Hello All,
(Just a general disclaimer that I must insert here at the beginning. I am but a lay person, like most of you. And these weekly “thoughts” are but my own. Not the definitive word on this or any topic. Just my own conclusions derived from my own study and faith in God. The greatest hope I have for these weekly “thoughts” is to have them be a springboard for further study on your part. Not to be a weekly treatise to be blindly accepted. So, please read them with this intent, this motive in mind).
A new “Adult Sabbath School Study Guide” lesson quarterly for our fourth quarter of 2021 titled “Present Truth in Deuteronomy”, and our first lesson titled “Preamble to Deuteronomy”. This is the book of the Bible most quoted by Jesus. For this reason alone, it merits our intense study. But it is also Moses’ re-telling of the Hebrew’s story with comments. It is so important that we look at our Christian history. It is full of lessons for us today. Lessons we need to learn. So as we open our last lesson quarterly of 2021, let us humbly, prayerfully study. The Holy Spirit will surely guide us. Let us look for His leading.
Our lesson at times emphasizes obedience and the faithlessness of the Children of Israel. Obedience is all about trust/ faith, for sure. If we trust God, we will long to obey Him. Obey. Not comply. Compliance is not obedience. Obedience comes from a heart of love. Compliance is not from a heart of love at all. Compliance comes from other motives (fear of punishment, hope of reward, desire to please, desire for superiority, and the coldest of all motives… obligation). But it is love for God and the love of Righteousness which are the only true motives that can be called “obedience”. And love, this measure of love, cannot be commanded or conjured-up no matter how hard you try. Mankind has no power to obey. The most that unregenerate man can do is “comply”. Which is not “obedience” at all. Compliance fueled by obligation is not, nor never has been “obedience”.
“The man who attempts to keep the commandments of God from a sense of obligation merely–because he is required to do so–will never enter into the joy of obedience. He does not obey” (Christ’s Object Lessons pg. 97).
“A sullen submission to the will of the Father will develop the character of a rebel. By such a one service is looked upon as drudgery. It is not rendered cheerfully, and in the love of God. It is a mere mechanical performance. If he dared, such a one would disobey. His rebellion is smothered, ready to break out at any time in bitter murmurings and complaints. Such service brings no peace or quietude to the soul” (Signs of the Times July 22, 1897). “The character of a rebel” or of Satan himself.
“True obedience is the outworking of a principle within. It springs from the love of righteousness, the love of the law of God. The essence of all righteousness is loyalty to our Redeemer. This will lead us to do right because it is right–because right doing is pleasing to God” (Christ’s Object Lessons pg. 97). So obedience is also a work of God in the heart/ mind of sinful man. Our role is to submit. And even that submission cannot be done without God. For He leads us to die with Him on the cross. Self cannot crucify self… or self would boast.
“Obligation” and its fruit “compliance”, does have some limited value, though. It is man’s first recognition that he is not his own. That he has been “bought with a price” (1 Corinthians 6:20). Man starts out with his meager motive of “obligation” in order to comply (this is much of what we see in the Old Testament). But that motive only leads to frustration if you are weak, or pride if you are strong. “Obligation” will not carry anyone to the place God has designed for each. Only a recognition that you cannot fulfill this “obligation” and yearn for true heart-love obedience will lead us down the right path. A path of contrition. A path of confession. A path of repentance. A path to the cross. Where we will be born again.
Let us study this quarter the lessons of Deuteronomy. Much of what we know about God and faith is from the failures of the Children of Israel over their history not so much by their successes. But then, this is what life is like. In all ages, we sinners learn from our failures more than our successes.
With brotherly love, Jim