To Love is to Obey, I John 5:3

March 16, 2016

I John 5:3... This is love for God: to obey his commands, and his commands are not burdensome...

We have discussed before that we cannot be a Christian and not be obedient to Christ and his word. Many say that Paul speaks of the law as burdensome and that it weighs us down, making us a slave to it by not allowing us to freely serve the Lord. It is true that we can never attain salvation by just obeying the law, and it can become a burden if it is our focus. But, here John says that the Lord's commands are not burdensome and we will follow and do them if we truly love God. In fact, we do not love God, if we are not following them!

We must consider the alternative to not following his commands. What are the consequences? And if we compare those consequences to the effort we would have put into serving Christ, which is the true burden? When we compare the alternative to serving God his ways are no burden at all. In fact they end up being a blessing instead.

 I love technology, but often it leads me to sin and is not worth the time spent. 4K Smart TV's, wow they are great... but what is so great to watch on them? I love movies at the theater, large screens and awesome sound systems... but full of garbage, they are. There are other examples to list, but each has its pull away from the Lord. Always watching what I say, being careful to use words that can't be confused with bad words. Trying to watch where I am looking when a speak with a female, especially when improperly dressed, what am I drinking, what does the container look like, what I laugh at when co-workers tell stories, what music I listen to, and so much more... It can seem like a burden. But if we are to find the freedom that is in Christ, we flee the ties with the world. Because once their ways become our ways, the consequences we reap are much worse than the restraints we put on ourselves to serve the Lord!

Daughters, I have sometimes found it a pain to serve God. That is when I don't look at the consequences of the alternative. The world makes it seem so carefree, yet in the long run it leaps out and bites you. K, I warned you on dancing and country music, and even on contemporary church music... I do so because they weaken or even turn you away from the Lord and his commands. Movies, TV shows, how you dress all affect how you end up following God. A and K, you think my ways are tough, wait until you start to live the consequences of bad choices. That is when you will understand why the world ways are a burden and the rules on the high, narrow road becomes a joy to follow. So prove you love to God by living out his commands.

~Dad