Namimilit ba ang Diyos? Does God force Himself on us?
We didn’t have any second thoughts doing them for ourselves and with
Philippians 2:13
This is my third installment of the series “Nagpapagaling ba ng Diyos?” The
first, made available online on September 21, 2020 was Nagpapagaling ba
ang Diyos? Does God heal? Get the answer from someone who has been
healed. The second, September 27, was Nagpapagaling ba ang Diyos? Does
God heal? Part 2, Get the answer from someone who has NOT been healed.
Thank you for watching them, by the way. In our fast-paced –
information-ridden – society, watching a five to ten-minute video is no small
feat. But you’ve been patient, you have persevered, listening with “an ear...
[hearing] what the Spirit [is saying] to the churches”, believing God has a
word for you. And of course He has! If you’ve missed them, you can still see
them here on Church of God Maddela’s Facebook page. I’ll provide the links
in the comments
This third one is Namimilit ba ang Diyos? Does God force Himself on us? We
will examine Paul’s writings, see what he has to say about this phenomenon
of us doing things that didn’t appeal to us before we became Christians.
Then we’ll close with a couple of Old Testament passages to reinforce the
spiritual fact that God does not force Himself on us. (For it’ll be then a
violation of our free will.) Rather, He energizes our willpower and, not only
that, our actions so we could be bona fide members of the New Humanity
according to 2 Corinthians 5:17.
Paul wrote in his letter to the Galatian church or churches, what
differentiates our new and old lives. Before, these things come easy for us...
sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft;
hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions,
factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like NIV84
Galatians 5:19-20
others. Now – in the Filipino vernacular – ngayon, iba na ang trip natin – we
would rather have and do...
love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness
and self-controlNIV84
Galatians 5:22-23
We are more comfortable with these and the mere thought of not
having/doing them, we feel a nudge, sometimes we hear a strong
admonition, from the Holy Spirit.
Why is that? It’s because of an exchange that happened the moment we
decided to follow Jesus. An exchange of His sacrifice on the cross for our
sins or any amount of good works we thought could earn us forgiveness. It
was an exchange of will, of capability, as well.
Here’s Philippians 2:13
for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good
purpose.NIV84
Let’s not ignore the word “for” or “sapagkat”. This verse is a continuation,
after all, of verse 12
Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed – not only in my
presence, but now much more in my absence – continue to work out your
salvation with fear and trembling,NIV84
It did not say “work for”, it said “work out”.
Sikapin ninyong ipamuhay ang kaligtasang tinanggap n’yo, at gawin n’yo
ito nang may takot at paggalang sa Dios.ASND
Paul wrote these things because the original recipients of his letter, the New
Humanity situated in the city of Philippi in the first century, sent him a gift
when he was in prison. Who would want to be known to be someone
who’ve sent gifts to a prisoner/criminal? Who could claim to have done it?
Who would want to give money to the church or any of her leaders? Who
would when we would rather spend the money for ourselves and for our
family? Who would do these things? Only those who have been born again,
who have become a part of, what I call, the New Humanity
Why? For what purpose? To what end? It’s not because of our own
strength.
[Not in your own strength] for it is God Who is all the while effectually at
work in you [energizing and creating in you the power and desire], both
to will and to work for His good pleasure and satisfaction and delight.AMPC
It’s all for His glory...and to fulfill His promise. This is what my favorite
prophet, Ezekiel, has to say about this.
I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will
remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh.
I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from
you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.
Ezekiel 11:19 and 36:26NIV84
Living out the Christian life requires the removal of our heart of stone. It
requires the replacing of it with a heart of flesh.
We now have a new heart, a soft heart that’s sensitive to the Holy Spirit.
The old, numb, one is no more.
WDWDWWWK?
“Namimilit ba ang Diyos?”/“Does God force Himself on us?”
This leads us to our question and to our application, What do we do with
what we know?
The answer is “No.” God doesn’t force Himself on us. At the same time, He
didn’t leave us powerless to act out His will. He’s not a tyrant, neither is He
sadistic Let us then continue to be who we really are: We are Christians;
we are of the New Humanity! Let us continue carrying out His will. It’s what
is best for us anyway. Hindi naman tayo ipapahamak ng Diyos. Continue
doing what you know you should do, aware that it’s in our quote, unquote
new nature to do so. Minsan it’s a struggle. It’s inconvenient. Pero
magpakatotoo nga tayo...sa ating mga sarili at sa Diyos Matatakasan ba
natin kung sino talaga tayo? Let us be who we really are! We are of the New
Humanity; we are Christians! Huwag kang mapagod kapatid, huwag kang
magsawa