OBEDIENCE IS BY FAITH. I get tired of trying to convince people that obedience is a requirement for salvation. I’ve heard it all, “That’s works based salvation. I’m saved by my faith.” That’s great and the word says, “For you are saved by grace through faith”; except faith is not a static belief.
Faith by nature is alive and active. Faith requires a response. Faith is all encompassing. It means that I trust and rely on Him with my whole heart. I don’t just trust the work of the cross and it’s atonement for my sins, I trust Him to see me through this world and into eternity. Trust is ever present and on going. It’s not a one time belief in a moment of sorrow, but a continual clinging to and relying on the Lord.
Faith is obedient, otherwise it is not biblical faith. And I obey because I have faith. In Hebrews ch.11, it’s recorded the great men and women of faith:“By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going.” Hebrews 11:8 NKJV
In all places, faith required obedience. By faith, Abel offered a better sacrifice. By faith Enoch was taken because he lived a life that pleased God. By faith Noah built an ark and saved humanity. By faith Abraham obeyed and by faith Sarah received strength to conceive. By faith Abraham offered Isaac. By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and by faith Jacob blessed Joseph and ultimately the nation of Israel. By faith Moses’ mom hid him from the wicked mandate of king Herod. (Take note all those twisting Romans 13) By faith Moses chose to suffer affliction with the people of God rather than live comfortably in Pharaoh’s courts. By faith he forsook Egypt, kept the Passover and walked on dry land through the Red Sea. By faith the walls of Jericho fell down and by faith Rahab put a scarlet thread in her window and waited for over a month to be rescued.
Faith requires obedience. Obedience requires faith. If you do not obey Him, then what/whom is your faith in? I see a lot of people with faith in government, faith in medicine, faith in science, faith in a worldly or national leader; yet claim to know Him. Your faith is misplaced. I had a man tell me one time I was teaching “Lordship salvation”. Huh? Didn’t even Christ Himself say, “why do you call me Lord and not do what I say?” Don’t take one verse out of context from all Scripture.
The Greek word for “believe” is more than a belief in Him, it includes a firm reliance on and obedience to. It’s not static. All Scripture points to obedience from the beginning. Why do you even want to be in His kingdom if you don’t obey Him? As King of kings, He rules and reigns His heavenly kingdom and those who don’t obey His mandates will be cast out. I’m not understanding how or why you can’t understand this? Who told you that you can live like you want and inherit eternal life?
Who told you that you can live a life contrary to His Word and go to heaven? Who told you? I reject “easy believism” and the false love gospel. It’s cheap grace. Grace is a powerful life-giving, obedience causing agent of change. Grace is costly. Grace is laying down my life, my hopes, my dreams, my desires to live for Him. Grace means I can overcome this world and I can be victorious over sin, fear, my flesh, the enemy and ultimately death. If you think grace means you can live like you want, I don’t think you know what that word means. #runyourrace
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