I taught the following important principle from my pulpit this week, “The greatest thing I can ever encourage you to do is to obey God.” I have come to believe this after years of studying Holy Scripture. Some might argue that this seems too simple; however, if you understand how God sanctifies His children, it makes perfect sense. Solomon expressed it quite simply at the end of the Book of Ecclesiastes.
The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil.
-Ecclesiastes 12:13-14
If you’re reading this and you’re a member of my congregation you might be asking yourself, “Gee, how many times is he going to quote this passage from Solomon this year?” I would agree that the Spirit has had me use Solomon’s wisdom quite often lately. I’ll cite a famous quote:
“If I had more time, I would have written a shorter letter.”
-Blaise Pascal
The point of the above quote is that it is more difficult to communicate succinctly, while not losing meaning, than it is to carry on and on. A true measure of your mastery over a subject is your ability to effectively explain it to a five-year-old. Why do you think most elementary school teachers possess a master’s degree? Why do you think college professors teaching undergraduate classes possess a PhD? Why do you think Paul wrote, “Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands, nor take part in the sins of others; keep yourself pure” (1 Timothy 5:22)? The answer to all three of these questions is that sound teaching requires mastery over a subject.
Now, back to the original point, “The greatest thing I can ever encourage you to do is to obey God.” While this may seem like an oversimplified thing to say, it has taken years to fully grasp. I didn’t teach this principle ten years ago. I understood the value of obedience, of course, but not to the degree that I do today. The wiser I’ve become, the more I “see” Solomon’s summary point at the end of the Book of Ecclesiastes.
Here’s why I am writing this blog to you…
Encouraging a person to obey God is simple to express. However, just because I can summarize my pastoral labor doesn’t mean the sheep acquire Biblical wisdom the first time they hear it. Sanctification takes time. As a result, it’s a lot easier for me to effectively encourage a spiritually mature person in the faith than it is an immature one. Why? Because the immature person is still plagued with fleshly remnants of the self-life. As a pastor, I don’t have a clear line-of-sight to my teaching objective with them. So, the conversation ends up being longer and more delicate. There are primitive issues and fundamental doctrines immature believers still need to work out before I can effectively teach the “simple” stuff.
It’s also easier to teach simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ to mature believers than immature ones. Case in point, a mature believer will read the last sentence and equate said devotion to obedience; whereas an immature believer won’t because the “connective tissue” hasn’t been formed yet in their souls and they are more apt to only see the connection between love and devotion. A mature person knows that love and obedience are two sides of the same coin; therefore, devotion is a function of obedience.
Jesus said, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments” (John 14:15) and “If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love” (John 15:10). Do you see the connection between love and obedience?
As a pastor, I have been given authority to teach Holy Scripture. I have authority to teach obedience. A mature person understands that whenever I’m teaching obedience, I’m actually encouraging them into the sphere of God’s love. A less mature person will often mistake my actions as that of a taskmaster wielding some kind of an authoritative whip. Nothing could be further from the truth.
I encourage believers to obey God because I understand that this is the pathway to abiding in His love. While I’m often misunderstood, my spiritual gift is essential to the Lord’s sanctifying work in His sheep.
Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.
-1 Thessalonians 5:11
Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.
-Ephesians 4:29
And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.
-Hebrews 10:24-25
I hope you found this blog encouraging.
Love in Christ,
Ed Collins