A SIMPLE OBEDIENCE

By Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

© God’s Breath Publications

 

Some years ago a hurricane came through the state of Florida and wreaked havoc on the people living there. The homes that were not torn off their foundations were condemned to be demolished because of the significant damage. But one particular man’s home survived. Why, because he was obedient. It was a simple obedience of just following directions. A TV news reporter asked him how he had been so lucky. He said, “Luck had nothing to do with it. I just did what I was told when it came to building a house to code to withstand a hurricane. When they called for a certain thickness of board, strength of foundation or reinforcement for strength, I did exactly as was specified.”

 

We can learn something from the simple practical obedience of this man building his home and how we are instructed to build our lives on the Word of God.

 

I wonder how often we make the Christian life more complicated than it should be. When presented with a situation that requires obedience, do we fret and fuss over what to do? Do we become anxious and concerned about whether we should do what the Bible clearly tells us to do? Do we attempt to negotiate our way out of obedience by petitioning God to compromise, justifying our position by the fact that He can’t possibly understand what its like to be in our situation?

 

I am sure if you are like me you have been in a situation just like that. It is truly amazing how much our heart and mind can attempt all sorts of earthly gymnastics of rationalizations to justify what WE want to do. C.S. Lewis said, “[The natural life] knows that if the spiritual life gets hold of it, all its self-centeredness and self-will are going to be killed and it is ready to fight tooth and nail to avoid that.” Our flesh and worldly desires can cause us to practice self-deception and justify all sorts of inappropriate actions if we permit ourselves to do it. That is why it is so important that we renew our mind (Romans 12:2). God destined each of us as Christians to be conformed to the image of His Son (Romans 8:29). This requires us to allow the Holy Spirit to teach and guide us (John 16:13) and to obey God’s Word (Luke 11:28).

 

So while the flesh attempts to lead us down the path of disobedience, scripture has a different message for us and the Holy Spirit within us, as a follower of Christ, uses the Word to communicate how we are to obey. God’s Word supplies the wisdom and the Holy Spirit provides the power to obey it.

 

First we must remember that when we accepted Christ as our Savior, if we really meant to commit our lives to Him, that we have a calling.

 

In 1 Peter 1:1-2, Peter tells us the calling we have upon our lives. He says,

 

“To God’s elect, strangers in the world, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia, who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and sprinkling by his blood:”

 

Here Peter is addressing Christians that are scattered over the entire known world at that time, but we know since the Holy Bible is timeless; he is addressing us as well. Peter states an important fact that we have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of our Heavenly Father. Before time began God knew He would call you for a marvelous work in your life that would bring Him glory. This calling was made possible by the sanctifying work of His son Jesus Christ. The calling is identified in this verse as “obedience to Jesus Christ” and we are in a sense ordained in this ministry through the “sprinkling of His blood.”

 

2 John 6 gives us some hints about this “obedience to Jesus Christ” phrase. It states, “And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love.”

 

John tells us here that if one were to discuss what love would be in God’s eyes, it would be walking in obedience to Jesus’ commands. He is telling us what the definition of love is as well, that it is; obedience, obedience to Jesus’ commands. Since Jesus did the will of His Father, anything Jesus commanded is in the will of our Heavenly Father as well, because Father, Son and Holy Spirit make up our triune God.

 

So obedience is simple. Just do what Jesus commands and model in your life, what He lived out in His life.

 

I know what you’re thinking. You’re saying to yourself “Obedience is not that simple!” But yes it is. It is simple what is required and it is simple to do, simply submit and do. The hard part, and you already know this, is denying your flesh, your selfish will, your own rationalizations and instead doing what Jesus calls you to do. The question is not what you should do, the question is, are you willing to do it.

 

We make obedience hard because we argue with the Holy Spirit about the validity of what He convicts us to do. We make obedience hard because we try to reinterpret scripture or ignore it because we don’t want to submit. We make obedience hard because we place our needs, desires and perspectives over the wisdom and glory of God.

 

I’m convicted about this myself and I am sure you are as well, because we know it wounds the Lord when we do not obey Him. It quenches the Holy Spirit when we refuse to let Him lead in our life.

 

So let’s assume we confess our rebellion and agree that obedience can be really simple. Let’s recognize that we get in the way of making it so simple. How can we be better at obeying God?

 

We must understand what makes simple obedience possible. It comes from faith.

 

Romans 1:5-6 substantiates this when it says, “Through him and for his name’s sake, we received grace and apostleship to call people from among all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith. And you also are among those who are called to belong to Jesus Christ.”

 

Here we are told that through Christ we received grace, but also the task of an apostle to call all people to Him. The calling is to obey Him and this obedience Paul tells us here “comes from faith.”

 

So as our faith develops, simple obedience is made possible and it also becomes easier to obey. But you may ask, “How do we develop our faith?”

 

Read Romans 10:17, “Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.”

 

So our faith comes from hearing the message of Christ, which is contained in the Holy Scriptures. But, there is more to it than just hearing the Word.

 

Read James 1:22, “do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.”

 

Simple obedience is made possible if we hear the Word, but something else is required; we must also be doers of the Word. This brings our faith to completion and maturity and that results in obedience. A crucial part of obedience is walking in the Spirit moment by moment in our lives. We must be willing to obey God’s Word and we must allow the Holy Spirit to give us the power to obey. This is simply moment by moment seeking the help of the Holy Spirit to live our lives, respond to all circumstances and react to all situations in the way that God would have us do.

 

So if we simply obey when we are convicted to do so what takes place? 2 Corinthians 9:13-15 tells us. It says,

 

“Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else. And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you. Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!”

  

Here we are told that three things are manifested when we have proved our faith through simple obedience; God is honored, people are thankful and you are blessed.

 

This passage states that “men will praise God because of your obedience” and for sharing with them the good news of the gospel. That is the main reason for our simple acts of obedience to honor and bring glory to God.

 

But there is more. Men will offer up prayers for us because of our simple obedience and because God has lavished amazing grace upon us to enable our obedience to take place.

 

Obedience is simple but it can’t be done without the grace of God and His enabling strength and power through the Holy Spirit.

 

Seek to simply obey your Lord and Master. Deny the flesh. Don’t debate what you know is clear in scripture. Just simply obey! Seek a good understanding of the Holy Scriptures and a deep relationship with the Holy Spirit through prayer. You will be amazed at how simple godly obedience can become and you will reap peace, confidence and a glorious intimate relationship with your Heavenly father.

 

“The true follower of Christ will not ask, “If I embrace this truth, what will it cost me?” Rather he will say, “This is truth. God help me to walk in it, let come what may!”

A.W.Tozer

 

“God’s commands are designed to guide you to life’s very best. You will not obey Him, if you do not believe Him and trust Him. You cannot believe Him if you do not love Him. You cannot love Him unless you know Him.”

Henry Blackaby