The law says do these things and live, but the Gospel says live, and these things you will do. The law demands holiness, but the Gospel gives holiness. The law makes blessings the result of obedience, but the Gospel makes obedience the result of blessing.
Overall a nice sentiment---although I differ on the last sentence. Our commandment is to love God and love others, so thus we must have some obedience at least; we are blessed with eternal life by accepting and believing in the One He sent, and following His command that we should love and believe in Him.
While I certainly am not at all perfect, fail in numerous respects to follow loving all, etc., I do not think that obedience is the result of blessing. Perhaps in some instances, yes, such as times when one unbeliever makes a desperate plea, is indeed blessed, and begins in earnest to follow Him.
I think that obedience is the result of love. Loving our King and wanting to please Him as we can. I am blessed in many, many ways, and I am extraordinarily grateful for that...but my obedience to God has not come because I have seen my blessings and feel I must obey God.
Few people obey whole-heartedly to the commands of someone that they dislike, or even do not trust. People listen to people that they trust, or at least respect enough to warrant obedience.
Now, we can also look at this statement as through the blessing is that of salvation, and then we obey---and that I would consider likely. This thought would more fully explain obedience to God as one grows in Christ. I think that many of us do not exactly "love" God when we first believe...our knowledge and experience of God is naive; we do not know Who this Person is, nor what is expected of us.
As our knowledge and personal experience with God grows, so does our love. We see His great love for us, and begin to develop a deeper relationship with Him. As the Spirit fills us, teaches us and we follow, we will likely follow commandments because we are with Him and know that what we do is right or wrong. We honestly have a rather terrible sense of right and wrong, and without the Spirit's guidance, we fail miserably at obeying any of God's wishes.
No comments:
Post a Comment