|
||||
By Martha Mac / SO4J.com ® / SO4J TV & Video Productions
(Subjects in this Section)
IS OBEDIENCE TO GOD'S WORD NECESSARY FOR SALVATION? - INTRO1 - IS OBEDIENCE TO GOD'S WORD NECESSARY FOR SALVATION? DO WE HAVE TO OBEY JESUS TO BE SAVED?2 - TRUE BIBLICAL SALVATION— SHOULD LEAD US TO DAILY OBEDIENCE TO JESUS 3 - AFTER SALVATION, WHAT KIND OF OBEDIENCE TO JESUS DOES GOD EXPECT?
|
||||
SO4J.com is fully aware of people out there who will misinterpret, or will twist what is being stated in this below teaching on Obedience to God's Word and to Jesus. So I want to start off by saying we are NOT teaching Salvation by "Works" throughout this whole teaching, so please read carefully. We are warning those who call themselves Christians (like Judas who was a Follower of Jesus, but he later was found to be a False Convert who betrayed Jesus), to start showing EVIDENCE or FRUIT of true Biblical Salvation by being Obedient to God's Word, and His Commandments.
Please note too that every time we talk about OBEYING GOD'S COMMANDMENTS, we are NOT just talking about Obeying the 10 Commandments in the Old Testament, but we are also talking about being Obedient to all of God's Word— Old and New Testament. (FYI - There are around 1,050 Commandments in the New Testament Scriptures like: "Husbands love your Wife", "Children Obey your Parents", etc.) So, once again, we are NOT saying we are Saved by the keeping of God's Laws, but what we are saying is that we should show "Fruit" or "Evidence" that we are being Obedient to God's Word if we call ourselves "Christians." We will be talking more about all of this in this teaching.
1 John 2:3-6 "We can be sure that we know HIM IF we OBEY HIS COMMANDMENTS. If someone claims, “I know God,” but doesn’t OBEY GOD’S COMMANDMENTS, that person is a liar and is not living in the Truth. But those who OBEY GOD’S WORD truly show how completely they love him. That is how we know we are living in Him. Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Jesus did."
Luke 6:46-49 Jesus says, “So why do you keep calling me ‘LORD, LORD!’ when you don’t DO (OBEY) WHAT I SAY?"
If you want more follow up to this Intro click here to view a more in depth Intro we did on a different teaching. TOP |
||||
1 - IS OBEDIENCE TO GOD'S WORD NECESSARY FOR SALVATION?DO WE HAVE TO OBEY JESUS TO BE SAVED? |
||||
OBEDIENCE to Jesus and God's Word IS Necessary to Prove or Show Evidence (FRUIT) that we are truly Saved. It isn't enough to simply Believe In Jesus. And what we will find in this study is that if we do NOT OBEY Jesus & God's Word, then we do NOT know Him or truly Love Him; and we are NOT ready to face Him on Judgment Day because we do not have a Saving Faith; thus we would Perish in Hell.
James 2:19 "You say you have Faith, for you BELIEVE that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons BELIEVE THIS, and they tremble in terror."
James 2:17-18 "So you see, FAITH BY ITSELF ISN'T ENOUGH. Unless it PRODUCED GOOD DEEDS, it is DEAD and useless. Now someone may argue, “Some people have Faith; others have Good Deeds.” But I say, “How can you SHOW ME YOUR FAITH if you don’t have GOOD DEEDS? I will show you my FAITH by my GOOD DEEDS.” We will explain more about all of that as we study God's Word on: OBEDIENCE TO JESUS & GOD'S WORD.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Being Obedient to Jesus & God's Word is very rarely talked about these days, yet it is extremely important to know about and understand as it reveals to us if we are Truly Saved or not. So many people call themselves Christians, yet they act and talk just like the World— there simply is no difference between these so called "Christians" and the World.
So I want to start this off by briefly looking at someone who is Biblically Saved. As we will see, we are Saved by God's Grace and Mercy towards us— it is not because of our Works, and not because of our Obedience to Religious Laws— it is a result of God's Grace alone, so that no one can boast. (Eph 2:1-10; Gal 2:16-21)
After that we will look briefly at what God's Word says about: What God Expects Out Of Us After A Person Has Initially Repented & Trusted in Jesus. We will also see that we must PROVE that we really have turned from our sins and turned to God by Obeying God's Word & and His Commandments by being Obedient to Jesus. This is very important to understand. Obedience to God's Word is a part of the DIFFICULT NARROW PATH that Jesus talked about and warned us about in Matt 7:13-14, and in Luke 13:23-30.
Matt 7:13-14 Jesus says, "You can enter God's Kingdom only through the NARROW GATE. The Highway to Hell is Broad, and it's Gate is Wide for the MANY who CHOOSE THE EASY WAY. But the Gateway to Life is VERY NARROW and the road is DIFFICULT, and only a FEW EVER find it."
Jesus says that this Gateway to Life is VERY Narrow, and is traveled on by FEW— and He says that FEW EVER find it.
This DIFFICULT NARROW PATH aims to be "Perfect"— with the Holy Spirit's help, and strength.
Matt 5:48 Jesus says "You are to be PERFECT, even as your Father in Heaven is PERFECT."
So in this Second Section let's look briefly at True Biblical Salvation, the kind that leads a True Believer to being Obedient to Jesus— God's Word. TOP |
||||
2 - TRUE BIBLICAL SALVATION— SHOULD LEAD US TO DAILY OBEDIENCE TO JESUS |
||||
IF you are a True Believer in Jesus Christ (have Repented & are Trusting in Jesus)— you know that you are being Saved from the Terrors of Hell not by trusting in your own Human Efforts to save you, and not by trusting in your Good "Works," (Isa 64:6), but you are trusting in God's Gift of Salvation to you, which is through Jesus Christ— God's only Son (Eph 2:8-10; Acts 4:12).
IF you are a True Believer— God the Father, in an act of His Unbelievable & Infinite Love & Mercy towards you, has Chosen to reveal Himself to you, and He has drawn you to Himself (John 6:65, James 4:6-10). He has Chosen you out of the Billions of people who have ever been born (Eph 1:4-14; Eph 2:1-10) to receive such a Great Salvation (Heb 2:1-3). You cannot take credit for this Salvation, this is a Gift of God (Eph 2:9).
IF you are a True Believer— The Lord has decided to open up your Heart and Mind for you to understand God's Eternal Word (Luke 24:44-46), which is God's Holy Scriptures. He has shown you the way of Escape from His Holy Eternal Wrath that will come against all sinful people who reject the Truth (Rom 1:18; Rom 2:5; John 3:36; John 12:48; 2 Tim 4:4; Luke 10:16; Heb 6:6; Heb 12:25; 2 Peter 2:21).
IF you are a True Believer— He has made it known to you that you have sinned against a Holy & Perfect God (Luke18:9-14; Heb 12:14) leading you to understand the need for Repentance & Faith in Jesus (Acts 17:30-31; Luke 13:5); resulting in you becoming Born Again (1 Peter 1:23; John 3:3; John 1:11-13).
John 3:3 Jesus says “Unless you are Born Again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.”
Acts 5:32 "We are witnesses of these things and so is the Holy Spirit, who is given by God to those who OBEY HIM.” IF you are a True Believer— you understand that to enter God's Kingdom, you must enter through the Narrow Gate, (John 10:9) which is through Jesus Christ (John 14:6). You also understand that you must walk daily on the Narrow Path which Jesus says is difficult (Matt 7:13-14; Luke 13:23-30). This difficult Narrow Path is a daily life of Holiness
1 Pet 1:14-16 "So you must live as God’s OBEDIENT Children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then. But now you must be HOLY IN EVERYTHING YOU DO, just as God who chose you is HOLY. For the Scriptures say, “You must be HOLY because I AM HOLY.”
We are not to Trust in "Religious" practices, rituals, infant baptism, or in praying prayers to Mary the Mother of Jesus (1 Tim 2:5), or by Praying to dead Saints—as is the practice of Catholic Popes throughout the ages who falsely and loudly proclaim a different gospel (Mark 7:6-9) other than the one that Jesus, and His Disciples preached
The "Religious" Path (the Pharisee's in Jesus day were "Religious") is part of the BROAD PATH that appears to be on it's way to Heaven, but it is demonically inspired and deceptively leading Billions of unaware "Religious" people to Hell (Matt 7:13-14). The Bible clearly states that Satan has blinded the hearts and minds of the many people of this World, so that they cannot see, hear, or understand the Good News (2 Cor 4:4; Eph 2:2; Mark 4:10-13).
Rev 12:9 says, "Satan deceives the Whole World."
TOP |
||||
3 - AFTER SALVATION, WHAT KIND OF OBEDIENCE TO JESUS DOES GOD EXPECT? |
||||
Matt 3:8 & Luke 3:8 says, "PROVE by the way you live that you have Repented of your Sins and Turned to God." The NKJV says, "Therefore BEAR FRUITS worthy of REPENTANCE."
God desires that we would live a daily life of OBEDIENCE TO GOD'S WORD.
What would we think of Apostle's Peter, John, Paul, etc. if they had said a One Time Sinner's Prayer— but then the rest of their lives they lived any old way they wanted to— maybe spending around only one hour a week with Jesus? That's what most so called "Christians" do. Look at how much time the first Christians spent with Jesus:
Acts 5:42 "And EVERY DAY, in the Temple (church) and from house to house (public), they CONTINUED TO TEACH AND PREACH THIS MESSAGE: “JESUS IS THE MESSIAH.”
Luke 2:1-52 "She (Anna; an 84 yr old Prophet & widow) NEVER LEFT THE TEMPLE (church) but stayed there DAY AND NIGHT, WORSHIPPING GOD WITH FASTING & PRAYER. She came along just as Simeon was talking with Mary and Joseph, and she began PRAISING GOD. SHE TALKED ABOUT THE CHILD (JESUS) to EVERYONE who had been waiting expectantly for God to rescue Jerusalem."
Acts 8:4 "The Believers who were scattered PREACHED THE GOOD NEWS ABOUT JESUS WHEREEVER THEY WENT."
Mark 7:6 Jesus says, “These people honor Me with their lips, but their hearts are far from Me.”
Rom 16:19 “But everyone knows that you are OBEDIENT TO THE LORD. This makes me very happy. I want you to see clearly what is right and to stay innocent of any wrong.”
So we Prove that we belong to Jesus and show our love for Him by OBEYING GOD'S WORD, AND HIS COMMANDMENTS.
And on the Day of Judgment Jesus says that He will say to those who did NOT OBEY HIM, but who "Broke His Laws" that He never knew these people.
Matt 7:21-23 Jesus says, "Not everyone who calls out to Me, 'Lord! Lord!' will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually DO THE WILL OF MY FATHER IN HEAVEN will enter. On Judgment Day MANY will say to Me 'Lord! Lord! We Prophesied, Cast out demons, & Performed many Miracles in Your Name.' But I will reply, 'I never knew you. Get away from Me, you who BREAK GOD'S LAWS."
By not Obeying God's Commandments we show we are NOT a Child of God destined for Heaven, but we prove that we are a Child of the Devil who is a Liar, and will Perish in Hell.
1 John 3:6-10 "Anyone who continues to live in him will NOT SIN. But anyone who KEEPS ON SINNING does NOT KNOW HIM (GOD) or understand who he is. Dear children, don’t let anyone deceive you about this: When people DO WHAT IS RIGHT, it SHOWS (PROVES) that they are RIGHTEOUS, even as Christ is righteous. But when people KEEP ON SINNING, it shows that they belong to the devil, who has been sinning since the beginning. But the Son of God came to destroy the works of the devil. Those who have been born into God’s family do NOT MAKE A PRACTICE OF SINNING, because God’s life is in them. So they can’t keep on sinning, because they are children of God. So now we can tell who are children of God and who are children of the devil. Anyone who does NOT LIVE RIGHTEOUSLY and does NOT LOVE OTHER BELIEVERS does NOT belong to God."
As a True Believer in Jesus we might Stumble and Fall along the way...but the difference between a True Christian vs the Lukewarm "Christian" is that the True Christian does NOT PRACTICE SIN.
And if we do Sin, we have a merciful Savior, Jesus Christ, who will plead our case before the Father—
1 John 2:1 "My dear children, I am writing this to you so that you will NOT SIN. But IF ANYONE DOES SIN, we have an Advocate who pleads our case before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who is truly Righteous."
God's will for our lives is that we REPENT, and STOP PRACTICING SIN, and Start Obeying God's Word and His Commandments.
Now let's look at some more Obedience Scriptures— What God's Word says about being: Obedient To Jesus, God's Word, and God's Commandments. These Scriptures below reveal to us that we need to make sure we are living a Holy and Obedient Life. |
||||
4 - Obedience To Jesus Scriptures |
||||
5 - BEING OBEDIENT TO JESUS IS AN EXPRESSION OF OUR LOVE FOR HIM |
||||
King David loved the Lord, and he loved God's Word & His Commandments. When you read ALL of Psalms 119, which by the way is the longest chapter in the Bible and contains 176 verses, you will notice that nearly every single verse talks about David's love for: God, God's Laws and his Obedience of: God's Commandments, Decrees, Promises, Commands, Word, Instructions, Regulations, Statutes, Ordinances, Testimonies, etc.!
One thing for sure, according to Scripture, God is going to be giving His Kingdom to a Holy People who will show their love to Him NOW, when it's NOT Popular to be an "SO4J" No Compromise Christian (Matt 10:37-39). God is giving His Kingdom to a People who have Listened to His Word, and who have SUBMITTED to Jesus by OBEYING GOD'S WORD (Matt 7:24-29) and by Preaching on: Sin, God's Righteousness, and warning of His Coming Judgment — like Jesus, Noah, John the Baptist, Peter, and Paul, etc.
John 16:8 Jesus says, "When He (the Holy Spirit) comes, HE will CONVICT THE WORLD of its SIN, and of GOD'S RIGHTEOUSNESS, and of the COMING JUDGMENT."
Dan 7:18 "In the end, the HOLY PEOPLE of the Most High will be given the Kingdom, and they will RULE FOREVER AND EVER."
Dan 7:27 "Then the Sovereignty, Power, and Greatness of all the Kingdoms under Heaven will be given to the HOLY PEOPLE of the Most High (Jesus). His Kingdom will last FOREVER, and all RULERS will SERVE and OBEY HIM."
Jesus did NOT say to us: If you love me than just SAY how much you love me— or merely SING SONGS of how much you love Me.
No. Jesus told us that IF we LOVE HIM we are to OBEY HIS COMMANDMENTS— there is ACTION.
John 14:15 Jesus says, “If you LOVE ME, OBEY MY COMMANDMENTS."
John 14:23 Jesus says, “All who LOVE ME will DO WHAT I SAY. My Father will love them, and WE will come and make OUR home with each of them. Anyone who does NOT LOVE ME will NOT OBEY ME."
1 John 2:5-6 "But those who OBEY GOD's WORD TRULY SHOW how COMPLETELY THEY LOVE HIM. That is how we know we are living in him. Those who say they live in God should LIVE THEIR LIVES AS JESUS DID."
John 15:14 Jesus says, "You are My Friends IF you DO what I COMMAND."
Deut 11:1 “You must LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD and OBEY ALL HIS REQUIREMENTS, DECREES, REGULATIONS, and COMMANDS."
Deut 11:22 “Be careful to OBEY ALL THESE COMMANDS I am giving you. Show LOVE TO THE LORD YOUR GOD by WALKING IN HIS WAYS and HOLDING TIGHTLY TO HIM."
Deut 13:3-4; 18 "Do not listen to them (False Teachers or Visionaries who say things contrary to God's Word) .The Lord your God is TESTING you to see if you truly LOVE HIM WITH ALL YOUR HEART AND SOUL. Serve only the Lord your God and Fear him alone. OBEY HIS COMMANDS, LISTEN TO (OBEY) his voice, and Cling to him." (18) The Lord your God will be merciful only if you LISTEN TO HIS VOICE and KEEP (OBEY) ALL OF HIS COMMANDS that I am giving you today, doing what PLEASES HIM."
Matt 12:50 Jesus says, "Anyone who DOES THE WILL of my Father in heaven is My Brother and Sister and Mother!”
|
||||
6 - HOW CAN WE BE SURE WE BELONG TO JESUS? (1 John 2:3-6) |
||||
We can be sure that we know Him by Obeying His Commandments:
1 John 2:3-6 "We can be SURE that we KNOW HIM if we OBEY HIS COMMANDMENTS. If someone claims, “I know God,” but doesn’t OBEY GOD’S COMMANDMENTS, that person is a liar and is not living in the Truth. But those who OBEY GOD’S WORD truly show how completely they love him. That is how we know we are living in him. Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Jesus did."
Luke 6:46-49 Jesus says, “So why do you keep calling me ‘Lord, Lord!’ when you don’t DO (OBEY) what I say? I will show you what it’s like when someone comes to Me, LISTENS TO MY TEACHING, AND THEN FOLLOWS IT. It is like a person building a house who DIGS DEEP AND LAYS THE FOUNDATION ON SOLID ROCK. When the floodwaters rise and break against the house, it STANDS FIRM because it is WELL BUILT. But anyone who HEARS and does NOT OBEY is like a person who builds a house WITHOUT A FOUNDATION. When the floods sweep down against that house, it WILL COLLAPSE INTO A HEAP OF RUINS.”
Matt 7:24-29 Jesus says, “Anyone who LISTENS TO MY TEACHING & FOLLOWS IT IS WISE, like a person who builds a house on SOLID ROCK. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it WON'T COLLAPSE because it is built on BEDROCK. But anyone who HEARS MY TEACHING AND IGNORES IT IS FOOLISH, like a person who builds a house on SAND. When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it WILL COLLAPSE WITH A MIGHTY CRASH.” When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, for he taught with real Authority—quite unlike their Teachers of religious law. |
||||
7 - HOW MUCH OBEDIENCE DOES GOD REQUIRE? |
||||
God wants COMPLETE OBEDIENCE to all that He COMMANDS us to do, and He wants COMPLETE INTEGRITY as well.
Here's one Example to make a point:
If NOAH hadn't OBEYED God's seemingly foolish Plan & Instruction to build an Ark (when there never had been rain on the earth yet), there would never have been an Ark to save the Human Race or the Animals from total extinction. God's Instructions: Gen 6:9-22 More About Noah: Gen 7:9; Heb 11:7; 2 Pet 2:5; 1 Pet 3:20
If NOAH hadn't had COMPLETE OBEDIENCE to God's Instructions for him, the Ark would have sunk with the 8 people in it, along with all of the Animals. Now we know that that wouldn't have happened according to God's Sovereign Plan, but it's gives us an idea of the kind of COMPLETE OBEDIENCE that God is requiring out of His People.
The Lord wants us to FOLLOW God’s Word in EVERY DETAIL, to the best of HIS ability working in us. Once again we are not talking about being Saved from Hell by mere Good Works (Eph 2:8-9).
We are to OBEY Jesus and God's Word NOT in our own Strength, but with HIS Mighty Power, and with His Strength.
Zech 4:6 The Lord says,"Not by MIGHT, nor by POWER, but by MY SPIRIT says the Lord"
Philip 4:13 Paul says, "I can do ALL things THROUGH CHRIST WHO STRENGTHENS ME."
John 15:5 Jesus says, "Apart from Me you can do NOTHING."
When we feel WEAK (as Paul did in the below Scripture), and we feel like giving up, we are to remember to "GO TO JESUS". Remember this: When we are WEAK, then HE can become STRONG in us! And the Lord says that He works BEST in our WEAKNESSES! That is such good news for all of us.
Sometimes Believers in Jesus can feel that in order to be used by God they have to have all the latest and greatest Equipment and Gear to OBEY God's Instructions— but that is NOT the way the Lord operates at all. When God called David to kill Goliath, David used his slingshot, and 5 smooth stones vs. the latest and greatest: Gear, Equipment, and Armour of King Saul. (1 Sam 17:32- 50).
Isaiah 55:9 The Lord says, "My ways are Higher than your ways, and my thoughts higher than your thoughts."
Zech 4:10 says, "Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin"
2 Cor 12:7-10 Paul wrote, "Even though I have received such wonderful revelations from God. So to keep me from becoming proud, I was given a Thorn in my Flesh, a messenger from Satan to TORMENT ME and keep me from becoming PROUD. Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. Each time the Lord (JESUS) said, “MY GRACE IS ALL YOU NEED. MY POWER WORKS BEST IN WEAKNESS.” So now I am glad to BOAST ABOUT MY WEAKNESSES, so that the POWER OF CHRIST can work THROUGH me. That’s why I take PLEASURE IN MY WEAKNESSES, and in the INSULTS, HARDSHIPS, PERSECUTIONS, and TROUBLES THAT I SUFFER FOR CHRIST. FOR WHEN I AM WEAK, THEN I AM STRONG."
All the Chosen People that were "Approved of" by God and written about in God's Word in: Heb 11:1-39, were people who Humbly OBEYED GOD'S WORD without seeing instant results— that is FAITH. Their love for God was followed by ACTION, by being OBEDIENT to God's Calling on their lives. They were not perfect people, and MOST ALL were NOT RICH. In fact almost all were POOR, or were of the Middle Class. Those who had been Rich earlier in their life, were TESTED, or were HUNTED DOWN, and/ or PERSECUTED.
FYI - Jesus says it VERY HARD for a Rich Person to enter the Kingdom of God Mark 10:23-31.
Now let's see what God's Word says about: How Much Obedience Does God Require:
Deut 5:32 “You must OBEY all the COMMANDS of the Lord your God, following his instructions in EVERY DETAIL.”
Gen 6:9 "Noah was a RIGHTEOUS MAN, the ONLY BLAMELESS PERSON living on earth at the time, and he walked in CLOSE FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD."
Gen 7:9 "They entered the boat in pairs, male and female, JUST AS GOD HAD COMMANDED NOAH."
Job 1:1 “There once was a man named Job who lived in the land of Uz. He was BLAMELESS—a man of COMPLETE INTEGRITY. He Feared God and Stayed away from Evil.”
Job 2:3 Then the Lord asked Satan, “Have you noticed my servant Job? He is the finest man in all the earth. He is BLAMELESS—a man of COMPLETE INTEGRITY. He Fears God and Stays away from Evil. And he has MAINTAINED HIS INTEGRITY, even though you urged me to harm him without cause.”
John 1:47 Jesus praised the future Apostle Nathanael (aka Bartholomew) by saying, “Now here is a genuine Son of Israel—a man of COMPLETE INTEGRITY." (i.e. He was the kind of man that God had intended His Chosen People to be)
Heb 11:7-10 "It was by Faith that Abraham OBEYED."
1 Kings 8:58-61 “May HE give us the desire to do HIS WILL in EVERYTHING and to OBEY ALL THE COMMANDS, DECREES, AND REGULATIONS that He gave our Ancestors……and may YOU be COMPLETELY FAITHFUL TO THE LORD OUR GOD. May you ALWAYS OBEY HIS DECREES AND COMMANDS, just as you are doing today.”
John 8:31-32 Jesus says, “You are Truly My Disciples if you remain Faithful to My Teachings (continue in My Word). And you will know the Truth, and the Truth will set you Free.”
Deut 10:12-13 “What does the Lord your God require of you? He requires only that you Fear the Lord your God, and live in a way that pleases him, and love him and serve him with all your Heart and Soul. And you must ALWAYS OBEY THE LORD'S COMMANDS & DECREES that I am giving you today for your own good."
Deut 11:8 “Therefore, be CAREFUL TO OBEY EVERY COMMAND I am giving you today, so you may have strength to go in and take over the land you are about to enter."
Deut 11:13 “If you CAREFULLY OBEY ALL THE COMMANDS I am giving you today, and if you love the Lord your God and serve him with all your heart and soul,
Deut 11:18-21 “So COMMIT YOURSELVES WHOLEHEARTEDLY TO THESE WORDS OF MINE. Tie them (GOD'S COMMANDMENTS) to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders. Teach them to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates, so that as long as the sky remains above the earth, you and your children may flourish in the land the Lord swore to give your ancestors. “
Deut 11:22 “Be CAREFUL TO OBEY ALL THESE COMMANDS I am giving you. Show LOVE TO THE LORD YOUR GOD by WALKING IN HIS WAYS and HOLDING TIGHTLY TO HIM."
Deut 11:32 "You must be CAREFUL TO OBEY ALL THE DECREES AND REGULATIONS I am giving you today."
Deut 13:3-18 "The Lord your God will be merciful only if you LISTEN TO HIS VOICE and KEEP (OBEY) ALL OF HIS COMMANDS that I am giving you today, doing what PLEASES HIM."
Romans 6:17-18 "Thank God! Once you were slaves of sin, but now you WHOLEHEARTEDLY OBEY THIS TEACHING we have given you. Now you are FREE from your SLAVERY TO SIN, and you have become slaves to righteous living."
2 Peter 3:14 And so, dear friends, while you are waiting for these things to happen, make every effort to be found living peaceful lives that are PURE AND BLAMESS in his sight. |
||||
8 - BEING OBEDIENT TO JESUS & GOD'S WORD CAN BE HARD & DIFFICULT |
||||
Philip 2:12 "WORK HARD to show the results of your Salvation, OBEYING GOD with deep Reverence and Fear (work out your salvation with fear and trembling)."
Acts 14:21-22 Paul and Barnabas— "Strengthened the Believers. They ENCOURAGED them to continue in the Faith, reminding them that we MUST SUFFER MANY HARDSHIPS TO ENTER THE KINGDOM OF GOD."
Luke 13:23-30 Someone asked Jesus, “Lord, will only a few be Saved?” He replied, “WORK HARD (STRIVE—NKJV) to enter the Narrow Door (Gate) to God’s Kingdom, for MANY will try to enter but will FAIL. When the Master of the House has locked the door, it will be too late. You will stand outside knocking and pleading, ‘Lord, open the door for us!’ But he will reply, ‘I don’t know you or where you come from.’ Then you will say, ‘But we ate and drank with you, and you taught in our streets.’ And he will reply, ‘I tell you, I don’t know you or where you come from. Get away from me, all you who DO evil.’ “There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, for you will see Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and all the prophets in the Kingdom of God, but you will be thrown out. And people will come from all over the world—from east and west, north and south—to take their places in the Kingdom of God. And note this: Some who seem least important now will be the greatest then, and some who are the greatest now will be least important then.”
Matt 7:13-14 Jesus says, "You can enter God's Kingdom only through the Narrow Gate. The Highway to Hell is Broad, and it's Gate is Wide for the MANY who CHOOSE THE EASY WAY. But the Gateway to Life is very Narrow and the road is DIFFICULT, and only a FEW EVER find it."
Matt 3:8 & Luke 3:8 "PROVE by the way you live that you have Repented of your Sins and Turned to God."
Jesus says that it's VERY HARD for the Rich to Enter the Kingdom of God— as we are to be willing to GIVE UP EVERYTHING for HIM if He Asks.
Mark 10:23-30 Jesus said to his Disciples, “How HARD it is for the Rich to enter the Kingdom of God!” This amazed them. But Jesus said again, “...it is VERY HARD TO ENTER THE KINGDOM OF GOD. In fact, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a Rich Person Rich person to enter the Kingdom of God!” The Disciples were astounded. “THEN WHO IN THE WORLD CAN BE SAVED?” they asked. Jesus looked at them intently and said, “HUMANLY SPEAKING, IT IS IMPOSSIBLE. But not with God. EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE WITH GOD.” Then Peter began to speak up. “WE'VE GIVEN UP EVERYTHING TO FOLLOW YOU,” he said. “Yes,” Jesus replied, “and I assure you that EVERYONE WHO HAS GIVEN UP HOUSE OR BROTHERS OR SISTERS OR MOTHER OR FATHER OR CHILDREN OR PROPERTY, FOR MY SAKE AND FOR THE GOOD NEWS, will receive now in return a hundred times as many houses, brothers, sisters, mothers, children, and property—along with persecution. And in the World to come that person will have Eternal Life."
Matt 10:37-39 Jesus says, “If you love your Father or Mother MORE than you love Me, you are NOT WORTHY OF BEING MINE; or if you love your Son or Daughter more than Me, you are NOT WORTHY OF BEING MINE. If you refuse to take up your Cross and Follow Me, you are NOT WORTHY OF BEING MINE. If you Cling to your Life, you will LOSE IT; but if you give up your life for Me, you will FIND IT."
Luke 14:33 Jesus says,"So you cannot become my Disciple without giving up EVERYTHING you own." (forsaking all)
Gal 2:20 I have been CRUCIFIED WITH CHRIST; it is NO LONGER I WHO LIVE, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. |
||||
9 - JESUS WAS OUR EXAMPLE OF HUMBLE OBEDIENCE—HE LEARNED OBEDIENCE FROM THE THINGS HE SUFFERED— AND SO WILL WE |
||||
Philip 2:5-13 "Though He was God, He did not demand and cling to His rights as God—He OBEDIENTLY HUMBLED HIMSELF."
Heb 5:7-9 "While Jesus was here on earth, He offered Prayers and Pleadings, with a loud cry and tears, to the one who could rescue Him from death. And God heard His prayers because of His deep reverence for God. Even though Jesus was God’s Son, HE LEARNED OBEDIENCE FROM THE THINGS HE SUFFERED. In this way, God qualified Him as a perfect High Priest, and He became the source of Eternal Salvation for all those who OBEY HIM."
2 Tim 3:12 "Yes, and all who desire to live GODLY IN CHRIST JESUS will SUFFER PERSECUTION."
|
||||
10 - AS OBEDIENT CHILDREN WE ARE TO BE HOLY AS HE IS HOLY |
||||
1 Pet 1:14-16 "So you must live as GOD’S OBEDIENT children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then. But now you must BE HOLY IN EVERYTHING YOU DO, just as God who chose you is HOLY. For the Scriptures say, “YOU MUST BE HOLY BECAUSE I AM HOLY.”
Psalms 119:9 "How can a young person stay Pure? By OBEYING YOUR WORD."
Dan 7:27 "Then the Sovereignty, Power, and Greatness of all the Kingdoms under Heaven will be given to the HOLY PEOPLE of the Most High (Jesus). His Kingdom will last FOREVER, and all RULERS will SERVE and OBEY HIM."
Dan 7:18 "In the end, the HOLY PEOPLE of the Most High will be given the Kingdom, and they will RULE FOREVER AND EVER." |
||||
11 - IN WHAT WAYS ARE WE TO OBEY HIM? HERE ARE A FEW EXAMPLES: |
||||
Titus 3:1 "Remind the Believers to SUBMIT to the GOVERNMENT & IT'S OFFICERS. They should be OBEDIENT, always ready to do what is Good."
Rom 13:1- 5 "Everyone must SUBMIT to GOVERNING AUTHORITIES. For all Authority comes from God, and those in positions of Authority have been PLACED THERE BY GOD. So anyone who Rebels against Authority is REBELLING AGAINST WHAT GOD HAS INSTITUTED, and they will be punished. For the Authorities do not strike fear in people who are doing right, but in those who are doing wrong. Would you like to live without fear of the Authorities? Do what is right, and they will Honor you. The Authorities are God’s servants, sent for your good. But if you are doing wrong, of course you should be afraid, for they have the power to punish you. They are God’s servants, sent for the very purpose of punishing those who do what is wrong. So you must SUBMIT to them, not only to avoid punishment, but also to keep a clear conscience." (That of course means Obeying the Speed Limit, Traffic Laws, Taxes, etc.)
Exod 12:28 "The People of Israel DID just as the Lord had COMMANDED through Moses and Aaron."
(As Long As They Are Not False Teachers - see #12)
Heb 13:17 "OBEY YOUR SPIRITUAL LEADERS and DO what they say (unless of course it's False Teaching or goes Contrary to God's Word - Rom 16:17-20). Their work is to watch over your souls, and they are accountable to God."
Romans 13:6-7 "PAY YOUR TAXES, too, for these same reasons. For Government workers need to be paid. They are serving God in what they do. Give to everyone what you owe them: PAY YOUR TAXES AND GOVERNMENT FEES to those who collect them, and give Respect and Honor to those who are in Authority."
Eph 6:1-3 "CHILDREN, OBEY YOUR PARENTS because you belong to the Lord, for this is the right thing to do...."
Eph 6:5-8 "Slaves (EMPLOYEES), OBEY YOUR EARTHLY MASTERS (EMPLOYERS; your Bosses at Work) with DEEP RESPECT AND FEAR. SERVE THEM SINCERELY as you would SERVE CHRIST. Try to please them ALL the time, NOT JUST WHEN THEY ARE WATCHING YOU. As slaves (Servants) of Christ, DO THE WILL OF GOD with ALL your Heart. WORK WITH ENTHUSIASM, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. Remember that the LORD WILL REWARD EACH OF US FOR THE GOOD WE DO, whether we are slaves or free.
Eph 6:9 "MASTERS (EMPLOYERS), treat your slaves (EMPLOYEES) in the same way (as above) . Don’t threaten them; remember, you both have the same Master in Heaven (Jesus), and he has NO favorites."
|
||||
12 - OBEDIENCE TO GOD SUPERSEDESWORLDLY AUTHORITIES & FALSE TEACHERS |
||||
Exod 1:17 "Because the midwives feared God, they REFUSED TO OBEY the King and allowed the boys to live, too."
Acts 4:19-20 Peter and John replied, “Do you think God wants us to OBEY YOU RATHER THAN HIM? We cannot stop telling about the wonderful things we have seen and heard.”
Acts 5:29 Peter and the Apostles replied, “We must OBEY GOD rather than HUMAN AUTHORITY.”
Rom 16:17-20 “MARK THEM (False Teachers) which cause divisions and offences CONTRARY TO THE DOCTRINE which you have learned; & AVOID THEM (False Teachers)" (MORE) |
||||
13 - WHAT ARE THE REWARDS OF OBEDIENCE? |
||||
Daniel 9:4 Daniel prayed, “O Lord, you are a great and awesome God! You always FULFILL YOUR COVENANT and KEEP YOUR PROMISES OF UNFAILING LOVE to those who LOVE YOU and OBEY YOUR COMMANDS."
Exod 19:5 "Now if you will OBEY ME AND KEEP MY COVENANT, you will be my own special treasure from among all the nations of the earth; for all the earth belongs to me."
Deut 7:9 "He is the FAITHFUL God who keeps his Covenant for a Thousand Generations and constantly loves those who love him and OBEY HIS COMMANDS."
Jer 7:23 "OBEY ME, and I will be your God, and you will be My people. DO EVERYTHING AS I SAY, and all will be well!’
1 John 3:21-24 "Dear friends, if we don’t feel Guilty, we can come to God with bold confidence. And we will receive from him whatever we ask because we OBEY HIM AND DO THE THINGS THAT PLEASE HIM. And this is His Commandment: We must believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as He Commanded us. Those who OBEY GOD'S COMMANDMENTS (not coveting, not lying, stealing...) remain in fellowship with Him, and he with them. And we know He lives in us because the Spirit He gave us lives in us."
Deut 6:1-25; 11:26-28; 28:1-68 "Do what is RIGHT & GOOD in the Lord’s sight, so all will go well with you."
Deut 11:26-27 The Lord says,“Look, today I am giving you the choice between a BLESSING and a curse! You will be blessed if you OBEY THE COMMANDS of the Lord your God that I am giving you today."
Deut 11:9 "If you OBEY, you will enjoy a long life in the land the Lord swore to give to your ancestors and to you, their descendants—a land flowing with milk and honey!
Deut 11:13-15 “If you CAREFULLY OBEY ALL THE COMMANDS I am giving you today, and if you love the Lord your God and serve him with all your heart and soul, then he will send the rains in their proper seasons—the early and late rains—so you can bring in your harvests of grain, new wine, and olive oil. He will give you lush pastureland for your livestock, and you yourselves will have all you want to eat..."
Matt 5:19 Jesus says, “So if you IGNORE THE LEAST COMMANDMENT and TEACH OTHERS to do the same, you will be called the LEAST in the Kingdom of Heaven. But anyone who OBEY’S GOD’S LAWS & TEACHES THEM will be called GREAT in the Kingdom of Heaven.”
Matt 7:24-27 Jesus says, “Anyone who listens to My teaching and FOLLOWS (OBEYS & ACTS UPON THEM) is Wise, like a person who builds a house on Solid Rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, IT WON'T COLLAPSE BECAUSE IT IS BUILT ON BEDROCK. But anyone who hears My Teaching and IGNORES IT is Foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash.”
Jer 7:23 "OBEY ME, and I will be your God—Only DO AS I SAY, and all will be well."
Psalm 84:11 "No good thing will the Lord withhold from those who DO WHAT IS RIGHT."
James 1:25 "If you keep looking steadily into God’s PERFECT LAW-the law that sets you free-and if you DO WHAT IT SAYS and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it."
Luke 11:28 Jesus replied, “But even more BLESSED are all who hear the Word of God and KEEP IT (OBEY IT).” Rom 6:17-18 "Thank God! Once you were slaves of sin, but now you WHOLEHEARTEDLY OBEY THIS TEACHING we have given you. Now you are FREE from your SLAVERY TO SIN, and you have become slaves to righteous living."
1 Peter 1:22-23 "You were cleansed from your sins when you OBEYED THE TRUTH, so now you must show sincere love to each other as brothers and sisters. Love each other deeply with all your heart. For you have been BORN AGAIN, but not to a life that will quickly end. Your new life will LAST FOREVER because it comes from the Eternal, Living Word of God."
Psalm 1:1 "Oh, the joys of those WHO DO NOT FOLLOW the advice of the wicked."
Psalm 119:2 "Happy are those who OBEY HIS DECREES & SEARCH FOR HIM with all their hearts."
Heb 5:9 "God qualified him (Jesus) as a perfect High Priest, and he became the source of ETERNAL SALVATION for all those who OBEY HIM."
Matt 7:21-23 Jesus says, “Only those who actually DO THE WILL OF MY FATHER in Heaven will enter (the Kingdom of Heaven)."
1 John 2:17 "This World is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who DOES WHAT PLEASES GOD will live FOREVER."
|
||||
14 - REWARDS FOR TEACHING OTHERS TO OBEY GOD'S COMMANDMENTS |
||||
Matt 5:19 Jesus says, “So if you IGNORE THE LEAST COMMANDMENT and TEACH OTHERS to do the same, you will be called the LEAST in the Kingdom of Heaven. But anyone who OBEY’S GOD’S LAWS & TEACHES THEM will be called GREAT in the Kingdom of Heaven.”
The Punishment For a True Believer for minimizing (ignoring) God's Commandments & Teaching Others To Do The Same— is a Huge loss of Rewards by being what Jesus called "Least in the Kingdom of God."
Read this SO4J Commentary called: Obeying or Breaking God's Commandments - (Re: Matt 5:19)
We need to make sure we are very careful to be Building our life on the Eternal lasting Foundation of OBEDIENCE TO JESUS CHRIST & GOD'S WORD.
1 Cor 3:10-15 "Because of God’s grace to me, I have laid the Foundation like an expert builder. Now others are building on it. But whoever is building on this Foundation MUST BE VERY CAREFUL. For NO ONE can lay any Foundation (lasting foundation) other than the one we already have—JESUS CHRIST. Anyone who Builds on that Foundation may use (has a choice) a variety of Materials—Gold, Silver, Jewels, Wood, Hay, or Straw. But on the Judgment Day, fire will reveal what kind of WORK each Builder has DONE. The Fire will show if a person’s WORK has any value. IF the WORK survives, that Builder will receive a Reward. But if the WORK is burned up, the BUILDER WILL SUFFER GREAT LOSS. THE BUILDER WILL BE SAVED, but like someone BARELY ESCAPING THROUGH A WALL OF FLAMES." |
||||
15 - WHAT ARE THE CONSEQUENCE OF DISOBEDIENCE TO GOD'S WORD? |
||||
Eph 5:6 "Because of these things the WRATH OF GOD comes upon the SONS OF DISOBEDIENCE."
Daniel 9:5-14 Daniel prayed, "But we have SINNED AND DONE WRONG. We have REBELLED AGAINST YOU and SCORNED your COMMANDS AND REGULATIONS. We have REFUSED TO LISTEN to your Servants the Prophets...(10) We have not OBEYED THE LORD OUR GOD, for we have NOT FOLLOWED THE INSTRUCTIONS HE GAVE US....(11) All Israel has DISOBEYED YOUR INSTRUCTION and TURNED AWAY, refusing to LISTEN TO YOUR VOICE. “So now the SOLEMN CURSES AND JUDGMENTS written in the Law of Moses, the servant of God, have been poured down on us because of our SIN. You have KEPT YOUR WORD and done to us and our rulers exactly as YOU WARNED. Never has there been such a DISASTER as happened in Jerusalem. Every CURSE written against us in the Law of Moses has come true. Yet we have refused to seek mercy from the Lord our God by TURNING FROM OUR SINS and recognizing HIS TRUTH. Therefore, THE LORD has brought upon us the DISASTER HE PREPARED. The LORD OUR GOD was right to do all of THESE THINGS, for we did NOT OBEY HIM."
2 Thess 1:7-9 "And God will provide rest for you who are being persecuted and also for us when the Lord Jesus appears from heaven. He will come with his mighty angels, in flaming fire, bringing Judgment on those who don’t know God and on those who REFUSE TO OBEY THE GOOD NEWS OF OUR LORD JESUS. They will be punished with eternal destruction, forever separated from the Lord and from his glorious power.”
Num 20:1-13 God says to Moses, “Because you did NOT TRUST ME ENOUGH— you will not lead them into the land.”
Eccl 12:13-14 "Fear God and OBEY HIS COMMANDS, for this is everyone’s duty. God will Judge us for everything we do, including every secret thing, whether good or bad."
Deut 11:16-17 “But be careful. Don’t let your heart be deceived so that you turn away from the Lord (by rejecting His COMMANDS) and serve and worship other gods. If you do, the LORD'S ANGER WILL BURN AGAINST YOU. He will shut up the sky and hold back the rain, and the ground will fail to produce its harvests. Then you will quickly die in that good land the Lord is giving you."
1 Peter 4:17 "For the time has come for Judgment, and it must begin with God’s household. And if Judgment begins with us (True Believers in Jesus), what TERRIBLE FATE awaits those who have never OBEYED THE GOOD NEWS?"
|
||||
16 - WHAT DOES GOD'S WORD SAY ABOUT DOING GOOD DEEDS & GOOD WORKS?
OBEDIENCE = GOOD DEEDS & GOOD WORKS DISOBEDIENCE = NO DEEDS & BAD DEEDS |
||||
(once again we are not saved by "Works" - it is showing evidence however of our Salvation)
James 2:19 "You say you have Faith, for you BELIEVE that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons BELIEVE THIS, and they tremble in terror."
James 2:17-18 "So you see, FAITH BY ITSELF ISN'T ENOUGH. Unless it PRODUCED GOOD DEEDS, it is DEAD and useless. Now someone may argue, “Some people have Faith; others have Good Deeds.” But I say, “How can you SHOW ME YOUR FAITH if you don’t have GOOD DEEDS? I will show you my FAITH by my GOOD DEEDS.”
James 1:22 "Be DOERS of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves."
James 2:12 "So whatever you SAY or DO, remember that you will be Judged by the law that sets you free.
1 Cor 15:58 "So, my dear Brothers and Sisters, be strong and immovable. ALWAYS WORK ENTHUSIASTICALLY FOR THE LORD, for you know that nothing you DO for the Lord is ever useless."
James 2:26 "Faith is dead without GOOD DEEDS."
John 5:28-29 Jesus says, "Don’t be so surprised! Indeed, the time is coming when all the dead in their graves will hear the voice of God’s Son (Jesus), and they will rise again. Those who have DONE GOOD will rise to experience ETERNAL LIFE, and those who have CONTINUED IN EVIL will rise to experience JUDGMENT."
1 Pet 1:17 "And remember that the heavenly Father to whom you pray has no favorites. He will Judge or Reward you according to what you DO. So you must live in reverent fear of him during your time as “foreigners in the land.”
Rev 2:23 Jesus says, "Then all the Churches shall know that I am He who searches the MINDS and HEARTS; and I will give to each one of you according to your DEEDS."
Matt 25:21 Jesus says, “The Master (Jesus) was full of praise. ‘Well DONE, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!’
Matt 24:46-51 Jesus says, "If the Master returns and finds that the servant has done a GOOD JOB, there will be a reward. I tell you the truth, the Master will put that servant in charge of all he owns. But what if the servant is evil and thinks, ‘My Master won’t be back for a while,’ and he begins beating the other servants, partying, and getting drunk? The master will return unannounced and unexpected, and he will cut the servant to pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites. In that place there will be Weeping and Gnashing of Teeth."
John 5:28-29 "Don’t be so surprised! Indeed, the time is coming when all the dead in their graves will hear the voice of God’s Son, and they will rise again. Those who have DONE GOOD will rise to experience eternal life, and those who have continued in evil will rise to experience Judgment."
Rev 2:19 Jesus says, "I know all the things you DO. I have seen your LOVE, FAITH, YOUR SERVICE, and YOUR PATIENT ENDURANCE. And I can see your CONSTANT IMPROVEMENTS in all these things.
Matt 7:21-23 Jesus says, “Only those who actually DO THE WILL OF MY FATHER in Heaven will enter (the Kingdom of Heaven)."
1 John 2:17 "This World is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who DOES WHAT PLEASES GOD will live FOREVER."
Acts 10:34-35 Peter replied, "In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. But in every Nation whoever FEARS HIM and WORKS RIGHTEOUSNESS is ACCEPTED by Him."
Matt 25:31-33 Jesus says, “When the Son of Man (Jesus) comes in his Glory, and all the Angels with him, then he will sit upon his Glorious Throne. All the Nations will be gathered in his presence, and he will separate the people as a shepherd separates the Sheep from the Goats. He will place the Sheep at his right hand and the Goats at his left..(cont)
Matt 25:34-44 ..."Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are BLESSED by my Father, INHERIT THE KINGDOM PREPARED FOR YOU from the Creation of the World. For I was Hungry, and you Fed me. I was Thirsty, and you gave me a Drink. I was a Stranger, and you invited me into your Home. I was Naked, and you gave me Clothing. I was Sick, and you cared for me. I was in Prison, and you visited me.’ “Then these RIGHTEOUS ONES will reply, ‘Lord, when did we ever see you Hungry and Feed you? Or Thirsty and give you something to Drink? Or a Stranger and show you Hospitality? Or Naked and give you Clothing? When did we ever see you Sick or in Prison and Visit you?’ “And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you DID it to one of the least of these my Brothers and Sisters, you were DOING IT TO ME! ..." (cont.)...
Matt 25:41-46 </ |