Dear friend,
Jesus gave an interesting parable during the last week before He was crucified. He told about a man that had two sons. Here's the story: "He went to the first and said, 'Son, go and work today in the vineyard.' 'I will not,' he answered, but later he changed his mind and went. Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, 'I will, sir,' but he did not go." Matthew 21:28-30.
Kind of sounds like a normal family, doesn't? Asking one son to work, and he refuses, and the other one is happy to agree to work, but doesn't do it. But Christ is not just speaking about a normal family interaction here, but about two groups of people that He and all of heaven are interesting in. The first group are those who don't want to get involved with God, and follow His requirements. They just outright refuse, and say: "I will not!" But, thank God, many of them later change their minds and follow God's directions!
But then there are those who hear God's requirements, who know His commandments, and they say, very respectfully and with utmost sincerity, "I will, sir." They say that they belong to God, and they profess to follow the Bible and all of God's directions, but, as the parable says, they simply do not do it. They talk the talk but don't walk the walk. Jesus talked about a group of people in His day that were just like this group: "for they say, and do not." Matthew 23:3.
How is it with you? Do you enjoy the thought that you are a child of the King? That you have been offered eternal life? That you can claim God's promises in your life? But are you just claiming the rights of a child of the King, without doing what the King asks? In profession many claim to be children of God, but in life and character they deny the relationship.
There are many that say that they are children of the King, and when asked what are the requirements of that relationship they tell us that it is based on love. That all we have to do is love each other, love everyone. Just love. And they are partly right. God does want us to love, and the Bible, especially the New Testament, is full of texts about loving each other and even our enemies. But if I choose to obey only half of the requirements of God, and ignore the other half, can I be called an obedient child of God?
Look what Jesus said: "But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men." Matthew 15:9. Even though they are worshiping God, He says it is vain or worthless, because they are teaching doctrines the commandments of men. God recognized two commandments. His own, and everything that conflicts or contradicts His commandments He says are the commandments of men. Which commandments are you following in your life?
In 1 John we find a lot of verses about loving God. But there is another side of the requirements of God that He wants from His children. It's called obedience. There's love, and there's obedience. They go hand in hand. Look what God's Word says: "We know that we have come to know Him if we obey His commandments. The man who says, 'I know Him,' but does not do what He commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him," 1 John 2:3, 4.
This is a call for all of us to search our own lives. Are we doing what He says? Are we obeying Him? Or do we just say we are, and in reality are not? Are we obeying all His commandments, or just the ones that are convenient for us? To say that I am a good law abiding citizen when I drive down the road on the right hand side of traffic, all the while ignoring the speed laws and the other traffic laws, is not a good law abiding citizen. I'm only fooling myself.
Please take some time today and ask yourself what category you are in. Are you like the first son, who falsely refused to obey? Then change your life, and start obeying God. Heaven is well worth it! Or are you like the son that claimed he was obeying, and yet was not? Then please, start walking the way God wants you to walk, and do what He says to do. Otherwise, at the end, when the Judge of the universe looks at every case, then sentence will be pronounced against you, and it will be too late to do anything about it.
Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you, Away from me, you evildoers!"
Matthew 7:21-23.
I'm praying for you!
Mark
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