A Brief Bible Study |
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Your Bible Lesson For The Day
When Is Your Obedience To The Commandments Pleasing to God?
Do you obey God’s commandments because you are afraid of being punished if you do not obey them? In other words, you obey to save yourself from hell? Is that what motivates you? And is that what pleases God? Let’s find out what God says in his Word.
Hebrews 11:6 says, “Without faith it is impossible to please God.” Even if a person obeys the commandments because he knows that obedience is demanded of him, God is not pleased with such obedience because it does not flow from a heart of faith in him. As Romans 7:14 says, “The law is spiritual.” Obedience to the commandments, then, must be more than just going through the motions of doing what is demanded to avoid punishment. Obedience must be a matter of one’s spirit and must come from one’s heart. A person obeys as a matter of faith and love because he wants to obey to do what is pleasing to God. As 1 John 5:3 says, “This is love for God, that we keep observing his commandments.” And why do we love God and want to keep living by his commandments? Because he first loved us, as 1 John 4:19 states, and he died to save us from the guilt of our sins and punishment in hell, as Galatians 2:20 says, “I have been crucified with Christ; and I no longer live but Christ lives in me; and the life that I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me.
So when is your obedience to the commandments pleasing to God? When it flows from your heart of faith that loves God and wants to do what is pleasing to him to honor him as your God, the God that he truly is. So may it be in your case. Amen.
Hebrews 11:6 says, “Without faith it is impossible to please God.” Even if a person obeys the commandments because he knows that obedience is demanded of him, God is not pleased with such obedience because it does not flow from a heart of faith in him. As Romans 7:14 says, “The law is spiritual.” Obedience to the commandments, then, must be more than just going through the motions of doing what is demanded to avoid punishment. Obedience must be a matter of one’s spirit and must come from one’s heart. A person obeys as a matter of faith and love because he wants to obey to do what is pleasing to God. As 1 John 5:3 says, “This is love for God, that we keep observing his commandments.” And why do we love God and want to keep living by his commandments? Because he first loved us, as 1 John 4:19 states, and he died to save us from the guilt of our sins and punishment in hell, as Galatians 2:20 says, “I have been crucified with Christ; and I no longer live but Christ lives in me; and the life that I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me.
So when is your obedience to the commandments pleasing to God? When it flows from your heart of faith that loves God and wants to do what is pleasing to him to honor him as your God, the God that he truly is. So may it be in your case. Amen.
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