Two Motives for Obedience

- A Study of “Trust In God” -

 

There are two proper motives for us to obey God.

One is the fear of God, to awesomely revere God

The other is to trust His hand in our life, as bringing what is best for us, as being from a loving Father. These are those willing to be led by the Spirit of the indwelling Christ (Rom 8:14).

Both motives function and are necessary in the life of the believer.

At first hearing, the word “obedience” conjures up somewhat of a condemning thought in many. This is because religion has told us we need to keep all the written of laws of God, what Jesus said, and those laws laid upon us by pastor’s or other religious authorities, and since we know we often fail and cannot do it, we feel condemned. This mis-hearing and condemnation is predicated upon a misconception of obedience.

By speaking of obeying God, I do not mean there is any need to obey any outer laws as our objective in Christian living. Christ Himself is the end of the law for righteousness (See Rom 10:4 below). He is now our righteousness, both as imputed righteousness for our standing before God, and as the righteous life that is now imparted to us.

For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth. Romans 10:4

Even as Abraham believed (trusted) God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. Galatians 3:6

For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. 2 Cor. 5:21

Being free to live by our death and new life in Christ, our objective now is to walk according to the indwelling spirit of Christ.

This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. Galatians 5:16

If we live (since we have life) in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. Galatians 5:25

The religious pressure of manmade laws, man’s doctrine, the Ten Commandments, and every word the Bible’s commands to others in other dispensations, etc, today are not our primary guide.

E.g., We are not to bring animals for sacrifice, or be restricted by laws concerning what foods we eat, or to follow any of the outer laws.

Those are of another dispensation, as is the Sermon on the Mount, given by Jesus to the Jews under the dispensation of the law. Being dead in Christ, we are not subject to controlling our self by following a list of do’s and don’ts.

Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances, 21(Touch not; taste not; handle not; 22Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men? 23Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body; not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh. Col. 2:20-23

Our self-control is by the indwelling Spirit of life that is able to mortify the deeds of the flesh (Rom 8:13). We are free from the rule of sin and then free to obey the inner speaking and constraint that we have by Christ in us operating as the “law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus” (Rom 8:2, 1Jn 2:20, 27).

The conscience of our spirit is the most evident aspect of hearing by our human spirit. This living and indwelling law is more all encompassing than any outer law could be. He speaks in us to constrain and guide us. This living law speaks instantaneously and is ever-present.

Since this “law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus” is a living law, it’s prompting or constraining comes with the power to execute the instruction. We are free to obey. The Ten Commandments are written on lifeless stone, but Christ, with His law of life is alive in our spirit.

To some my dependence upon the indwelling Christ may sound radical. It is based upon Paul’s mystery gospel stated here.

Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: 27To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: Col. 1:26-27

The only hope we have of a blossoming righteous life is by the Christ- life in us as our new life. To Him alone we must be true.

Please understand that I love and cherish the precious Scripture, which I study almost daily. The Bible Scripture contains the words of God, but Christ alone is the WORD, as stated in Scripture.

All Scripture even that concerning other dispensations is for our learning. The whole Bible is for us, that is "for our learning", of God’s nature and character, etc. It is just that only less than 15% of the Bible text is written specially to us, as “the church, which is His body” (Eph 1:22-23), in this day, the “dispensation of the grace of God”. The Scripture is principally to confirm His inner speaking, as the final inner arbiter for my guidance in living.

The Father had an eternal plan, from before the world began: to kill His own Son that He might birth us to new life by His indwelling our spirit - then why would we not heed Him who is the Word of God, now living in us?

Obviously, living by Christ in us is not a license to sin, and living by the indwelling Christ will not contradict the revealed Scripture applicable to us in this day of the dispensation of the grace of God.

That’s my introduction; now let us get on with our discussion of the “Two Motives For Our “Obedience”.

We need to consider the following account of the transfiguration and God’s declaration of exactly whom we should hear. This is for our learning.

And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart, 2And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light. 3And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him. 4Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias. 5While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him. Mat. 17:1-5

This above indicates the Father’s intention, that we no longer heed Moses, as representative of the written law of God outside of man, and no longer heed Elias, as representative of the prophets speaking as speaking to us, but rather we are to heed and obey the living Jesus who has become the Christ (Act 2:36), who later would and now does live within the spirit of spirit every believer (Jn 3:6, 1Cor 6:17, Col 1:27, Gal 2:20, 1Jn 4:13), with the governorship of their lives upon His shoulders as Lord (Isa 9:6).

Obedience may be motivated in two ways.

The first motivation for us is obedience out of recognition of God as the Almighty God. This is an objective understanding.

The second is obedience to the inner speaking of the indwelling Christ as our life. This is the result of a subjective and personal understanding. For the second to work we must have come to sufficient crisis and suffering to learn that our Father loves us unconditionally, and that His love is expressed in and by all the things that He permits to touch our lives.

 

Two Motivations To Obey

1.) Obedience Out Of A Healthy “Fear Of The Lord” Saves Us From Destruction

2 Cor. 7:9-10 Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to

repentance (turning): for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing. 10For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death. KJV

(Amplified Bible: V10 “For godly grief and the pain God is permitted to direct, produce a repentance that leads and contributes to salvation and deliverance from evil, and it never brings regret, but worldly grief (the hopeless sorrow that is characteristic of the pagan world) is deadly (breeding and ending in death.”)

Obedience is usually motivated initially out of reverential fear of our loving Father’s chastisement. His chastisement is not to be compared with the punishment of a judge. Unlike a judge, our Father is paternally motivated out of a heart of love for our ultimate benefit, while a judge simply cares to uphold the law. Chastisement is as of a loving father; it’s remedial and out of love of a Father who wants to protect us, knowing what is best for us. Chastisement is properly parental, not judicial. Chastisement is properly remedial and not punitive.

Hebrews 12:6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. Hebrews 12:10 For they (earthly fathers) verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure (what they thought was good); but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness.

Learning to obey out of this motive of fear (reverence) toward God is what turns us when we do not want to do or endure what the Father wants for us. This is applicable when we perceive that our self-will is at odds with His will. Such Obedience will keep us from hurt and even destruction. It is the equivalent of a child obeying the parent’s instruction not to play in the street where they may be harmed, for fear of a spanking.

2.) Obedience - Out Of A Learned Trust In The Love Of God As Our Father

Obedience out of learned trust in God is beyond and apart from fear of the Lord. This is arrived at by having come to know that He is not only almighty God, but more personally, that He is our loving Father, whose love we can trust in all things. Trusting His love in all things permits us to endure all things.

But ye have not so learned Christ; Ephes. 4:20

Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; Hebrews 5:8

This is to obey Him out of a loving trust. I’m sure that this is the grown-up Christian’s motive for walking according to, or in obedience to, the Spirit of Christ speaking and leading from within. Such a one, willing to be led by the indwelling Christ, may be said to be a grown up, son of God (Rom 8:14)

For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. Romans 8:14

Typically, a child of God may not truly yet know, or he may be disobedient to what he truly knows. In the end we are only responsible for what we know. What father would hold His child responsible for what he does not know? Once a child comes to know the Father’s love and care by experience of life, he will then begin to trust His Father’s guidance that he has by Christ in him, prompting or restraining him. This then is a son in the making.

E.g., A child may not yet know from God that he should not smoke, or go to that bar, or speak like that, or do something else, thus the Father may not yet hold him responsible for that. He of course will bear the consequences of his earthly actions. Nevertheless God is “working in every Christian both to will and to do of His good will” (my paraphrased, Philip 2:13).

Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin. James 4:17

How is God Working?

God is working all things, that is, the good and bad circumstances and situation we experience in our life, are for our eternal good. We learn obedience by the things that we endure, just as Jesus of Nazareth learned obedience.

Though he (Jesus) were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered (experienced); Hebrews 5:8

By the experiences of life we come to trust in His revealed unconditional love that replaces fear.

1 John 4:17-19 Herein is our love made perfect (complete), that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. 18There is no fear in love; but perfect (complete) love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect (complete) in love. 19 We love Him, because He first loved us.

The “Way” of Trust: By Trusting Christ in you as your life.

2 Cor. 3:4 And such trust have we through Christ to God-ward:

Ephes. 3:12 In whom (Christ) we have boldness and access with confidence (trust) by the faith (pistis, the persuasion) of (ev, which consists of) him.

Trust By Turning from Outer Appearance & Performance … to Christ Alive In You

Proverbs 3:6 In all thy ways acknowledge (acknowledge, Gk., yada, ascertain by seeing) him, and he shall direct thy paths (to the way).

Hebrews 10:20 By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;

2 Cor. 3:14-18 But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ. 15But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart. 16Nevertheless when it (the heart) shall turn (turn from Moses as the Law) to the Lord, the vail (flesh) shall be taken away (made of no effect). 17Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 18But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

He Turns Us To Trust Him - By Our Circumstances

2 Cor. 1:9-10 But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead:

That Which We Are NOT to Trust:

The Transitory - 1 Tim. 6:17 Charge them that are rich in this world, that they

be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;

Psalm 31:6 I have hated them that regard lying vanities (transitory things): but I trust in the Lord

The Law - John 5:45 Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one

that accuseth you, even Moses (Law), in whom ye trust.

Men (Godly or not) - Psalm 118:8-9 It is better to trust in the Lord than to put

confidence in man. 9It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in princes.

Proverbs 29:25 The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe.

The Outer Appearance - 2 Cor. 10:7 Do ye look on things after the outward

appearance? If any man trust to himself that he is Christ's, let him of himself think this again, that, as he is Christ's, even so are we Christ's.

2 Cor. 4:18 While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

Hebrews 11:3 Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.

Ourselves - Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine

own understanding

2 Cor. 1:9-10 But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we

should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead: 10Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us;

Declarations - I will Trust Him:

Job 13:15 Though he slay me, yet will I trust (wait) in him: but I will maintain (decide) mine own ways (road) before him.

Psalm 18:2 The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.

1 Tim. 4:10 For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe (trust).

Trusting God

Nahum 1:7 The Lord is good, … he knoweth them that trust in him.

Psalm 37:5 Commit (entrust) thy way unto the Lord; trust (put confidence) also in him;

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