But rules need to be negotiated and agreed to by equals who love one another. Jesus came to teach people how to love and serve one another. If someone breaks a rule they are punished or exiled…sent to prison or their room. If everyone obeys the rule maker and enforcer…no problem. Many people love to follow rules and and make rules to keep things easy and to eliminate conflict. Its expression is always moral and is revealed in obedience.”ĭo you truly love Jesus? And are you willing to obey His commandments out of your love for Him? Barrett was right when he wrote: “John never allowed love to devolve into a sentiment or emotion. “It was by his obedience that Jesus showed his love of God, and it is by our obedience that we must show our love of Jesus.”Ĭ. “To John, there is only one test of love and that is obedience,” wrote William Barclay. And His commandments are not burdensome” ( I Jn 5:2-3). For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. “By this, we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments. Like Jesus, John combined love with keeping God’s commandments. He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him” (1 John 2:3-5). “Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. In John’s epistles, he often called for obedience. The Great Commission, one of Jesus’ final commands on earth, not only instructed the apostles to preach the gospel throughout the world, making disciples of all nations, but to teach them to “observe all things that I commanded you (Matt 28:18-20). There is no getting around the fact, Jesus expects us to obey His commandments. And others opinionated.īut to generalize on a special situation and charge all Christians who call for obedience to God’s Word as legalistic and Pharisaical is both unfair and untrue. And sadly, some church leaders are like the first husband with a list of stringent rules. Yes, there are those like the woman with the first husband, who obey because they feel pressured and pushed to conform. “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind” (Deut 6:5 Matt 22:37-38). The volumes of Rabbinic writings reflected their opinions that diminished the heart of the Law and the greatest commandment. They too often elevated their oral traditions, above God’s Word. They were guilty of binding burdens on others that they themselves did not follow. It is important to note that Jesus did not condemn the Pharisees for obeying God’s commandments, but for being hypocritical. While it is true that some brethren and churches may take a legalistic approach to Scripture, that does not negate Jesus’ command to obey Him. What the church needs, they opine is more love. Sometimes, the charge is leveled by those leaving the church, that we’re too legalistic. In the shadow of the cross, Jesus said to His disciples, “If you love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15). Then there are those whose love for the Lord leads them to obey Him out of a sense of gratitude and a desire to serve and please Him. And they dogmatically demand others to follow the rules. Some look at the commands of Christ in a demanding manner. This story reminds me of the different approaches people have in their service to the Lord. To her amazement, she was doing the same things for her second husband. One day while cleaning out a drawer, she found the list from her first husband. Her second husband was the total opposite. After the passing of time, she remarried. But there was little or no romance in the relationship. But she fulfilled his wishes as best she could. More from a sense of duty than one of personal desire. And certain favors he expected at various times. It also included various household chores. Have supper waiting for him when he returned home. I recently read a story about a woman whose husband was a demanding and dictatorial man.Īfter they married, he compiled a written list of demands.
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