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Respect Through Obedience (Pat Cowden)
Our motivation for obeying the commands of the Bible vary based on
what moves a person to action. In general however, there are two
main reasons that we submit to them; because we believe that GOD is
the author of the Bible and that He can and will reward those who
diligently seek after Him and try to please Him (Hebrews 11:6); and
because we believe that GOD has power to punish those who do not
diligently seek after Him and try to please Him. (Matthew 10:28).
What these motivations amount to is our acknowledgement that GOD has
the right to tell us how to live; in other words, we respect His
authority. The Christian approaches all decisions they make, whether
great or small, with the premise that they must be in accord with
the will of GOD. If we approach life in this manner, GOD had
promised to bless us in this life and the life to come.
If we want to serve GOD, if we want to show
Him that we respect His authority, we can. It is not an unattainable
goal. At times, we are tempted to offer GOD less than our best
efforts. When this happens we need to remember the words of Paul to
the Corinthians brethren, “no temptation has overtaken you but such
as is common to man; but GOD is faithful, who will not allow you to
be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will
also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.” (1
Cor. 10:33). You might ask how does this verse apply to showing
respect for GOD? Well, there are times when I am studying the Bible
when I come across something to which I have never before given
consideration. And after studying the subject through, I can see
that my life is not in line with what GOD’s word says. What should I
so? What if I like that part of my life and have no desire to
change? Paul is saying, if you trust God at His word, and honestly
try to change your life, He is going to help you! You’re not in it
alone! That is relying on the honesty and love of GOD to come
through with a promise He has made, in other words your actions are
proving your respect for GOD’s word and His authority to rule over
your life.
What if the President or Congress or the Supreme Court decide things
that I do not agree with? Well, we need to understand that GOD is in
charge and He ordains the existence of government powers (Romans
13:1-7) With that thought in mind, we need to respect the positions
those people hold even if it is impossible to respect the individual
people. At times it is the case, that our country passes laws that
no Christian should obey, such as laws legalizing abortion and
homosexual unions. In these cases we have no choice but to resist
the laws and when we do we are standing in good company. Remember,
that Peter and some of the other Apostles had been imprisoned by the
Sadducees in Acts 5. When an angel of the LORD released them, he
said, “Go stand and teach in the temple.” The apostles went and
taught. When they were found out and brought before the council for
disobeying the command they had been given, Peter and the other
apostles answered and said, “We ought to obey GOD rather than men.”
(Acts 5:29). Obeying the laws of the land that are not in conflict
with GOD’s law and disobeying the laws of the land that are in
conflict with GOD’s law is one way of showing our respect for GOD’s
authority.
If you or I were planning a trip out of the country, wouldn’t we
check ahead of time to make sure what the laws of the land were
concerning entering and leaving the country? Of course we would. No
one in their right mind would want to spend time in a foreign
prison. What is it that motivates us to do our research and to ask
others who have been to the same country what they had to do to
travel there? It is knowledge that the country you are traveling to
has the right to deport or imprison you if you violate their laws.
We must show respect for the sovereignty of the land to which we
want to travel in order to have a smooth trip and stay out of
trouble. The same thing is true when we are making eternal travel
plans; we must show respect for the sovereignty of the land to which
we want to go, Heaven. Entry into heaven is governed by the will of
GOD (Matthew 28:20). A Fijian brother, in speaking about Americans
coming to Fiji to preach and teach had this to say, “If you are
coming here to teach our people, do not come unprepared, because we
look up to you to show us that you care enough to prepare
appropriately.” Paul put it this way, “Stand therefore having
girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of
righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the
gospel of peace.” If we follow this advise we will be prepared when
these opportunities arise and being prepared for these opportunities
is a fruit of having respect for the authority of GOD.
The Bible teaches us that we must respect the authority of: GOD
over His creation (Matt. 28:18-20), rulers over their own lands
(Romans 13), the elders over their own congregations (1 Tim. 3:5)
and parents over their own children (Eph. 6:1). If we want to please
GOD in this life so that we can spend eternity with Him in heaven,
we must develop respect for these authorities, because it is part of
GOD’s will for us. |