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A KEY TO SUCCESSFUL CHRISTIAN LIVING
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JIM LAWS
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John 10:10 tells us that Jesus came to provide abundant
living for us. In our efforts to
understand this concept more clearly, we have considered Jesus’ discussion of
the vine and the branches (John 15:1-17).
We have learned that a key to living life abundantly is fruit bearing,
and the key to fruit bearing is abiding.
The key to abiding is obedience. Now, let’s study for a moment the key
to obedience -- love.
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The key to obeying is loving. We see a strong connection between
obedience and love in the Scriptures. However,
some obey out of fear – because they have to; although there is a proper kind
of fear, i.e., a healthy respect and reverence for God (Heb. 12:28, 29), but fear, is not the best motive
for obedience. We can obey out of
selfishness – because we need to. As a
boy I mowed the grass and cleaned my room, because I knew if I did, I stood a
better chance of getting the car keys for Saturday night. Some people live like this; though such
obedience is commended (Matt. 6:33)
and hence legitimate, it is not the highest motivation for obedience. As we mature we learn the highest
motivation for obedience is love – we obey because we want to (John 14:15).
I believe that love is the key to obedience, and I want you to study
with me for a moment why this is so.
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First, God delights in
obedience from the heart. To say it
another way, obedience from the heart is obedience motivated by love (Deut. 10:12, 13; 26:16; Rom. 6:17; Eph. 6:6). This kind of obedience does not stop
and count the cost, it is happy to obey.
It is like the father who runs into a burning building to save his
child, or the mother who will plunge into the storm to rescue her little
one. Love does not count the cost; love
that calculates is not true love. We
read that love is the essence of the nature of God (1 John 4:8); from this
fact we understand better why he gave his son for the sins of the world (John
3:16).
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Second, it is love that enables
us to render complete obedience. Love
led God to give Jesus (John 3:16; Rom.
5:7, 8). God did not give Jesus because he had to, or because he needed to,
but God gave Jesus because he wanted to – because he loved the world. Love led Jesus to lay down his life (John 5:13). Jesus laid down his life, not because
he had to, nor because he needed to, but because he wanted to – because he
loved us. Truly Jesus had total
respect for God and God’s plan for man; there was the joy set before him,
which were motivating factors for Jesus to give his life freely. However,
factored into this was the greatest motive of all: that of love. Love can lead us to do things that fear and
selfishness cannot motivate us to do.
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Third, love is the fulfilling
of the law (Rom. 13:10). Everything which God has commanded is
comprehended in the concept of love for God and our fellowman. When we truly love, we automatically do
what God commands of our lives. Closely
connected with that is the fact that love is the essence of obeying Christ
(John 15:12). “You are my friends, if you do whatsoever I
command you” (John 15:14). “If you love me, keep my commandments”
(John 14:15). Here is the key to obedience, since we cannot
love God without obeying him, nor can we obey God without loving him.
Fifth Key
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