“Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith . . . we know that the law is good if one uses it lawfully . . . .” (1 Timothy 1:5-8, NKJV)
When my children were little, we had household rules that were made for their good. We set bedtime, meal times, what they could do and not do so they were healthy and safe. But children are prone to challenge the rules, almost always on the basis that they think they know better than the parents who love them. For a parent, any statement that smacks of “I don’t love you” hurts deeply.
As they grew older, there were times when they did what they were told just to get me off their case, or to soften me so I would say yes to something else. They used the rules to manipulate those who made them!
I suppose the best response, next to a loving obedience, would be a child saying, “I don’t agree with the rule but because I love you, I will do it.” Our kids were reasonably obedient, but I can’t remember ever hearing that. They more fully understood the love behind the rules after they had children of their own.
When God gave the Mosaic Law, His intention was that His people, out of love for Him, would gladly follow it. The law was “for your good, that life will go well for you” but like children, they did not always see it that way. They resisted and rebelled, or they made the law their means of appeasing God.
Paul wrote to Timothy to remind him of the purpose of God’s laws. He says that a pure heart has no ulterior motives. It obeys God from love, not to placate or manipulate (as if God could be wound around anyone’s finger).
A good conscience has no reason to appease God because those who have it know they are in right standing with God — not because they obey all the rules but because He has forgiven them on the basis of what Christ has done (the only fully obedient Son, by the way)!
Sincere faith is trust without hypocrisy or pretense — I know my Father loves me so I trust Him and will do what He asks, without hidden reasons or any faked sense of duty.
Jesus said, “If you love Me, keep my commandments.” This makes following Christ as simple as being a little child who trusts his loving parents and gladly does whatever they ask. No wonder Jesus told us to be like little children!
Check out: Ten Simple Pleasures
2 comments:
Good advice, Elsie, though hard to follow! - at least all the time.
But here's something child-like you can do. I've tagged you to post ten simple pleasures. (Or not - if you don't want to.)
No kidding it is difficult. Sometimes the only way I will obey is when God has me stressed to exhaustion or backed into a corner with no fight left. Such a sorry reason! And such great patience He has!!
Post a Comment