Obedience

Samuel said, “Has Yahweh as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying Yahweh’s voice? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams. 

1 Samuel 15:22

When I was a boy I was required to attend church with my mom and grandmother. There was an elderly lady that would occasionally stand up to give a testimony and would often say “Children, it’s time we got out of the milk of the word and got into the meat of the word”. I had a vague understanding that she meant that the quality of the preaching was substandard or that we were not being taught the deeper teachings of the Bible. It seemed like some “holier than thou” platitude at the time and I didn’t give it much thought.

I want to talk to you about something that has been on my mind recently. I read religious writers and listen to sermons on occasion and something has occurred to me. There is very little teaching or preaching on obedience. I hear a lot on the subjects of faith and forgiveness and that is wonderful. I hear far too much about prosperity, tithing and planting faith seed money. Also, far too much about politics. I’m not a fan of these. But, I will leave that for another time.

Samuel was a prophet. He was sent by Yahweh. Yahweh used Samuel as a judge, a king maker and to speak His warnings and instructions to Israel. What Samuel was not, was a diplomat. Yahweh does not send diplomats, He sends prophets. The second greatest of the prophets was John the Baptist. Third, Moses through whom we were given Yahweh’s Commandments. The greatest of the prophets sent by Yahweh was Yeshua, the Messiah, our soon coming king. 

The job of a diplomat is to negotiate. The job of a prophet is to proclaim the words and the will of God. The word of God is not negotiable. Simply put, I see Clergy telling people it’s okay to negotiate the terms of their salvation with God instead of proclaiming His Word. They are doing this because they have been lead to believe that the Law of God has been done away with. 

Read the words of Yeshua, 

For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one letter, not one stroke of a letter, will pass from the law until all is accomplished. (Matthew 5:18)

People have been taught from the pulpit that if they only believe in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus they are eternally saved and can continue with their lives secure in the knowledge that they are saved.

Again read the words of Yeshua.

 (Matthew 19:16-22) “And behold, one came to Him and said, “Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may obtain eternal life?” 17 And He said to him, “Why are you asking Me about what is good? There is only One who is good; but if you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.”

 By teaching this false doctrine of “easy believeism” the leaders of their churches have loosened their morals to the point that almost anything can be justified with no remorse. What we are left with is a lot of people calling themselves Christians but who are is fact religious sinners. They have been taught that it is impossible to obey the commandments so they need not try. These clergy persons are slandering the character of Yahweh with this teaching. What Parent would demand that their child do what is impossible? Good Parents only give their children instructions because they are in the Childs best interest. Would Yahweh give us commandments we could not obey?

Read the words of the Apostle John. 

(1 John 2:4)  The one who says “I have come to know God” and yet does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in such a person.

(1 John 3:4)Everyone who practices sin also practices lawlessness; indeed, sin is lawlessness. 

(1John 3:22-24) we shall receive all the things that we ask from him, because we keep his commandments and we do good before him.

Here is an interesting passage from Proverbs that ties into John’s Words.

The one who turns away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer is an abomination. (Proverbs 28:9)

Could this be why so many prayers go unanswered?

Quoting from the prophet Isaiah, Yeshua warned against trusting our own ideas instead of YHVH’s laws “‘This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. And in vain they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.’ For laying aside the commandment of God, you hold the tradition of men … All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition” (Mark 7:6-9).

“Children, it’s time we got out of the milk of the word and got into the meat of the word”. The word is obey.