Obedience

[Blackwater]

It's taken me a very long time to really understand the importance and necessity of obedience. I don't believe God expects us to be perfect. Far from it! I think He accepts us with our warts, scabs and sins, and all. We don't see ourselves like God sees us. And after all, He knows how we're going to turn out in the end, too, which kind'a gives Him a very unique perspective that we can't possibly relate to. He is God. We are mortals. We cannot possibly think the way Christ does.

Obedience is a reflection of just how deep our faith runs. If we obey even if and when we don't fully understand, and especially if it costs us something in the process .... well, what greater evidence and demonstration of the depth of our faith and trust could there be than that?

"Trust and obey" is an old song, but it's so very much more than that! It's the key to solidifying our salvation, and pleasing God. What more can we do, than simply obey Him, assuming of course that we've studied enough to be able to know what He wants from us? Do we serve a wise and loving Savior, or what???

[augercreek]

My thoughts and understanding exactly ! Otherwise I would be a miserable person all the time. Thanks Blackwater,

[Boaz]

Good post Dennis !

[GhostHawk]

Totally agree, comes down to one line that is so simple to say and so hard to do. "Not my will but thine oh Lord"

[USMC87]

Amen!

[Markopolo]

https://youtu.be/qQB_rYBz2pE

i do this song for worship fairly regular in our church music ministry. it is so true.

[Blackwater]

It may seem intuitively contradictory, but God oftentimes gets us to obey, and only then, reveals WHY He wanted us to do what we've done. Obedience isn't easy, as Ghost noted, but it is always worth our while, even if we don't understand the reason we're led do do a given thing for the Lord.

Another thing that's very difficult is to obey our Lord, and NOT judge others by their income (or lack of), shabbiness or station in life. We are SO judgmental! And it's always counter to what the Lord admonished us to do. Obedience to the Lord is always a good thing, and disobedience (as in being judgmental of others) will always lead us to pain and sorrow. I sometimes wonder if we could live without being judgmental, it's so common and so ubiquitous. I guess Christ came to show us that this is actually possible. He never wanted anything but for all to be saved, regardless of who they were and how they lived. What a great lesson for us all!

[dtknowles]

...Obedience is a reflection of just how deep our faith runs....

Obedience to what, faith in what? Obedience to and faith in the Bible? Who's bible and what interpretation?

[Pine Baron]

I sure hope this is a sincere question dt and not just a contentious question.

In the spirit that you are being sincere, obedience is to God and His commands. Faith is truly believing in God, the Father, Jesus Christ, His son, our savior, and the Holy Spirit. The bible is the word of God written as a guide for your personal journey to God's will. What version, or interpretation is totally irrelevant.

You have to establish a personal relationship with the Lord first, or you'll miss the point entirely.

Go in peace.

[dtknowles]

Well said, that works for adults, the born again when they find their personal relationship with God.

Children and young adults, finding their way are often brainwashed and force feed dogma. Children need to respect and obey their parents but parents need to guide their children and not let cultish religions lead them astray.

Tim