WHO IS SUPPOSED TO CONFORM?  GOD?  OR, MAN?

Victor M. Eskew

 

            God has given His will to man. The apostle Paul wrote:  “Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.  Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual” (I Cor. 2:12-13).  We refer to this will as The Bible, the Word of God, and the Scriptures.  The Word of God contains facts, precious promises, and commands.  The Bible stands at the heart of Christianity.  Without it, Christianity would not exist.  Jesus referred to the Word of God as seed (Luke 8:11).  When it is planted into the hearts of men and women, it brings forth abundant fruit, fruit of the Christian religion.

            God longs for all men to conform to the teachings of His Word.  The wise Solomon reveals that this is half of man’s responsibility while on earth.  “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter:  Fear God, and keep his commandments:  for this is the whole of man” (Eccl. 12:13).  Paul wrote to the saints in Rome about the transforming nature of God’s Word in Romans 12:2.  “And be not conformed to this world:  but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God.”  Those who abide in the truth of God’s Word, are made “perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works” (II Tim. 3:17).

            As we watch men live on the earth, however, a question comes to mind because of the way men often behave.  The question is:  “Who is supposed to conform?  God?  Or, man?  The reason this question comes to mind is because so many individuals refuse to conform to God’s standards.  They live their lives as it pleases them.  If asked whether they are right with God, they often think they are.  One wonders how this can be unless God conforms to their will rather than having them conform to His. 

            King Saul apparently believed that God would conform to his way of doing things.  God commanded him to utterly destroy the Amalekites and all that they had (I Sam. 15:3).  Saul, however, did not comply with the Lord’s command.  “But Saul and the people spared Agag, and the best of the sheep, and of the oxen, and of the fatlings, and the lambs, and all that was good, and would not utterly destroy them:  but every thing that was vile and refuse, that they destroyed utterly” (I Sam. 15:9).  When Samuel met Saul after the battle, Saul’s words are very telling.  “And Samuel came to Saul:  and Saul said unto him, Blessed be thou of the Lord:  I have performed the commandment of the Lord” (I Sam. 15:13).  Even though Saul was in disobedience to God, he said:  “I have performed the commandment of the Lord.”  Apparently, he believed that God conformed His will to the king’s behavior.  Even when his disobedience was made manifest by Samuel, Saul continued to contend that he had obeyed God’s will.  “And Saul said unto Samuel, Yea, I have obeyed the voice of the Lord, and have gone the way which the Lord sent me, and have brought back the king of Amalek, and have utterly destroyed the Amalekites” (I Sam. 15:20).  Are you as astounded as this writer when you hear Saul arguing that he has obeyed the Lord even though he defied the commandments of God?  Somehow, Saul truly believed that God was supposed to conform His will to the behavior of the king.  The consequences of Saul’s defiance were severe.  “And Samuel said unto Saul, I will not return with thee:  for thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, and the Lord hath rejected thee from being king over Israel” (I Sam. 15:26).

            Dear readers, we should never expect God to conform to our will.  He will not!  We are the ones who are expected to do the conforming.  We are the creatures; He is the Creator.  We are the lesser; He is the better.  We are the servants; He is the Lord.  We are the citizens; He is the King.  Our wills are fleshly, carnal, selfish and sinful.  Following our will usually leads to problems if not complete disaster. 

            At this point in our study, we need to ask ourselves a question:  “Are there areas of my life wherein I am expecting God to conform to the way I want things done?”  It could involve something as simple as missing the worship services.  It could involve how we use our tongue.  It might have to do with how we treat others.  It could involve the practice of a major sin.  I might involve some form of compromise of the truth.  I might involve yielding to some other authority other than God.  We do these things and expect God to approve of our actions.  We violate His will and believe that He will conform to our practices rather than holding us accountable to His will. 

            Dear readers, even Jesus knew better than to practice His own will in opposition to the will of His Father.  Even though He yearned for the cup of suffering to pass from Him, He boldly declared:  “…nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt” (Matt. 26:39).  Paul admonishes us to let the humble, submissive mind of Christ be in us.  “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:  who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:  but made himself of no reputation and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:  and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross” (Phil. 2:5-8). 

            If God conforms to the will of man, why is there a God?  If we can follow our own way, why did God reveal His way to us?  If God will conform to our will, why is there a judgment wherein man will be judged by the Word of God?  If God just let’s us do as we please, the practice of Christianity is useless.  Dear readers, do not be deceived.  God will never conform to our way of thinking and doing.  His ways and thoughts tower high above ours (Isa. 55:8-9).  It is we who are to conform.  If we do, regardless of how difficult it was to do it, we will be blessed.  “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.  But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.  And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper” (Ps. 1:1-3).