Good morning and welcome in. Today we’re going to take a look at a passage of scripture, but before we do that, I wanted to tell you a little story.
When my son Ephraim was a very young age, our entire family would sit down in the living room together. We would visit with each other, and talk about the day’s events before we began to eat our supper. Somewhere during that time, I would ask Ephraim to come over and sit down at my feet, which he would quickly do.
With all of the other siblings watching, I would tell him to stand up, and he quickly stood up. I’d wait momentarily and then I would tell him to sit down, and he would sit back down on the floor. After doing this a few times, I would explain to the rest of the children that this is what is called obedience. The dad is the authority in the Christian home, and it pleases God greatly when you obey authority.
This reminds me of the Christian Life.
The final goal for a Christian is to walk before God with a perfect heart. The only way this will result is through complete obedience and submission to the will of God. Only through obedience through scriptural truth, can we become converted and transformed into new creatures and servants of Christ. Many people will quickly profess that they believe in Jesus, but if you truly believe in Him, you will do His will and abide in His Word. Christians are called to go on unto perfection, and to attain that, truly is the end game.
Romans 6:16-18 Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.
Our family has an inside joke that we laugh about from time to time. Sometimes I like to save money on buying cheese when I make homemade pizza for the family. Instead of cheese, I’ll put on some extra sauce, meat or other toppings. But when it’s finally ready to eat, everyone looks at the food and says the same thing. Where’s the cheese? Andrew always tells me that if there’s no cheese on pizza, then you really can’t call it pizza. It’s got to have cheese, he tells me. That makes me think. Can you call something a hamburger if there’s no hamburger in it? Can you call it a chocolate chip cookie if there are no chocolate chips in it? Likewise, how can somebody profess to be a Christian if their life is void of obedience to the will of God? All they are doing is deceiving themselves. Without a fervent desire to obey God, the Christian Life falls short of success. People need to be honest with themselves. In order for any of us to become righteous, we need to turn from our sins and obey God’s will. To obey means to comply with the commands, direction or request of an authority figure. It also means to submit, surrender, yield, abide and adhere to the will of someone who has power over you. Simply put, it means to do what you are told.
The Christian life is about hearing God’s word and acting upon it. It’s changing our will to the will of God and doing what He desires us to do. Out of love for him we will completely surrender to His authority, just as a wife is to submit to her husband. Without this little word “obey”, people can never really convert and transform into what God wants them to become. Numerous people reject certain passages of scriptures because they don’t want to let go of the world in certain aspects of their life. They want to be in heaven but they don’t want to do what’s required of them to obtain heaven. They want paradise, but they won’t let go of the world and its ways. They want to be a saint, but still lead the life of a sinner.
James 1:21-22 Wherefore lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness, and receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls. But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
It is only through obedience to the will of God that we can truly convert and become what God wants us to be, and being converted by the truth is required to inherit eternal life. Each of us need to become obedient children.
Matthew 18:3 And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Disobedience does not please God, and those who are not going to obey the truth of his Word will most certainly be punished.
Romans 2:8 But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath,
If one truly believes in Jesus, obedience to His will is going to be the result.
Romans 10:16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?
Eternal salvation is available to each of us but will be granted to those who obey His will.
Hebrews 5:9 And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;
God will take vengeance on those who refuse to obey the gospel of Christ.
2 Thessalonians 1:8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:
The Philippian church was very obedient. Paul didn’t have to stand over them at every moment because they believed in God with their heart, and were straightened in their own bowels.
Philippians 2:12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.
Jesus cares about this world so much, that He laid down His own life at the cross for our sins. Grace is available, but what God requires is repentance, contrition, and godly sorrow for the misdeeds that we have all committed. God requires us to turn from our sins and depart from iniquity. Obedience to Christ and His teachings are the proof of our love towards Him. Those who lovingly submit to His will from their hearts, will gain entrance into eternity.
2 Peter 1:10-11 Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
Obedience to God is the proof of our love.
John 14:21, 23-24 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father’s which sent me.
Each of us need to get to the point in our life when we go and sin no more, when we make no more mistakes, and we no longer have to repent from dead works. For a Christian, perfect obedience to the will of God truly is…..
……The EndGame
Let’s think about these things for right now. We can be found on your web browser by searching, tlkjbc where you can find our diaries distributed through various platforms. We are not associated, nor affiliated with any other religious groups. You can get our entire podcast feeds directly, along with transcripts at tlkjbc.com or I suppose that you could find us somewhere up here, in the Great Northern Minnesota woods. Peace to you, and Lord willing, we will talk with you some more tomorrow. Till then, bye bye everybody. ❤️
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