Doing the Father's Will

Author: Joseph

Date: January 14, 2024

When someone says, “I will” and does not, what are they but liars? Would you be able to trust such a person? Such a temper in a man is unreliable and unfaithful. Their initial response of “I will!” displays a false obedience, concealing the rebellion laid up in their heart and mind.

Yeshua tells a parable of such meaning. A man had two sons and he went to them one at a time. He made the same request to both of them, “Son, go work today in the vineyard” (Matthew 21:28). The first son said “I will not,” denying his father, but he regretted his response and turned in obedience to work in the vineyard. The second son replied to his father, “I will, sir,” appearing to have made himself ready to do his father’s request, but then does not go the vineyard, instead disobeying his father, thinking that he had deceived his father with false obedience.

This parable, Yeshua tells to the chief priests and elders in regard to their reaction to John who came preaching the baptism of repentance. When the tax collectors, prostitutes, and other such lawless men and women heard him preach, they turned in repentance to God, receiving His Words from John. Yet, the religious authorities, who claimed strict obedience to God and often touted themselves as men of honor, did not turn in repentance. Instead, they did not believe John and dismissed him as a troublemaker with “no authority.” Their only hindrance from opposing him was John’s popularity among the people, who believed him to be a prophet (which he was).

The chief priests and elders were not simply disobeying and that was the result in itself. The chief priests and elders were claiming to be obedient to God simply because they said that they were. Yet, they were without repentance, without bearing the fruit of righteousness, and did not want to be told that they were disobedient. For them, their own word was enough, regardless of having no faith or works that could prove any obedience.

And how they loved to deceive others with their false image of righteousness. But for all their deception of men, they were easily discerned for who they really were by Yeshua, God in the flesh. Yeshua tells them that even tax collectors and prostitutes will be entering the Kingdom of God because of their repentance, but that they will not. The chief priests and the elders did not even have remorse for their sin, even after seeing many come to John and be baptized in repentance. Such an act of humility towards God was unknown to them, who prided themselves in their own deceptive false righteousness. They were content with their own way of living and their own view of righteousness that was not what God instructed nor what He desired for His people. The chief priests and elders proclaimed themselves the defenders of their faith, but were only defending themselves.

In Yeshua’s parable, two sons were called to follow their father’s instructions, but only one heeded their father. Although his initial reaction was that of disobedience, repentance made the difference that justified him as doing the will of his father. Repentance to change his ways, not only his mind. For if he had only regretted his words and did not go into the vineyard, he would not have been doing the will of his father. He did, however, obey his father after his regret, acting on his guilty conscience and living out in obedience. The son who initially said, “I will not,” was now living as if he said, “I will.”

"...repent, and do the will of God..."

Have you turned away from the will of God, your Father, and now live in regret? Don’t settle in the position of merely regretting your disobedience, but repent, and do the will of God in the thing which you first disobeyed. The chief priests and elders did not have remorse, but if you feel remorse for your disobedience, you are ready to now take the next step into action and act in obedience to God. Do not delay obedience. The day is short and the vineyard needs workers.

Matthew 21:28-32

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. www.lockman.org