March
2, 2003
OBEDIENCE
"If
you love Me you will obey My commands" (John 14:15, NEB).
"If
you love Me," Jesus says, "you will obey My commands."
Jesus saves men, not in sin, but from sin, and those who love
Him will demonstrate their love by obedience to His commands
and values because they recognize that what He asks of them
is for their benefit and blessing.
"All
true obedience comes from the heart. It was heart work with
Christ. And if we consent, He will so identify Himself with
our thoughts and aims, so blend our hearts and minds into
conformity to His will, that when obeying Him we shall be
but carrying out our own impulses. The will, refined and sanctified,
will find its highest delight in doing His service. When we
know God as it is our privilege to know Him, our life will
be a life of continual obedience. Through an appreciation
of the character of Christ, through communion with God, sin
will become hateful to us...
"The
Lord will teach us our duty just as willingly as He will teach
somebody else. If we come to Him in faith, He will speak His
mysteries to us personally. Our hearts will often burn within
us as One draws nigh to commune with us as He did with Enoch.
Those who decide to do nothing in any line that will displease
God, will know, after presenting their case before Him, just
what course to pursue. And they will receive not only wisdom,
but strength. Power for obedience, for service, will be imparted
to them, as Christ has promised. Whatever was given to Christ--the
'all things' to supply the need of fallen men--was given to
Him as the head and representative of humanity. And 'whatsoever
we ask, we receive of Him, because we keep His commandments,
and do those things that are pleasing in His sight' (1 John
3:22).--The Desire of Ages, p. 391.
With
obedience comes a promise, "If you love Me, you will
obey My commands; and I will ask the Father, and He will give
you another to be your Advocate [Helper], who will be with
you forever.
Those
who know God and His beloved Son recognize that all They ask
is for the uplifting of mankind. There is a reason and purpose
for all Their commands and that purpose is to save our souls
and give eternal life to all who put their faith and trust
in Them. The Bible defines "sin" as "to him
who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin"
(James 4:17). God and Jesus only ask of us that which will
be a blessing to us. That which is harmful to us they ask
that we avoid and do not do. When we do what They ask, they
also promise to send Their "Helper" Spirit to be
with us forever.
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