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Why Should We Obey God?
Last week we looked at God’s armor that He provides us to resist the devil’s temptations and to help us live a life of righteousness.
The question that may arise within our hearts is: Why should we obey Him? It is really great that God has provided us protection but why should we put ourselves in a position of needing protected? Why commit ourselves to loving, serving and obeying the Lord????
We should obey Him because of who He is: A) He is our Creator and Father: Gen 1:26,27,28 “Then God said, ‘Let Us make man in Our image, in our likeness, … So God created man in His own image, in the image of God, He created Him; male and female He created the. God blessed them and said, ‘Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it.’” Romans 8:14 “For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God.”
B) God is our Redeemer and Savior: 1 John 4:9,10 “This is how God showed His love among us: He sent His one and only Son into the world that we might live through Him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” Romans 5:8,9 “But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
C) God is our Protector & Provider: Deut 31:6 “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you.” Jer 29:11-13 “ ‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart.’
D) God is a Giver of Eternal Life: Eph 2:4-7 “But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, . . . and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus”. Jude 1:21 “Keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.” John 14:2,3 “In My Father’s house are many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with Me that you also may be where I am.”
We are NOT obeying God to EARN our salvation. Rom 3:23 tells us we have all sinned. Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Our obedience is not to obtain salvation but out of appreciation for the love and forgiveness showered down upon us through Jesus’ death, blood, and resurrection. As a matter of a fact, Jesus tells us this: John 14:15 “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.” 1 John 5:3 “For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.” John 14:21 “Whoever has My commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.”
E) We obey Him because we love and trust Him: 2 Thess 3:3 “But the Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one. Heb 10:23 “Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful.” Rom 1:5 “we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles for His name’s sake.” Luke 6:46 “Why do your call Me, ‘Lord, Lord’ and do not do what I say?”
We call Him not only Savior but also Lord because we submit ourselves to His will and teachings. Rom 6:16-18 “Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, tither of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness? But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed, and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.” Joshua clearly illustrates such obedience from the heart: Joshua 24:15 “Choose for yourselves today whom you will serve . . . but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” And you clearly know why Joshua has chosen to become the Lord’s servant – because of all that He did to bring them to and obtain the Promised Land.
In a similar fashion we have a promised relationship with God and the Holy Spirit.
F) We obey Him because we fear and respect Him: Ecc. 12:13 “The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person.” Eph 5:6 “It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God”. Hebrews 10:26,27,31 “For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a terrifying expectation of judgment and the fury of a fire which will consume the adversaries. . . . It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hand of the Living God.’
It is clear that those who do not obediently follow the teachings of the Lord will suffer the punishment of such unbelief. When you read Hebrews 3 you see Paul reminding his audience of those who spent 40 years in the wilderness because of their disobedience. They knew and accepted Moses’ leadership under the guidance of God but time and again they turned from His commands. Hebrews 3:1,2 “Take care, brethren that there not be in any one of you and evil, unbelieving heart that falls ways from the living God. But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called ‘Today’, so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.” This is very similar to the Christians illustrated in the Parable of the Sower where they accepted the Lord but then allowed themselves to become caught up on the cares and anxieties of this world and its wealth.
G) We obey God to receive our reward for faithful service:
Even the great Apostle Paul acknowledged the possibility of his becoming disqualified: 1 Cor 9:27 “but I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.” A similar warning is found in 2 Tim 2:4,5 “No soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life (Sower/thorns), so that he may please the one who enlisted him as a soldier. Also, if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not win the prize unless he competes according to the rules.” Hebrews 3:14 “For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until the end.” Rev 2:10 “Do not fear what you are about to suffer. . . . Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.”
CONCLUSION: We obey the Lord because of His love for Us and our love for Him:
1 John 2:3-5 “The one who says, ‘I have come to know Him,’ and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him; but whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected. By this we know that we are IN Him. (emphasis is mine)
Let us declare with Paul: 2 Tim 4:7,8 “I have fought the fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have love His appearance.”
12 May 2024: Finding Protection in God’s Armor
In Luke 12:35ff Jesus tells the parable of the master who goes away and places a servant in charge. He then states that if the servant is faithful and found doing his duties when the master returns then all is well. On the other hand, if the one in charge thinks that the master will not return any time soon and begins to abuse the other servants and basically begins to live his life like one great party then when the master returns suddenly and finds this going on, he will cut that servant in pieces and cast him away.
This follows the theme or idea that no man can serve two masters. He will love one and despise the other. And that is what this servant is doing – despising his master and his needs and loving his life at the moment.
Remember the parable of the sheep and goats. The goats do not help those around them in need because they are too busy taking care of themselves. The Prodigal Son – he does not stay home and attend to his responsibilities because he wants to go off and live a life of luxury, pleasure, and self-appeasement. Even Paul acknowledges in Rom 7 how often he finds himself doing things he should not be doing and NOT doing those things that he should be doing.
It is a constant struggle to take up our cross and follow Jesus. So often we catch ourselves being caught up in the cares of this world instead of attending to God’s kingdom. Even the Apostle Peter got himself in trouble with the Lord because of his “this world’ mindset: Mt 16:21-23 “From that time Jesus began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised up on the third day. Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, ‘God forbid it, Lord! This shall never happen to You. But Jesus turned to Peter, ‘Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; For you are not setting your mind on God’s interests, but man’s”. And is not this the very essence of Peter’s denials? He fell into the trap of being concerned about his own welfare.
Jesus understood and understands the problem with living in this world and its natural temptations. He too suffered those temptations in the wilderness when Satan came to Him. Notice, in both situations the struggles and temptations come from the source of Satan. Notice with Jesus’ temptations and Peter’s moment of trying to correct the Lord in His prophesy of the cross that it was Satan both times who was instrumental in bringing the temptations. Remember the story of Job and how Satan influenced the story? 1 Peter 5:8 “Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.” Eph 6:11 “Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.”
As a matter of a fact, Paul goes on to explain the true nature of our struggles, or, shall I call them battles? Eph 6:11-13 “Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.”
I hope you notice something. Satan is there on this earth trying his best to separate us from God. And God, He is providing for us – ways of combating Satan’s efforts. 1 Cor 10:13 “No temptation has overtaken you, but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.” So, what is it that God has done in order that we might resist Satan’s antics? What is something that we can do to make sure that the master we are serving is our Lord? What is something that we can do to ensure that we are ready for the return of the Lord so that He will find us doing His work and being His faithful servants? Eph 6:13-18 “Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything to stand firm. 14 Stand firm therefore, having belted your waist with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and having strapped on your feet the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18 With every prayer and request, pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be alert with all perseverance and every request for all the saints,
Ephesians 6:14 “Stand firm therefore, having belted/girdled your waist with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness”. The first item of help is truth. James warns us that our minds are not to be tossed about like ships by every new doctrine that comes around. We need to have an assurance in our minds as to which direction we are going, who we are serving and the goal in our lives. In the same way that a belt or girdle holds everything in place, we need to have commitment, a confidence and assurance as to who, which master, we are serving and why we are serving.
The breast plate of righteousness is important because we need to know with confidence the state of our soul. Phil 3:9 “I have a righteousness … through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith.” 2 Cor 5:21 “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” We need to know that we are good in the sight of God not because of how good we are living but because of our faith in Christ which makes us righteous in God’s sight. We are righteous with the righteousness of Christ. With this knowledge of approval in God’s eyes we can go forth in battle confident of God’s support.
Eph 6: 15 and having strapped on your feet the preparation of the gospel of peace; 16 in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.” In this verse Paul is saying that we make our footing sure by utilizing the “gospel of peace.” Just like the house builder dug down to a rock or firm foundation to build his life, let us rely upon the Gospel to give us sure footing in living out our lives. The word “gospel”, as we all know, means “good news”. Part of that good news that we have been given in the peace that now exists between us and God. Eph 2:17,18 “And He came and preached peace to you who were far away, and peace to those who were near; for through Him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father.
If we find a peace and contentment because of the Gospel’s truth that Christ came, died for us, was resurrected, and we now walk with Him - then our faith shields us makes it possible for Satan’s darts to fall harmlessly to the ground. 2 Tim 3:12 “Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.” If Satan is confident enough to even try tempting the Son of God – we KNOW we are going to be his target at various points in our lives. Gal 2:20 “. . . and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.” It is this faith which later allows Paul to write that “I have fought the fight, and I have run the race, and there now awaits for me a crown of righteousness. When Satan attacks with doubts, the shield of faith turns aside the blow. When temptations come, faith keeps us steadfast in following Jesus.
In the next verse Paul tells us: Eph 6: 17 And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”
Even though we may stumble, and like Paul, struggle to act as we should (and fail at times), the fact that we have the assurance of salvation lifts us up and encourages us to continue to try and to do the best that we can. Rom 8:37 – 39 “But in all things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him wo loved us. For I am convinced that (nothing) will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus, our Lord.”
The helmet of salvation reflects the fact that we KNOW our sins are removed and are therefore assured of our eternal life with the Father. And this life is not just life eternally, but that abundant life now that Jesus promises us today.
Eph 6: 17 And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”
The sword that we are to use in battle is the Word of God. If you remember in the temptations of the Lord, He responded to Satan’s challenges with passages from God’s Word. If we are going to have any hope of knowing how to please God, to make decisions which please God, we first must know God’s Word. The only way to resist temptations that are coming our way is to know the correct answer and respond with it. 2 Tim 3:16,17 “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the Man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.”
God’s armor will protect and sustain us against even the devil’s schemes so that we might live faithfully and fully in His presence.
Paul ends this passage with these words: Eph 6: 18 With every prayer and request, pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be alert with all perseverance and every request for all the saints”.
Paul wraps up this analogy of being a soldier with God’s armor on with the instruction to pray. He has been sharing with his readers how a person is able to be a true and valiant warrior for Christ. This must then also include the teaching that such a man or woman of God is going to be people of prayer.
Luke 18:1 “And He was telling them a parable to show that at all times they ought to pray, and not to lose heart.” 1 Thess 5:17 “Pray without ceasing.” James 5:13 “Is anyone among you sick (problems/difficulties/struggles)? Then he must pray.” Phil 4:6 “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplications with thanksgiving let your request be made known to God.”
So before we put on the armor of God – pray. After we put on the armor of God before we go battle – pray. While we are in battle – pray. After our battle, win or lose, pray. Because sometimes we will fail. God won’t fail us but we all at times falter and fall. And when we are victorious, when God is victorious through us, pray a prayer of praise and thanksgiving.
5 May 2024: ALL Are Sinners
Rom 7:18 “For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out.”
There are various texts within the Gospels where our Lord highlights man’s inner and outer depravity. Perhaps the clearest example is recorded in: Mark 7:15,16,18-23 “There is nothing outside a person that by going into him can defile him, but the things that come out of a person are what defile him. . . . Do you not see that whatever goes into a person from outside cannot defile him, since it enters not his heart but his stomach, and is expelled?” (Thus he declared all foods clean). . . . “What comes out of a person is what defiles him. For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.” Mtt 15:20 “These are the things which defile the man; but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile the man.” Jer 17:9 “The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick”.
Notice the sins of man recorded in Rom 1:28-30 “And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do these things which are not proper, being filled with all unrighteousness, wicked, greed, evil; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice,; they are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, arrogant, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, without understanding, untrustworthy, unloving unmerciful”.
Our actions and thoughts are evil because our hearts are unclean. Notice here that God gives them over to a depraved mind. He does not make them become like this but He, in essence, throws up His hands and says, ‘Fine! Go do your business the way you want to.’ And He lets them get just as deep into the mud and muck as they want to.
Remember the story of the woman caught in adultery? Remember how He assesses the situation and declares” “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her” (John 8:7). I believe He is making the assumption that all know that they are sinners and therefore unworthy of casting a stone at her.
Remember what Jesus said when He was addressing the Father answering our prayers? Mtt 7:9-11 “Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!”
Granted – the point of Jesus’ comparison is not to highlight the sinful nature of humankind but to show the abundant generosity of God. But Jesus, in addressing His audience declares, at least in comparison to our heavenly Father, that we are all evil. I share this l just in case there be someone who thanks that they are pretty good and don’t have a worry about sin. According to Jesus, that we might do “good things” and “give good gifts” does not mean we are “good.” Even “good” people are fundamentally “evil” with sin in their lives.
Consider the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector: Luke 18:9 “And He also told this parable to some people who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and viewed others with contempt.” In contrast to the tax collector, the Pharisee thanked God that he was not like other sinners while the tax collector would not even lift his eyes up to heaven but cried out, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner.” The point being the humility with which we should have about ourselves and recognize our sinful nature before God. Isn't that what Paul is doing in Romans 7 when he declares how he does the things he shouldn’t and doesn’t do the things he should.
Rom 3:23 sums it up when it states that all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. It is this sinful nature of man that brings us to Christ on the Cross: 1 Peter 3:18 “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit.” Col 2:13.14 “When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; He has taken it away, nailing it to the cross.” An angel tells Joseph about Mary’s pregnancy: Mtt 1:21 “She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.”
Our response to this sacrifice is explained: Acts 17:30 “Therefore having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent”.
Acts 2:37,38 “Now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart and said, ‘Brethren, what shall we do?’ Peter said, ‘Repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ’”.
2 Cor 7:10 “For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces a repentance without regret, leading to salvation”.
Eph 4:22 “You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires.”
2 Cor 5:21 “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” We become a symbol of God’s righteousness in our lives.
2 Peter 2:24 “and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds, you were healed.”
Acts 26:19,20 “So, King Agrippa, I did not prove disobedient to the heavenly vision, but kept declaring both to those of Damascus first, and also at Jerusalem and then throughout all the region of Judea, and even to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds appropriate to repentance.”
So even though our human nature has been corrupted with sin – we do not have to stay that way.
Rom 6:6-8 “knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin; for he who has died is freed from sin. Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him.”
Col 3:1-3 “Therefore, if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your mind on the things above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.”