What Does God Want—Part 3

What Does God Want From Us? - - Part Three

So far in this study we have seen that the Law of God sets the standard of perfection—a standard none of us can possibly meet. We have seen that nothing we do can possibly make us right with God, and we have seen that what God says He wants from us is that we believe Him and that we love one another.

This is borne out in other passages as well. First-John goes to great lengths in its discussion of love, making it clear that love is crucial to life in Christ. In fact, love is the result of life in Christ. It is the very fruit of it, as we read in Galatians. The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance (which is self control).

The centrality of belief is made clear in many places as well. One example is found in John 16 where Jesus says that He has to go back to the Father so that He can send the Comforter, the promised Holy Spirit. He then begins to describe what the Holy Spirit will do:

In John 16:8-9 He says that the Holy Spirit will convict the world of sin because they do not believe in Him. Notice that this conviction of sin doesn’t come because they have done bad stuff and failed to do good stuff. It comes because they do not believe in who Jesus is and what Jesus did for them.

And what did He do? He made us acceptable and pleasing to God. He paid the price for our sins and gave us His own righteousness. 2 Corinthians 5:16-21 (KJV) shows us this.

“16 Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more.

17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;

19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.

21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”

He could justly not count our sins against us because the perfect spotless Lamb of God, Jesus Christ, sacrificed Himself, spilling His own blood (which has inestimable worth) to pay the debt in full. More than that, He imputed (set down to our account) and actually imparted (gave) His own perfect righteousness to us!

How did He make us new creations? He did it by His great love for us. He took on flesh and lived our temporal and temporary kind of life and, in dying, He exchanged our temporary mortal life for His indestructible immortal life—the only true life there actually is.

This is explained well in Ephesians 2:1-9 (KJV)

1 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;

2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:

3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,

5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)

6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:

7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.

8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.

So, we could never give God what He wanted from us. He knew that from the outset, of course. So He planned for our redemption—He planned to reconcile us with Himself—right from the start.

Ephesians 1:4-8 (KJV)

4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,

6 To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

7 In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;

8 Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence;

This is the Good News!

Romans 8:3-4 (KJV)

3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:

4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

When we agree with God and believe in Jesus Christ and the work He finished on the Cross, we receive His gracious gift of acceptance. We receive His unending life. And we bear all the fruit that it produces— love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance (which is self control).

One of my favorite verses is John 17:3. I find it to be an incredible statement, but at the same time it makes perfect sense.

John 17:3 (KJV)

3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

What God wants from us is a relationship. He wants our hearts, our trust. He wants to love us and to be loved by us as a result.

1 John 3:23 (KJV)

23 And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.

Why not agree with Him, know that we are reconciled to Him, and walk in love—God is love after all—and that is all He wants from us.