JOH 7:17 If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.

>>The doctrine of Christ, as it stands in such a dynamic contrast with the doctrines of men is far to crucial to pass over it lightly—

>>May the God of all grace grant the opening to unfold these weighty truths—

>>May the Blessed Spirit accompany the truth into each heart to the praise of our Saviour, and the edification of your soul!

>>Before we can proceed to rightly understand the blessed doctrine of our Redeemer, we must obtain a right understanding of the key words upon which He places His emphasis—"If any man will do his will"

>>First, we must rightly understand the required posture of heart—or attitude required before any man can or "shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God."

>>The first word "will" comes from the Greek word "thelo" which means, "acquiescence, choose or prefer, i.e., to be inclined to be about gladly, or to delight in."

>>This same Greek word "thelo" was translated as "willing" in MAT 1:19 Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily.

>>Before we will ever gain a right understanding of the doctrine of Christ, we must come to realize that this word "thelo" is His definition of the new birth.

In JOH 3:5 Jesus said "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God."

ROM 12:1-2 clearly teaches us that as we come under the Divine influence of the Word and Spirit, the first effect is "...that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service."

>>What is the Spirit's effectual instrument whereby He transforms our attitudes from our rebellious nature to delight in doing the Father's will?

>>"...by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God," V:2.

>>Our Lord has no pleasure in anything we do out of compulsion. He wants gospel perfection to flow from the hearts delight to do His will.

>>See how David's heart was in full "acquiescence" with the Spirit, and doctrine of Christ as he exposed the inner expression of his heart in a prophetic way in

PSA 40:8 I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.

SECOND,The second word "will" in our text, "If any man will do his will," comes from the Greek word "thelema (thel'-ay-mah)," which means "choice, purpose, decree, desire or pleasure, will."

>>Webster's Christian Series says that "sorrow, pain, or regret on account of past conduct because it exposes him to punishment... is legal repentance" —

>>Real penitence; sorrow or deep contrition for sin, as an offense and dishonour to God, a violation of His holy law, and the basest ingratitude towards such a loving Father is Gospel repentance.

>>In JOH 8:47 Jesus said, "He that is of God heareth God's words," which is synonymous with what He said in our text, "If any man will do his will."

>>Our Saviour's doctrine is, "He that is of God" chooses, acquiesces with, prefers, is inclined to be about gladly, or to delight in," doing the desire or pleasure of the Father.

>>This inclination proceeds from grace, and not from Mount Sinai!

ROM 6:14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.

>>The doctrine of Christ teaches that we "are not under the law, but under grace [or `charis'in the Greek]" i.e., "the Divine influence upon the heart, and its reflection in the life."

>>By the grace of God you are "...renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness" EPH 4:23-24, whereby you delight in doing the desire or pleasure of the Father.

>>The law has no provision for mercy; it demands that we do the orders of God which we are not able to perform in a legal sense, therefore we cannot approach God by Mount Sinai.

HEB 12:18, 22 For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest...[V:22] But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,

>>This word touched is taken from the Greek word, "Pselaphao, (psay-laf-ah'-o)" which means, "to manipulate, to use as a counter ballot, i.e., a verdict of acquittal."

>>The meaning of this word touched in this verse means the total opposite as the word touched in HEB 4:15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

>>In Heb 4:15 the word touched comes from the Greek word, "Sumpatheo, (soom-path-eh'-o)," which means, "To feel sympathy, to be touched with a feeling of compassion—having a fellow-feeling—to experience pain jointly or of the same kind, especially persecution, to sympathize or suffer with."

>>This reflects the distinction the apostle was making between mount Sinai and Mount Sion.

>>Mount Sinai reflects God's just demands under the law without any mercy.

>>God's justice cannot be altered, it cannot be touched, i.e., "to change or falsify for one's own purpose]"

>>God's justice cannot give "a verdict of acquittal," until it has been fully satisfied with perfect obedience and payment in full for every infraction of the law.

>>The Lord Jesus Christ, the only Son of God could not touch, i.e., alter or change for His own purpose, nor receive a verdict of acquittal until He had satisfied every demand of the law.

>>Jesus Christ needed to be justified through His perfect obedience in paying the last farthing of the debt of sin for His people because,

2CO 5:21 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.

>>Mount Sinai remained totally untouched, i.e., unalterable, by the most earnest pleadings of Jesus Christ, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords

HEB 5:7-9 Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared;

>>Yet HEB 12:18 calls it "...the mount that might be touched." How was it touched?

8 Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;

9 And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;

>>Mount Sinai could only be touched by the burning coals of the Father's love for His people.

1JO 4:10-11 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.

JOH 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

>>A faith's view of that law of love as it comes from Mount Sion, filled with mercy, is what renews the spirit of our mind and makes it our chief delight to do the pleasure of our blessed heavenly Father.

HEB 4:15-16 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

>>Our Saviour's doctrine teaches that "He that is of God heareth God's words," JOH 8:47, Our text says, JOH 7:17 If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.

>>How shall we know Christ's doctrine? By grace! By the Divine influence of the Spirit which witnesses with our loving desire to do the pleasure of such a loving God. By faith we "find grace to help in time of need."

HEB 12:2-3 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God [by this faith of Christ being imputed to us we are able to].

3 For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.

>>Without looking unto the faith of our lovely Saviour we will never prevail against the power of sin.

HEB 12:4 Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.

>>We cannot resist "unto blood, striving against sin," without "Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith."

ROM 6:10-11 For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.

11 Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

>>After a life of persecution, weaning him from the flesh, the apostle Paul's greatest delight was to do the will of his God.

GAL 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

>>When we are walking by faith in the will of God we begin to understand the doctrine of Christ is a doctrine of self sacrifical love.

ROM 6:6 Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.

>>As the Lord crucifies that old man of sin, He weans our hearts from the social religion of the world, and brings us into heavenly places in Christ Jesus.

HEB 12:22-23 But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God,

>>Then he brings us into "...the heavenly Jerusalem," i.e., the place of Christian liberty—free from the under the power of sin, or the bondage of Mount Sinai.

>>Then we come into a heavenly society, "...and to an innumerable company of angels."

>>When we have come to understand the doctrine of Christ, we come into communion with the church universal, wherever they may be dispersed.

23 To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect.

24 And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.

>>Our text says, "If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself."

>>As we obey the prize is won— we will learn to understand the will of God by laying aside all inordinate affection for the world—

PSA 25:14-15 The secret of the LORD is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant.

>>Or as it says in the margin, "and His covenant to make them know it."

>>Have you ever heard of an apprenticeship? Such a person learns a trade by putting into practice what he learns, as he learns it by doing it—this is the same principle we learn from the doctrine of Christ—

>>We learn the truth which our Lord teaches by putting what we know into practice. Our text says, JOH 7:17 If any man will [i.e., if it is his greatest delight to] do his will [i.e., the desire or pleasure of God], he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.

Of the Jews who lived under the law—doing the orders of God in a legalistic sense we read,

2CO 3:14 But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ.

>>The doctrine of Christ teaches that those who delight to know and do His pleasure will know His will—PSA 51:6 Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.

>>Those secret desires of the heart which are not known by any man—in-fact which are not even fully understood by ourselves, are known unto the Lord.

1PE 3:4 But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.

>>What Scripture says to one, It says to all: HEB 12:14-15 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:

15 Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;