In my book in the Way of Enoch Series I took a long look at obedience … something I quite often need to remind my self of. I included a quote from Charles Draper in which he pointed out 3 key things that Jesus challenged us with in Matthew chapter 5.
Matt 5:17-20 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. 18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. 19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.
There are three key things that Jesus talked about in reference to obedience in these verses that are pointed out by Charles Draper:
- Obedience challenges us to go beyond mere understanding. Some of those in the crowd were experts at telling others what to do, but they missed the central point of God’s laws themselves. Jesus made it clear, however, that obeying God’s law is more important than explaining it. It’s much easier to study God’s laws and tell others to obey them than to put them into practice. How are you doing at obeying God yourself?
- Obedience challenges us to go beyond mere outward conformity. The Pharisees were exacting and scrupulous in their attempts to follow their laws. So how could Jesus reasonably call us to a greater righteousness than theirs? The Pharisees’ weakness was that they were content to obey the laws outwardly without allowing God to change their hearts (or attitudes). Jesus was saying that the quality of our goodness should be greater than that of the Pharisees. They looked pious, but they were far from the kingdom of God. God judges our hearts as well as our deeds, for it’s in the heart that our real allegiance lies. Be just as concerned about your attitudes that people don’t see as about your actions that are seen.
- Obedience challenges us to act out of love for God. Jesus was saying that his listeners needed a different kind of righteousness—love and obedience—not just a more intense version of the Pharisees’ righteousness (legal compliance). Our righteousness must (1) come from what God does in us, not what we can do by ourselves, (2) be God-centered, not self-centered, (3) be based on reverence for God, not approval from people, and (4) go beyond keeping the law to living by the principles behind the law.
The last of these three really strikes home for me. When my obedience requires personal sacrifice, I know that what pleases God is not the sacrifice itself, but my willingness to surrender my own desires because I love Him. When I’m obedient in the times when it flies in the face of my selfishness, and I make that personal decision to die to myself and choose to be obedient to the Lord just because I love Him and want to please Him; I know that it coincides with His best for me. Therein lies the secret to the obedient lifestyle. If my obedience is truly out of love for Him then I have moved from obedient ritual (fear-based) to a true relationship (love-based) … That’s the way God wants us to live.