The last few weeks I’ve been thinking (and writing) a lot about grace and how grace is a means for not only becoming righteous in a legal sense, but also in a practical sense. This time I want to focus on the relationship between belief and obedience.
What I’ve come to fundamentally understand about obedience is that it is, in the end, a matter of faith more than anything. In order to obey someone’s instructions, I need to know two things. I need to know they are willing to instruct me to do the best thing. I need to believe that they know what the best thing is. So for me, obedience comes down to this.
- Is God Trustworthy? Does he have my best interest at heart?
- Does God knows what’s best for my life or do I know what’s best for my life?
Let’s take an example. God says not to bear false witness. I’m going to take this in it’s strictest sense for moment. I should not give false testimony about another person. If I do give false testimony, it will result in negative effects for my neighbor. It will therefore have a negative impact on my community. I will gain a reputation for someone who cares more about my self interest than honesty or the needs of others. I will hopefully feel very guilty about this false testimony and will be forced to live with the consequences of my lies. People will not trust me. People may despise me. Others may feel inclined to give false testimony about me and I will reap those consequences, as well. This is all bad news.
If I had trusted that God had my best interests in mind and that he knew what was best for me, I would have refrained from bearing false witness. Even if I didn’t know why I should do it, I would have trusted him and obeyed. We see this in the natural world. On a recent episode of Downton Abbey (yes, I know…don’t judge) Lord Grantham asked his personal butler, Bates, for a favor that involved illegal activity. Lord Grantham assured Bates that this was necessary and only meant to prevent a greater evil (the dishonoring of the British Crown), but didn’t give him any details. Bates’ response? “You’re word is enough for me, m’lord.”
Bates had spent enough time with “his lordship” to know the man’s character and Bates had been aided enough throughout his years with Lord Grantham to be willing to operate only on his word, with little understanding but a great deal of trust. And this is for a mere man! How much more should we be willing to do what God asks simply because it is he who is asking? If we believe him, we obey. If we don’t, we do things our own way.
Now a biblical example. Hebrews 11.31 speaks of Rahab, the prostitute who hid the Israelite spies who were on a scouting mission prior to the fall of Jericho. Rahab heard all that God had done for the Israelites and believed that he was both able and willing to destroy her hometown, Jericho (Joshua 2.8-11). She hid the spies and supported God’s plan for Israel. In this she lied. But Hebrews 11 says that “by faith the prostitute Rahab…was not killed with those who were disobedient.” Notice the contrast. Rahab had faith. The others disobeyed. It isn’t those who have faith contrasted with those who lack faith. The Bible directly contrasts faith with disobedience. The reason is simple. Faith always leads to obedience. Lack of faith always leads to disobedience.
Likewise, Paul says in Romans 14 that everything done outside of faith is sin. Before you attack my sloppy exegesis, remember this – though Paul is making a different point about faith and sinfulness, the link between faith and obedience is still solidly there. Jesus says in John 14 that those who love him obey him. Love and faith are very closely linked. It seems that Bates loved Lord Grantham. And we love the God we put our faith in. To the extent that our love for him rules us, we obey. And when our love falters, we disobey. I think the love Jesus speaks of in this context is virtually synonymous with faith.
“But I do believe!” you’re screaming in your heart at this moment. Of course, but each of us has inside a mixture of belief and unbelief (cf. Mark 9.24). We believe God, but we don’t. To the extent that we cultivate belief, our obedience will increase. And this is done by the grace of God (maybe more to come on practical ways to cultivate faith later?).
What I find myself doing a lot lately is reciting a little mantra. For the record, I don’t like mantras. The resistance is partly due to my distaste for anything smacking of eastern meditation and partly not wanting to feel silly. But here I am, using a mantra anyway and finding it very useful. When I’m facing temptation to engage in those stubborn sins that are frankly just too powerful in my life (and we all have them), I recite in my mind, “if you say so.” I’m telling God that I’m going to obey simply because he asked me to. It is for me an acknowledgement that he knows that he’s doing better than I know what I’m doing.
Tempted to mislead (lie) in order to avoid appearing inept, less than, or stupid? It would be so much easier than admitting my failure, but if you says so. Inclined to harbor impure thoughts, even though it damages my relationship with my wife? I want to minimize the infraction, but if you say so. Feeling entitled to take more than I should (money, good will, benefits of any kind) in order to get ahead? I think I deserve it, but if you say so.
If I trust that God wants what is best for me and that he knows what is best for me, I will obey. Just because he says so.
Living On Purpose 