Obedience

We are in the process of being perfected.

This is a process that continues throughout our lives.

Philippians 3:12 (NET) - Not that I have already attained this—that is, I have not already been perfected—but I strive to lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus also laid hold of me.

So, we are not yet perfect.

Can we at least say that we are good?

Not according to scripture.

Psalm 53:2-3 (NET) - God looks down from heaven at the human race, to see if there is anyone who is wise and seeks God. Everyone rejects God; they are all morally corrupt. None of them does what is right, not even one!

Jesus said as much to a rich man.

Mark 10:19 (NET) - Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone.

I will fall short as a human being even on my best days.

Perhaps I will say or do the wrong thing.

More likely, I will probably fail to do the right thing.

I might not even be aware of it.

That is one reason why obedience is so important.

It might be impossible for us to be good, but it is always possible to obey.

Peter and his brother Andrew were fishing one day when Jesus called them.

Matthew 4:19-20 (NET) - He said to them, “Follow me, and I will turn you into fishers of people.” They left their nets immediately and followed him.

James and John were called to obey while assisting their father.

Matthew 4:21-22 (NET) - Going on from there he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, in a boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets. Then he called them. They immediately left the boat and their father and followed him.

Not only did these men leave their lives as they had known them, they did so “immediately”.

That is obedience.

The rich man heard the call and ignored it.

Mark 10:21-22 (NET) - As Jesus looked at him, he felt love for him and said, “You lack one thing. Go, sell whatever you have and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” But at this statement, the man looked sad and went away sorrowful, for he was very rich.

Others hear the call and try to place conditions on their obedience.

Luke 9 61-62 (NET) - Yet another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but first let me say goodbye to my family.” Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”

Complete goodness may be impossible for us in our present state.

Obedience is possible.

Obedience is a matter of choice.

Blessings,

Jim Pokorny

The Other Brother Jim

Look for me at http://faithfulfeetteam.blogspot.com/ on Friday, May 5, 2017.

I will be back here on Friday, May 12, 2017