Want and Can
There’s a big difference between want and can. A lot of people want to do things that they can’t do. Some people really want to play a certain sport, to sing, to act, or to draw, but no offense to them, they just can’t. On the other hand, some people can do these things very well, but they just don’t want to. Want and can are two totally different things.
When it comes to spiritual things, many people who are deeply involved in false religions or cults desperately want to get to God. Their problem is that they cannot, because there is only one way to God. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man cometh unto the Father but by me” (John 14:6). Jesus Christ is the only way to God. On the other hand, many people do know the truth about Jesus because they have grown up in good families, gone to solid churches, and learned what the Bible says. They can please God, but they don’t want to.
Philippians 2:12–13 deals with this matter of want and can. Paul tells these believers, “Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” First, he commands them to “work out their own salvation.” Of course, this doesn’t mean that they are responsible to save themselves. Rather, it means that since they have been saved and changed from the inside, they are now to allow that change to affect their outward behavior. Their lives should make clear that God has changed them.
But as we all know, it is hard to do that consistently, day in and day out. Verse thirteen tells us we can live out our faith because “God is working in us.” God is working in our lives so that we can obey him.
How is God working in us? The verse says that God works in us, “both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” What this means is God is working in us, giving us both the desire and the ability to please him. In other words, Christians can please God because He gives them the desire (the want) and the ability (the can)!
If you have no desire and no ability to please God, then it would seem that God is not working in you and you need to turn in faith and repentance to Jesus Christ. However, if you are saved, God is giving you the desire to please him and the ability to achieve that desire in your daily life.
Want and can are two very different things, but as Christians, God is working in us so that we both want to please him and we can do that! Live out your salvation this week!
When it comes to spiritual things, many people who are deeply involved in false religions or cults desperately want to get to God. Their problem is that they cannot, because there is only one way to God. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man cometh unto the Father but by me” (John 14:6). Jesus Christ is the only way to God. On the other hand, many people do know the truth about Jesus because they have grown up in good families, gone to solid churches, and learned what the Bible says. They can please God, but they don’t want to.
Philippians 2:12–13 deals with this matter of want and can. Paul tells these believers, “Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” First, he commands them to “work out their own salvation.” Of course, this doesn’t mean that they are responsible to save themselves. Rather, it means that since they have been saved and changed from the inside, they are now to allow that change to affect their outward behavior. Their lives should make clear that God has changed them.
But as we all know, it is hard to do that consistently, day in and day out. Verse thirteen tells us we can live out our faith because “God is working in us.” God is working in our lives so that we can obey him.
How is God working in us? The verse says that God works in us, “both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” What this means is God is working in us, giving us both the desire and the ability to please him. In other words, Christians can please God because He gives them the desire (the want) and the ability (the can)!
If you have no desire and no ability to please God, then it would seem that God is not working in you and you need to turn in faith and repentance to Jesus Christ. However, if you are saved, God is giving you the desire to please him and the ability to achieve that desire in your daily life.
Want and can are two very different things, but as Christians, God is working in us so that we both want to please him and we can do that! Live out your salvation this week!
posted by Mark Perry at 7:21 PM
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