An Obedience that Comes from Faith

Unlike human traditions and religions, the biblical worldview does not call for us to try harder in our own strength. Many teachings have emerged within the church that emphasize obedience without showing that the only kind of obedience that is of value is that which flows from a heart of trust and is fueled by the indwelling Holy Spirit (Romans 1:5; 16:26). In other words, God is not asking us to work harder, try harder and strive harder in our own fleshly strength. This kind of "obedience" is self-righteous and holds contempt for others who do not obey as well as we think we do (Luke 18:9). He has a much better way of obedience that flows from faith, and he beckons us to enter into the rest of faith as discussed in Hebrews 4.

What does this mean, and how do we do this? First, we recognize that we have done nothing to deserve our salvation and that it is a complete gift of God (Titus 3:4). Second, we recognize that our sanctification is God at work in us, enabling us to desire and live in a way that brings him glory, "For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him" (Philippians 2:13). As he works in us, we also work powerfully by the Spirit according to the Word to obey his good commands. And finally, we abide in his love by living and walking in the Spirit and putting off the works of the flesh, "So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh" (Galatians 5:16). When we walk in the Spirit, obeying God's good commands by faith, we have great joy that we are pleasing God and bearing fruit for his glory (John 15). We begin to know him deeply as our good Father, who withholds no good thing from us (Psalm 84:11) and is transforming us into his holy image.

Christ Removes our "Condemnation Notice"

This week I've been meditating on Jesus' powerful work on the cross where he defeated sin, death and Satan (1 Corinthians 15:55-57; Colossians 2:14-15). Through the propitiatory sacrifice of his blood on our behalf and his powerful resurrection from the dead, he freed us from the debt of our sins (1 John 2:2). The punishment of the just wrath of God that we deserved has been placed on him (Isaiah 53:5-6, 2 Corinthians 5:21), and, as the apostle Paul writes, we are set free from all condemnation: "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus" (Romans 8:1). And again he addresses this in Romans 8:33-34:

"Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us."

Amazingly, God not only frees us from this death sentence and the condemnation that accompanies it, but he declares us "holy and blameless" in his sight in Christ (Colossians 1:22), guaranteeing that nothing can separate us from his love:

"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered. No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:35:39). 

I've included a link to a Gospel Coalition article that beautifully explains Christ's finished work on the cross and our union with him. In the article, Humphrey (2019) uses the analogy of a condemned building to illustrate our lives in Adam before Christ -- bound in sin and rebellion against God and condemned to eternal death. He then shows from Scripture that we can never remove this condemnation through our own efforts of personal renovation, but instead we must spiritually die and be raised up with Christ through his gift of salvation: "Their house must come down. But the generous offer of Jesus to deliver sinners is offered to the condemned. Only as this court-satisfying condemnation notice has been carried out, can there be hope. As Jesus said, "Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life (John 5:24)" (Humphrey, 2019).

https://ca.thegospelcoalition.org/columns/cowboyology/removing-condemnation-notice/

"I believe, help my unbelief"

The resurrection reminds us of the life giving, Spirit empowered reality of Christ’s victory over death, sin and Satan (Colossians 2:15). It redirects our often distracted gaze back to the cross with the guarantee that God has restored us to himself and given us eternal life. With the promise of our unshakable and eternal union with Christ, we also gain confidence that every lesser promise will be fulfilled, or as the apostle Paul put it – every one of his promises are “yes and amen” in Christ (2 Corinthians 1:20). The certainty that he’s not only secured our eternal destiny but has taken responsibility for meeting all our needs, enables us to recommit our hearts to seeking first his Kingdom and righteousness, knowing that all these other things will be provided as well (Matthew 6:33).

If…. then…. 

If he did not hold back his Son and allowed him to suffer and die on the cross to restore our broken relationship, then why would he not give us everything else we need (Romans 8:32)? God guarantees that if we set our hearts on him and his Kingdom, he will take care of all the other needs. He has written this promise, along with thousands of others concerning his intention to lovingly look after his children, and sealed them in the blood of Christ so that we do not have to wonder if he is really serious. Since he’s already given us the greater gift of his Son and his Spirit as a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance, he’ll most definitely give us the less significant gifts that we need for life so that we can effectively follow Him. 

It takes trust…. Too often there is a huge disconnect in our lives and practice with regard to trusting him for “all these other things”. I’ve found this to be true in my own life. I often say without any hesitation I trust in his promise that when I die I will go to be with Christ. But ask me on certain days if I’m sure about God’s provision for my other perceived needs and I may flinch. I realize how completely illogical it is for me to say that I’m trusting Christ to save me, to literally raise me from the dead and give me a resurrection body, and still live in doubt that God is going to provide all the essentials for life. 

The only way to bridge the gap of this fear and doubt is through knowing him better, spending time in the Word and prayer. He says that faith comes from hearing (listening to, trusting and following) his Word (Romans 10:17). The more we learn about his faithful love, along with his many other characteristics, the more inclined we are to trust him to do what he says he’ll do in the here and now as well as the distant future. One story that is especially inspiring in overcoming the gulf between trusting in God’s power to transform day to day life and the actual unbelief we’re living in is of the man who came to Jesus for healing of his tormented son (Mark 9:14-29). He came complaining that the disciples could not heal his son, but Jesus turned the conversation back to his own lack of faith when he basically asked him, “What about you? Do you believe I am who I claim to be and can transform your life right now in this moment?” Rather than walk away in shame or even try to cover up his lack of faith he responded with humility and honesty, “I believe. Help my unbelief” (Mark 9:24). 

Interestingly, his willingness to confess and repent of his unbelief stands in great contrast to the Pharisees and Sadducees who were, as Isaiah prophesied and Jesus proclaimed, “ever seeing but not perceiving” (Isaiah 6:9; Mark 4:12). Their self-sufficiency and self-righteousness kept them from seeing their need for God’s miraculous intervention in salvation as well as daily grace to provide for their needs. Like the parable of the rich man who had so much “stuff” that he built a barn to store his excess, they had learned to trust in their own wisdom, resources and strength instead of turning to Christ in childlike faith and asking him to meet their needs, both the greater and the lesser (Luke 12:13-21). 

Thousands of years later we realize that we are also immersed in the same kind of culture – one that either denies the need for God’s power or has reduced him to a savior who will eventually keep us from eternal destruction. When we embrace either way of thinking, we miss out on experiencing his all sufficient presence and provision throughout the minutes of our lives. Instead of truly believing Christ’s command to seek him first, to love him with all our heart, soul, mind and strength and to trust him to give us everything, we listen to the lies that tell us we have to seek first our own security and self-preservation. The underlying fear and unbelief in God’s goodness, ability and power, keeps us from looking to him to abundantly care for us and supply all our needs. And we end up anxious, confused and missing out on a whole lot more than we could ever imagine (James 1:6-8). 

The great news is we don’t have to keep living like this. We can call out to the Father with the same prayer a desperate man prayed over 2,000 years ago when he saw his need for God’s hand in his everyday life, while also recognizing his own lack of faith – “I believe, help my unbelief!” It’s a prayer of faith the Father loves to answer that will change the trajectory of our lives, as we make the shift from trusting in own abilities and resources to allowing Christ to be both Lord and Savior. Letting go of this striving frees us to rest in his all-sufficient love and provision and enables us to live out our true purpose in life. “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (Matthew 6:33).

Great video on God's "khesed", loyal love, and how knowing this love frees us to trust him for all things!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UfbyFLgs_NM