Obedience

Jesus said, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” (Matt 25 v 35 – 40) [ESV], knowing that if we do this, if we get it right to some extend, the rest will fall in place, hence saying, “on these the law and the prophets hang.” [paraphrase].

Are we able to keep the law and please God? He clearly states that this is not possible, it never was and therefore the law pointed to the need for a Redeemer. Why would we even attempt to hold onto doctrines that cannot help us to obey God anymore than what a blind person can obey the road signs, therefore needing a guide dog, just like we need the Holy Spirit.

Are we so occupied with attempting to do good, that we forget we are saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone, and set free from these man made doctrines that have kept some of us in bondage. “If you have died with Christ to the elementary principles of the world, why, as if you were living in the world, do you submit yourself to decrees, such as, “Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch!” (which all refer to things destined to perish with use)—in accordance with the commandments and teachings of men? These are matters which have, to be sure, the appearance of wisdom in self-made religion and self-abasement and severe treatment of the body, but are of no value against fleshly indulgence.” (Col 2 v 20 – 23)

This scripture refers to certain practices during those times (although the same principle applies today), and by no means give us “carte blanche” to do as “thou wilt“. The ultimate challenge for us as believers, with all the worldly distractions, is to love God, with our whole being. To put Him first, above all earthly things and fleshly indulgences, and the world is full of them..

Should He become our First Love (again), we will naturally love our fellow beings, as a result, just as we would like to be loved. If He is our focus, we wouldn’t have to follow man-made rituals and traditions. Allow God to be your Teacher through the Holy Spirit, revealing the mysteries of Christ, through His Word, and He will lead you into ALL truth.

“Scripture quotations taken from the NASB, Life Application Study Bible, unless stated otherwise. Copyright by The Lockman Foundation”

Day 7 [21/06/2020]
John 15 v 1 - 17 | Romans 3 v 21 - 31

We are called friends of God, should we abide in Him, which means we abide in His Word and love one another as He loves us. Sounds like a tall order, but as we saw yesterday, this is only the case, when we become distracted and leave our First Love.