24 March 2024

ON BEING AN OBEDIENT DISCIPLE

(Going Forward in Christ: GFIC 12)

The Lord Jesus rebuked His disciples, saying, “Why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord’ and do not do what I say?” (Luke 6:46). Is He also giving us the same rebuke? So often we call Him “Lord” and pray to Him addressing Him as “Dear Lord Jesus”. But is He really Lord? If so, then why are we not walking in complete obedience to His Word and commands? In the Great Commission, Christ commanded the Church to “make disciples of all peoples, baptising them and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you” (Matt.128:19).

The Lord also gave a warning to His followers: “Not everyone who says to Me, “Lord, Lord’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but only the one who does the will of My Father Who is in Heaven” (Matt.7:21). The will of the Father is that all men must acknowledge Jesus as Lord and King: “Let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, Whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah” (Acts 2:36; also Rom.10:9; 14:9). To make Jesus Lord means to give total allegiance to Him in surrender and obedience. One cannot be a believer and follower of Christ without making Him Lord of all. The Bible says that “in everything He must have the pre-eminence” – i.e. taking the first place in our life and making Him Lord of all (Col.1:18). If salvation and entering the Kingdom of Heaven requires making Jesus “Lord” (Matt.7:21; Rom.10:9), then how many so-called “Christians” will actually be saved and go to Heaven? Is that why the Bible repeatedly reminds us that only “the remnant” will be saved?

The question now is: Why would anyone want to make Jesus Lord and obey Him?
The obvious answer is that of Gratefulness. We are grateful to Christ for His Love and Grace, in being willing to become the Atoning Sacrifice for our sins. As the Apostle Paul said, “The Son of God loved me and sacrificed Himself for me” (Gal.2:20). How can any sinner condemned to Hell and saved by Christ not be grateful and surrender his life to Him? Our response should be: “For Christ's Love compels us, because we are convinced that One died for all, and therefore all died. And He died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for Him Who died for them and was raised again” (2 Cor.5:14,15).

Secondly, it is obviously our love for Christ. The Apostle John wrote, “We love Him because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19 -KJV). Love for Christ results in obedience. Our Jesus said to His disciples: “If you love Me, keep My commands…Whoever has My commands and keeps them is the one who loves Me” (John 14:15, 21). Jesus also gave this assurance: “If you keep My commands, you will remain in My Love…You are My friends if you do what I command you” (John 15:10, 14). How then can we not love Christ and obey His commands?

The first and greatest commandment is to love God with all our heart, with all our soul, with all our mind, and with all our strength. Jesus Christ is both Lord and God. Let us then love Him and obey Him lovingly and willingly. AMEN. 

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