do not want to do.  God works in us to will what He wills.  Don’t miss this!  God gives us new desires, so that we now want to do what He commands.  Philippians 2:13 tells us that the Lord not only gives us the ability to obey His commands, but also the will or desire to do them.  It would be more accurate to say that He gives us the power to obey by giving us the will to obey.  That is the glory of the Gospel.  This is one of the primary blessings of the New Covenant.  Thank you, Richard Sibbes, for pointing this out with such clarity.