RELIGION versus GRACE | Obey (a) Obey to be Blessed?
Most Christians are all into following the Bible and its principles as obediently as possible to gain God’s approval. Other Christians stress following the way of love rather than strict obedience to a list of do’s and don’ts.
Check out 1 John 2:3-4 quoted above. What do you think, is John saying, ‘if you don't fully obey you are not really a Christian’?
Can you see a big problem here? If our disciplined obedient loyal life is the criterion for being approved by God for salvation, we could ask “what level or degree of obedience will win me God’s approval?” The answer? Not even 99% … it has to be 100% (Matt 5:48; Jas 2:10). Only Jesus’ 100% obedience credited to us really “justifies” us. Jesus’ obedience, not our own, is the basis of approval (Rom 5:19)
Obey him first, or know him first? An insecure believer will read the above words in 1 John 2:3-4 as a threat - “obey Jesus’ commands or else you are not a true Christian.” Could the real meaning be that these are words of reassurance? That is, “one way to tell if you really know Jesus is that you obey him.” You will recognize the tree by the fruitage it bears (Matt 7:15-20). Obedience is a fruit not a root.
One Pastor explains it this way, “Christianity is not about doing things for Christ. It is about being in Him. Ironically, it is when we live from that truth that we find our lifestyles conforming to what the Bible says about godly living.”
If we obey God's commands, then we are sure that we know him. If we say that we know him, but do not obey his commands, we are liars and there is no truth in us.
1 John 2:3-4, Good News Translation
1 John 2:3-4, Good News Translation
Most Christians are all into following the Bible and its principles as obediently as possible to gain God’s approval. Other Christians stress following the way of love rather than strict obedience to a list of do’s and don’ts.
Check out 1 John 2:3-4 quoted above. What do you think, is John saying, ‘if you don't fully obey you are not really a Christian’?
Can you see a big problem here? If our disciplined obedient loyal life is the criterion for being approved by God for salvation, we could ask “what level or degree of obedience will win me God’s approval?” The answer? Not even 99% … it has to be 100% (Matt 5:48; Jas 2:10). Only Jesus’ 100% obedience credited to us really “justifies” us. Jesus’ obedience, not our own, is the basis of approval (Rom 5:19)
Obey him first, or know him first? An insecure believer will read the above words in 1 John 2:3-4 as a threat - “obey Jesus’ commands or else you are not a true Christian.” Could the real meaning be that these are words of reassurance? That is, “one way to tell if you really know Jesus is that you obey him.” You will recognize the tree by the fruitage it bears (Matt 7:15-20). Obedience is a fruit not a root.
One Pastor explains it this way, “Christianity is not about doing things for Christ. It is about being in Him. Ironically, it is when we live from that truth that we find our lifestyles conforming to what the Bible says about godly living.”
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Be blessed and obey
Be blessed and obey