The Divine ‘Must’
‘What goes up must come down’. It’s the law of physics, it’s the operation of gravity - if something goes up, then it must at some point come down.
Our focus here is on the auxiliary verb ‘must’. Whilst ‘can’ expresses ability rather than ‘oughtness’, and ‘may’ joins ability with permission, ‘must’ combines ability with permission whilst also adding obligation.
In scripture, we find a whole host of ‘divine ‘musts’ - Kingdom principles, compelling imperatives and eschatological inevitabilities.
In terms of the latter, Paul says “We must all appear before the judgment-seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil” (2 Corinthians 5:10). This inevitable ‘must’ transcends human choice. The only question is how we live in light of that impending reality; indeed, how we lead in ministry, given the sober revelation of James 3:1.
Scripture also contains several ‘compelling musts’; things necessary before God in the outworking of His purpose in and through our lives.
In Luke 2, when Mary and Joseph catch up with twelve-year-old Jesus, after inadvertently leaving Him in Jerusalem, Mary expresses her distress yet Jesus replies, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be about my Father’s business?” (v49). Here is a ‘must’ evidencing a passionate and preeminent desire to serve, obey and honour the Father, to do God’s will.
Similarly, when Jews traveling from Judea to Galilee would intentionally avoid Samaria, John 4:4 tells us that “Jesus must needs pass through Samaria” (KJV). Consequently, a redemptive-encounter with a Samaritan woman takes place, which brings her and her whole town to believe that Jesus was indeed “the Saviour of the world.” (v42).
May we be increasingly sensitive and obediently responsive to such compelling ‘musts’, that advance the Gospel and glorify His name.
Then in Acts 4, as the Holy Spirit anointed apostles preach Jesus, the Jewish authorities arrest and order them to no longer speak in His name (v17). All in response to Peter and John declaring this fundamental Gospel truth, “And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” (v12).
Indeed, as Jesus converses with Nicodemus in John 3, Jesus says, “Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’” - for there simply is no other way!
Our post-modern culture (or post post-modern!?) And its enlarged societal pluralism, is repelled by any theological belief that claims exclusivity to God and truth. Yet this is explicitly what the Bible does; Jesus is the only way to God, only in Him is absolute truth and the means of eternal life. As leaders, we take our place at the forefront when it comes to holding this line, to preaching this Gospel and equipping our people to do the same.
In Acts 5, the Jewish authorities again warn the apostles not to speak in Jesus’ name, “But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men.”” (v29). Surely, we ‘must’ feel the divine imperative pulsating in their words, for there is simply no alternative to obediently following the Sovereign Lord of heaven and earth.
When it comes to worship, Jesus is both concise and precise in prescribing it’s true nature and expression. In John 4, Jesus declares, “God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” (v24). In today’s church culture, where there appears a veritable smorgasbord for what passes for ‘worship’, leaders ‘must’ teach and enable a people whom the Father is seeking, “true worshippers” (v23).
Finally, a personal challenge to every one of us. John the Baptist, a somewhat reclusive, unorthodox man, who had the multitudes flocking to him, was hailed by Jesus: “among those born of women none is greater than John” (Luke 7:28). Yet he never elevated himself but always pointed to Jesus - ‘over his dead body’ would ‘johnthebaptistministries.com’ ever be set up! He had no problem in not being ‘the man’, for his great joy was in seeing and knowing ‘the Man’! All of which culminates in what has become known as the motto of his life, “He must increase, I must decrease” (John 3:30). The ‘divine must’ in duplicate, expressive of the unrivalled priority and greatest privilege of John’s existence. Brothers and sisters, may we too know the outworking of that same ‘divine must’ as we seek to follow our Saviour and serve our Lord. Amen!
Simon Taylor