Obedience

 1 John 3:24 ESV

Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God, and God in him. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us.


At first glance, this verse seems to contradict the previous one I wrote about. In the previous verse, the Apostle John says we simply need to confess that Jesus is the Son of God to abide with God. Here he talks about obedience.

Confession and obedience aren't contradictory. By confessing Christ as Lord, we are being obedient to God. If we truly believe in the Son of God, we will seek to live lives defined by love of him and of one another. When people asked Jesus what they must be doing to do the works of God, he simply replied that they should believe in the One the Father sent: himself.

As the old hymn says, 'trust and obey'. Trust is foundational. Yet if we really have faith in God, it will be evidenced by good works. 

Faith is the key to unlock the door to a relationship with God. Obedience is the way we keep our relationship with God sweet. He doesn't love us less if we're disobedient. Yet any disobedience will inevitably sour our relationship with him.

'Abba Father in heaven, thank you for the gift of your Holy Spirit. May we walk in obedience to him. In Christ's name, amen'.

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