God loves me — so what?

The Bible teaches that God wants the best for us. The enemy denies that, even lies to us saying that God does not care or is not listening or whatever will keep us from listening to God or doing what He says.

Yet the promises of God are clear. He told Joshua how to thrive as a leader of Israel; he must seek God’s will and do it:

“This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.” (Joshua 1:8)

The psalmist also had it figured out. He knew that he must read what God says, meditate on those truths, and delight in them. They would change his life:

“I will meditate on your precepts and fix my eyes on your ways. I will delight in your statutes; I will not forget your word.” (Psalm 119:15–16)

Jesus made several statements that reinforce the love of God in giving His commands. He said that keeping them was vital toward being a valued member of God’s kingdom:

“Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:19)

In contrast, Jesus also said that knowing the commands yet ignoring them would bring disaster:

“And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand.” (Matthew 7:26)

Based on these and many other passages that say God gives His people instructions because He loves us and wants the best for us, Tozer makes some bold statements. He says, “I am convinced that some Bible classes are nothing more than a means whereby men become even more settled in their religious prejudices.”

I’ve thoughts on that too. What good does it do to study for mere academic knowledge? How can my life be changed if I can exegete passages, explain mysteries, or write scholarly commentaries, but do not do what God says? Tozer quotes the American evangelist, Charles Finney as saying it is sinful to teach the Bible without moral application. Why read it if it will be ignored in life?

Sunday school teaches children to read it, study it, memorize it, meditate on it, and do what it says. I need to follow that same instruction. I’ve had the bad habit of doing the first two and maybe the fourth one but leaving out memorizing and obedience. My pride assumes that if “I know it” that is all there is. Wrong.

A professor I know wrote a book that thoroughly covers what the Bible says about demons and Satan. Many reputable scholars highly rate this book. I’ve not read it, but all indications are that this book leaves the reader to figure out how to apply it.

In contrast, we pray with another couple for our families. We are using a book about the strategies of Satan. It is highly practical. The author is a pastor who has been through spiritual wars, just as we are experience warfare in our prayer time. The book tells us what Satan is trying to do, how he does it, and what we need to do to overcome his tactics. I’ve this image in my head of the devil’s reaction to our study and obedience — he is not happy and trying to think of other ways to stop us. At the very least, our prayers are changing our lives.

^^^^^^^^^^

Jesus, I am an academic by nature, but a practical person by heart. If something has no value for life, I am not going to do it just to add a framed piece of paper to my wall. In the kingdom of God, study is useless without obedience for it is obedience that shapes me to be more like You. You said that eternal life is about knowing God and knowing You. It is also what I do in response to what and who I know. I cannot say I love You without doing what You ask of me. This seems a no-brainer yet all of us brainy types tend to get caught up in knowing and forget about doing. As Your Word says, “knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.” Love is all about obedience. Forgive me — and continue to discipline me to get with it!