Say What?

Obedience is always a tricky thing in Christian circles. On one hand, you've got the group that is all about obedience. In fact, they're usually so into obedience that it's taken to unhealthy, unbiblical levels. For them obedience is the key to God's love, not the response to God's love. On the other hand, you have the group that responds to any call for obedience as a call for "legalism" or "being a Pharisee". They point to grace. And they're right; we're saved by grace alone through faith alone, but again shouldn't experiencing that love & grace move us toward greater faithfulness & obedience to the one who has been so gracious & loving to us? So which is it, who's right? Should we be obedient or should we just trust in grace?

Maybe we're asking the wrong question. Maybe we should instead ask ourselves "why do i obey?" What's the purpose of my obedience? What does my obedience say? What does it say about me? What does it say about God? Here's an important truth about obedience.

"Obedience Is Always A Declaration Of Faith."

If obedience is always a declaration of faith, it demands that we discover the motivation for our obedience, & when you do that, you'll learn where your faith really lies. Legalistic obedience declares faith in self. Loving obedience declares faith in Christ.

The tension between obedience & grace almost always boils down to a misunderstanding of grace. For those of us who operate in the obedience system, we've either severely underestimated God's grace or our need for it. Either way, we think we have to bridge the gap rather than trusting in Christ's atoning death. For those of us who operate in the grace system, we tend to either severely underestimate the effects of our sin or the incredible cost Christ paid at the cross. Therefore, we don't pursue a holy life that reflects Christ's holiness. So wherever you fall on the spectrum, spend some time looking at why you do what you do. Do you obey because you think it makes God love you? God's love for you was settled at the cross. Nothing you do changes that. The only question is if you'll place your faith in what He's done.

Are you so afraid of becoming a legalist that you don't really worry about whether you're growing in holiness & obedience? Take a look at what Paul says in Titus 2. Paul tells us that the same grace that reveals salvation to us is the grace that teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness. That means if you've really grasped the grace poured out at the cross, you'll not only receive it for salvation; you'll also walk in it as it leads you to greater holiness. So obedience isn't about obeying for obeying's sake. It's a loving response to a gracious Savior. Your obedience doesn't have to be a vain declaration of faith in self. It can be a beautiful declaration of faith in the Savior who saved a hopeless sinner & who is transforming that sinner into a new creation that reflects his holiness & grace.