For Christians Only!

Actively Will

“Ask whatsoever ye will, and it shall be done unto you” (John
15.7). The word “will” in the original Greek carries within it the
thought of “the will actively wills.” So that this verse means for us to
ask whatever our will wills actively and it shall be done to us. Some
may wonder, what if that which we ask for is not the will of God? It
would appear from this that we are more careful in speaking than is
the Lord Jesus. We probably would have couched Jesus’ statement in
these words: “If it is according to God’s will, then ask whatsoever
you actively will, and it shall be done unto you.” In other words, the
Lord believes that the will of some believers agrees with God’s will.
Paul in 1 Corinthians seems to be conveying the same impression:
“If one of them that believe not biddeth you to a feast, and ye are
disposed to go; whatsoever is set before you, eat, asking no question
for conscience’ sake” (10.27). Is it not strange that here the apostle
mentions only man’s willingness and not God’s will?

The two passages quoted above are not meant to imply that people
may act willfully or that they may do whatever they like. Not so, for
these words are not addressed to people at large but are directed to
the regenerated who have the mind of Christ and have received the
dealing of the cross—that is to say, to Christians who abide in the
Lord and the Lord’s word abides in them.