Not My Will, But Your Will Be Done

Hours before going to the cross, Jesus prayed the following:

“My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” (Matthew 26:39)

The cup was the new covenant/testament established by his blood, securing eternal forgiveness (Matthew 26:26-28).

The old testament/covenant secured temporary forgiveness of sins under the law of Moses.

Jesus prayed these words because he knew the pain of the cross he was about to endure.

He knew he was about to take upon himself (cup) the sins of all people for all time.

Though he knew the pain he would face and the sins that would be placed upon him, he said "not my will but yours be done."

What was the will of God for Jesus, his blood, and the cross?

God's will was the establishment of the new covenant/testament for the eternal forgiveness of sins.

We gain more insight into God's will for Jesus in establishing the new covenant when the writer of Hebrews states (Hebrews 10:9-10):

"Then he [Jesus] said, “Here I am, I have come to do your will.” He sets aside the first [old law testament] to establish the second [new grace testament]. And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all."

The will of God for Jesus was to establish the new testament of grace through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus for all sins and for all people.

Through the sacrifice of Jesus' body, we are made holy (eternally purified from ALL sins - Hebrews 1:3).

Through the sacrifice of Jesus' body, we are eternally forgiven of ALL sins.

Hebrews 10:17-18 says:

"'Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more.' And where these have been forgiven, sacrifice for sin is no longer necessary."

Through faith in Jesus, we receive this one-time for all-time purification of sins.

Through faith in Jesus, we receive this one-time for all-time forgiveness of sins.

This past weekend, we remembered the blood of Jesus shed for the forgiveness of our sins, and we celebrated his resurrection that brings eternal life.

Let's not return to an old testament/covenant way of relating to God where we continually ask God for forgiveness over and over again, all year long (old testament mentality).

Rather, let's move forward into the new testament of grace by relating to God confidently, knowing he remembers our sins no more because we are eternally and fully forgiven (new testament reality) through what Jesus did for us.

This is God's will for us.

Jesus' prayer was "not my will but yours be done."

God's will for Jesus was the establishment of the new testament of grace in his blood that secured eternal and full forgiveness.

God's will for us is to live in the new testament that Jesus established in his blood, where God remembers our sins no more.

We live in the new testament of grace by faith, trusting that Jesus really did secure our full and eternal forgiveness.

We live in the new testament of grace by thanking God we possess forgiveness eternally rather than requesting that God forgive our sins daily.

To read more about the new testament of grace, CLICK HERE.