I’m constantly amazed at how little many Christians know about what God expects from us, his children. In a recent conversation, a friend told me that his church doctrine had taught him that certain acts were not only sinful, but mortally so. In other words, things like adultery, pre-marital sex; drunkenness etc., not only displeased God, but really honked him off to the point where one would be in peril of losing out on heaven. Did this strict warning stop him from participating in some of the above activities? No! Unbelievably, he confessed that, yes, he and God both knew he was weak and a sinner, but only an occasional sinner. He assumed that since he had owned up to it, didn’t do it often, attended church and did good deeds, God would continue to forgive and forget, and let him repeat said actions over and over. If we look at this scenario on an earthly level, supposing that we have broken our biological father’s rules, we fully expect, and deserve to receive punishment. Dad will most likely forgive the first offence, after we humbly confess, and pledge never to repeat it. However, if it blatantly continues, you know that that earthly relationship will become strained, distant and ultimately broken. What kind of a father would put up with that kind of nonsense? If that’s what will happen with our earthly dad, how can we expect any less from our heavenly one? Being a child of God doesn’t give us a license to sin, or a get out of Hell free pass. Rather a true child longs to please the father he loves, and who loves him, especially when doing the opposite is much more appealing. Obedience isn’t as difficult as it seems when we allow God’s Holy Spirit to guide us. Jesus puts it this way, “If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me. ” John 14:23-24. Do you love him enough to obey?
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