Delight in Obedience!
This is not a command, this is a proclamation! We can delight in obedience!
These past few months, I had been struggling with condemnation so this concept had been elusive to me until recently. Condemnation breeds shame for our mistakes and shame is not of God*. Condemnation makes our relationship with Christ more about what we do, and less about what Jesus has already done for us on the cross! He died so that we would no longer be under the weight of sin and shame.
Romans 3:21 (ESV) says, “But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it—the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,”
In this verse, Paul tells us that the righteousness of God (to be made right with God) has been manifested apart from the law (our works, what we can do). This means that to be made right with God; it is no longer based on what we can do, but what God has already done on the cross. Jesus made us right within himself, dying on the cross taking our sin and shame (death), and rising again so that we may have life abundantly, no longer bound by death. The Word says, we all fall short of the glory of God. This is why we rejoice in His goodness, because Jesus does not condemn/shame us for falling short. Jesus came so that he could create a new promise (covenant) with us—one where it was not based off of what we did wrong or right but solely based on his unchanging character. We may not be perfect but His love is. It never fails and endures forever.
Like wow!
This was pretty profound for me, because I felt like it was a reminder that rightness with God was made completely apart and outside of anything that I did or could ever do.
I bring this up to explore the relationship with obedience without shame or inadequacy. Often times when we think of obedience, we think rules and regulations, but what if I told you that this too was a reflection of God’s love?
The Meaning of the Law
Recently I have been attending a bible study and we’ve been going through the book of Deuteronomy! Deuteronomy is famous for the 10 commandments, but as you dive deeper you see echoes of God’s love woven within the laws He issues.
This week we asked the question: What is the meaning of the law in Deuteronomy—as if a child was asking their parent: Why do we do this? What is this for?
This is where I found myself in awe!
Deuteronomy 5:33 (ESV) You shall walk in all the way that the LORD your God has commanded you, that you may live, and that it may go well with you, and that you may live long in the land that you shall possess.”
His word, his statutes are for our good that we might prosper. The truth is, that God asks us to repent (turn away from our sin) because He knows sin leads to death. He loves us and wants us to be kept from death. Sin is like a disease. If He truly loves us, how could He allow us to remain in something that’s killing us? That is not love. So yes, He calls us to obey his word, calls us to repent and turn away from sin so that we may live in Him.
Repentance is more of a heart posture than anything. Sin can come in many forms, a prideful heart, a lust issue, jealous eyes, and so on— ultimately the issue always leads back to the heart. Repentance is a surrender of the heart. It is as simple of an acknowledgement as this, Lord, I know this is sin and I don’t want to dishonor you. I don’t know what to do, but you do. Help me change. Change my heart. I know you are with me, I’m ready to walk. You take the lead. God hears you, and answers your prayers. He will walk you through the process of obedience.
God is the Lord of all creation, the source of all life, all love, and and goodness. He knows what brings life and what brings death. As the Maker of it all, He tells us these things that we may have everlasting life. The enemy wants you to delight in sin and be deceived that half-truths and sorta-kinda obedience is good enough. We must be honest and run to God with all that we are—come as you are and be made new. There’s no shame here, just authenticity. It’s brave love to ask God to show you the errant parts of your heart. It’s God’s grace that rushes over you in love in the midst of that same pouring out of your heart (This is how I see the Spirit rushing unto you—start at 3:19).
Now if we’re honest, being honest and dying to self is never an easy process. It can be difficult and uncomfortable, but I challenge you to seek anyway. It may not be pretty, but God’s love does not change and that’s what we lean into. Isn’t it cool that God wants to walk through the tough with you—no posing, faking, or pretending. He is unmoved. His love won’t waver for you—His steadfast love endures forever.
We are on a pilgrimage to discover love in its truest form—Jesus.
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Before, through a lens of condemnation I saw love and repentance as opposites, because in truth I was really comparing love and shame, and they cannot abide together. Here we see that repentance and obedience are all still stems of love. So let all three abide together in beauty. Delight in Obedience! Delight in His steadfast love! Repent! He will walk with you! <3
*(Shame is the painful emotion that is caused by a consciousness of guilt, failure, or impropriety, that often results in the paralyzing conviction/belief that one is worthless, of no value to others or to God, unacceptable, and altogether deserving of disdain and rejection).
