The Will Of The Father

"Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!' " (1)

Here Christ contrasts between those who do "the will of My Father" and those who "practice lawlessness." The test of sincerity is not in words, but in deeds. Words are of no value unless they are accompanied with appropriate deeds.

This lesson is taught in the parable of the two sons. "A man had two sons, and he came to the first and said, 'Son, go, work today in my vineyard.' He answered and said, 'I will not,' but afterward he regretted it and went. Then he came to the second and said likewise. And he answered and said, 'I go, sir,' but he did not go. Which of the two did the will of his father?" (2)

The same was so from the beginning. Adam and Eve had two sons, Cain and Abel. Cain became a gardener, and Abel was a keeper of sheep. Cain and Abel made offerings to the Lord. Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground, his produce. Able brought an offering of a lamb, the first born of a sheep. The Lord accepted Abel's offering, but did not accept Cain's. Cain was very angry and upset because the Lord did not accept his offering. So the Lord said, "Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And it desires to have you, but you should rule over it." (3) Cain's sin was in refusing to provide the prescribed offering for sin. A lamb was the proscribed offering for sin which God gave as a representation of the "Lamb of God," who centuries later would die for Cain and Able, and for you and me, when Jesus died on the cross.

What is it that the Father expects of you and me? A group of people asked Jesus one day. " 'What shall we do that we may work the works of God?' Jesus answered and said to them, 'This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.' " (4)

That's it! Believe, trust and obey the provision that God has made for you and me, and you will be blessed beyond comprehension. It's about trusting God, accepting His word, doing what He asks us to do, and accepting what He has done for us. That is the will of the Father.

1. Matthew 7:21-23.
2. Matthew 21:28-31.
3. Geneses 4:6, 7.
4. John 6:29.