A CHRISTIAN OBEYS

1. More and more soldiers are leaving for locations close to Iraq.

2. Close to a quarter of a million troops are being readied for combat.

3. As these forces gather, we can make some comparisons with Christianity.

4. One similarity between Bible Christianity and the military is obedience.

5. When we think about how Christians are, we must say they are people who are compliant w/God’s wil

6. This submission is seen in passages like the one just read.

7. The Hebrew writer spoke of “eternal salvation.”

8. This is another way of describing heaven; life with God; avoiding eternity with Satan.

9. In order to have this salvation, we must “obey Him.”

10. Our obedience must be full and unconcerned about the cost.

11. In light of an upcoming war, this is a good time to think about how obedience works.

A. The men and women in our nation’s military are not in the most pleasant of circumstances.

B. Few if any of them relish the prospect of war.

C. There is the threat of chemical and biological attacks.

D. There is the separation from friends and family.

12. Why have more than 200,000 service put themselves in harm’s way.

13. This has been done because soldiers are obedient to their leaders.

SOLDIERS ARE PEOPLE WHO FOLLOW ORDERS. THEY ARE TRAINED TO DO WHAT THEY ARE TOLD.

A. If we want to be associated with God (be a Christian), this must also be our attitude.

B. In Acts 5:29 the apostles said “we must obey God.”

C. These men believed obedience was important.

D. They were so convinced of this that when God’s word conflicted with the government’s,

E. They followed God’s Word.

F. For them being obedient God meant being beaten.

G. It meant harassment, threats, and possible death.

H. The first Christians were obedient to God in spite of difficult circumstances.

2. With the passage of time I have come to a conclusion about those who are not Christians.

3. The greatest problem in taking the gospel to people is not presenting them with the facts.

4. It is helping people each the point where they want to be obedient.

A. Perhaps this is why Paul said in Rom. 6:17, “you obeyed from the heart.”

B. These people developed a love for God and right and did what God wanted.

C. Obedience from the part also has application to our military.

D. A young man or woman may say, “I love my country. I want to defend it.”

E. “I want to put my life on the line to protect and defend the citizens of the United States.”

F. This attitude is honorable and right, and it needs to be the spirit behind our faith.

G. In Rom. 6:17 Paul seems to suggest that there are different reasons for being obedient.

5. I know of cases where people have obeyed and continue to obey God because of fear.

A. Those in this camp are convinced about the existence of God, Satan, and hell, etc.

B. Because Satan and hell are feared, a person is obedient to God’s commands.

C. God is viewed as a policemen or thug with a big stick so a person says, “I submit.”

D. In situations such as this, there is obedience but it is flawed. The thinking is wrong.

6. There is a second attitude which is sometimes prevelant in the minds of people.

7. This approach weighs the possibilities and concludes there is only one satisfactory choice.

A. Perhaps we can compare it to a motorist stranded in the desert.

B. This traveler desperately needs gas, but the price is almost $20 per gallon.

8. The motorist does not want to languish in the desert; he needs to continue with his journey.

9. On the other hand he does not want to pay $20 a gallon for fuel.

10. After he realizes there are only two options he says to the attendant, “I will pay.”

11. This is an approach God, but it is a bad approach.

12. Yet, some say, “if my only two alternatives are heaven or hell, I guess I must take heaven.”

13. “I will obey because I do not like the alternative.”

A. A third viewpoint is the “I will obey so I can something.”

B. This is not uncommon in countries outside the United States.

C. Even in this country this attitude can be found.

D. It is reasoned,

E. “God has a reward for the faithful and I want it.”

F. In this scenario the obedience is motivated by greed and materialism.

14. We can learn some things from the soldiers who honorably serve our country.

15. Many of the members of our armed forces serve because they want to.

16. This is the right attitude concerning Christianity.

A. We are a Christian because we want to be a Christian.

B. This is a choice that we make.

C. This is one of the reasons why infant baptism is wrong.

D. Infants cannot make a choice.

E. Jesus said that baptism is for those who “believe” (those who decide on their own).

F. He did not say it is for the fearful, the people who don’t like the other option, or greedy people.

G. It is for those who have a deep love for God and want to do His will.

H. No person should ever be forced, hounded, or pressured into becoming a Christian.

I. In the great commission Jesus said “go teach,” not “go badger.”

J. Christians like Paul tried to persuade others (2 Cor. 5:11) but he did no bully them.

OBEDIENCE IN THE SPIRITUAL REALM IS RELATED TO THE HEART.

A. A person who has truly been converted will seek God’s will and do it.

B. At least this is what the Lord believed and taught.

C. Jesus was known for saying “If ye love me, keep my commandments.”

D. This is another way of saying that a Christian is someone who obeys God.

E. The amount of Christian’s obedience is full (complete).

2. We live in a time when partial obedience is stylish.

3. People will comply with what they agree with but not everything found in the New Testament.

4. I have had religious people tell me that all churches have their own little quirks.

5. We do it one way; they do it another—it really doesn’t matter as long as we all love God.

A. Let’s consider this viewpoint.

B. What does it really mean if we all go our own separate ways in spiritual matters?

C. This course ultimately elevates man to the same status of God.

D. In fact, I am willing to argue that this approach actually places a human being above God.

E. If God has given us commands and we can discard some of them, who has the most authority?

6. We have no right to decide which instructions we will keep and which we will delete.

7. This has been tried in the past and those who did it were not successful.

8. Consider some examples:

A. Adam and Eve (they ate the forbidden fruit). Their disobedience let to punishment.

B. The first couple was obedient in all but one area.

C. Lot’s wife looked back and perished. It was a single act but it ended her life.

D. Pharaoh refused to let the children of Israel go and he was dealt with severely.

E. Nadab and Abihu (Lev. 10) used fire from a wrong place and died for 1 act of disobedience.

F. Saul was not a priest but he offered a priestly sacrifice (1 Sam. 13).

G. It was apparently the right sacrifice and offered in the right way.

H. The one sticking point was that sacrifices needed to be offered by a priest and Saul was not qualified.

I. He went ahead and offered the offering and this ended his career.

J. David failed to obey God’s command about adultery and he tasted the bitter fruits of it.

K. Jonah refused to deliver a divine message to the Ninevites.

L. He was surely willing to do other work, but he didn’t want to see help these heathens.

M. God did not accept his disobedience.

A PERSON WHO IS A CHRISTIAN OBEYS FROM A HEART OF LOVE AND STRIVES TO DO EXACTLY WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS, WHETHER THE INSTRUCTIONS ARE UNDERSTOOD OR EVEN LIKED.

A. The soldiers in our military may receive some strange orders.

B. If the instructions are from a valid source, good soldiers go without question.

C. This must be the attitude for the Christian.

D. We may not understand God’s reasoning for every instruction or command.

E. A full or even a partial understanding is not necessary because God has a proven track record.

2. God said adultery was wrong. We can and must accept that.

3. David didn’t and he found out that God was right.

4. Jonah was told to go see the Ninevites. The prophet didn’t think this trip was a good idea.

5. God knew more than the prophet did, and when Jonah finally went, the Ninevites repented.

6. Adam and Eve were given instructions so they could have the best possible life.

7. They tried it on their own and wrecked paradise.

8. Obedience matters. It is the only way to heaven (Heb. 5:8-9), and it gives us the best life on earth.

9. Someone once offered a three point outline regarding obedience.

10. This outline says obedience has a “price,” some “pain,” and a “prize.”

A. The price of obedience is self denial.

B. This brings us back to the attitude which says, “I love God more than anything in the world.”

C. “I will do His will, even though my will may be very different.”

D. This spirit is found in Acts 5:29.

E. When people live in this way there will be “pain” (point # 2).

F. The apostles felt pain. Jesus (Heb. 5:8-9) certainly felt the pain of obedience.

G. When we pay the right price and endure the pain we get to the “prize.”

11. Those who are obedient will be with God.

12. For a closing reference I want us to consider Mt. 7:21-24 – READ.

13. Who is a Christian? A person who is obedient to God in all ways.

14. When we think about obedience to God and our life, where are we?

A. Are we completely disobedient, partially obedient, or almost in full compliance with God’s NT?

B. Initial obedience comes by….