Must I Obey The Bible?
Questions Of Eternal Consequence • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Introduction
Introduction
Greetings…
Over the last several weeks we have been asking and answer different questions that should have an impact on people’s spiritual lives.
We have asked questions such as…
Does God Exists?
Does It Matter What One Believes?
How Many Churches Are There?
Is Salvation Required For Salvation?
Last week, we looked at “Is There Really A Hell?”
That brings me to the sermon for this blessed day we have been given by our God.
The question of eternal consequence we are going to ask and answer is, “Must I Obey The Bible?”
I’m not going to sugar coat this for you.
This is not going to be an easy lesson to preach or teach because…
This, on the surface, this question sounds like an absurd question.
Most, if not all those who say they are Christians, would resoundingly say, “Of course we must obey the bible.”
And yet when we look at the state of humanity, even amongst those saying they are Christians, we find this couldn’t be further from the truth.
Many years ago now, when I was in college, my roommate and I had a bible study with a young man.
At one point when we were discussing the bible and the importance of obey what it says, this young man said something I will never forget. He said…
“There is only one command in the bible, love God, and the rest are just suggestions.”
We then proceeded to look at Mark 12:28-30 which reads…
28 And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?” 29 Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.
30 And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”
That young man, with a confused look on his face simply said…
“What does those verse have to do with what I just said?”
I am sure, like myself, you have a lot of similar experiences when talking with people about God’s word and obedience to his word most specifically.
I’m reminded of what Jesus told Nicodemus in John 3:19-21.
19 And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. 20 For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. 21 But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.
With all this in mind let’s dive into answering this vital spiritual question “Must I Obey The Bible.”
The obvious answer to this question, and why so many answer this question in the affirmative, is because the simple answer is…
Y.E.S.
Y.E.S.
Yearn For God’s Word
Yearn For God’s Word
There is no doubt from scripture that God wants us to “yearn” or “long” for his statutes.
20 My soul is consumed with longing for your rules at all times.
131 I open my mouth and pant, because I long for your commandments.
2 Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— 3 if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.
12 I have not departed from the commandment of his lips; I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my portion of food.
6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
Now if we are to have an unyielding yearning for God’s word, God surely expects us to obey his word.
We not only are to yearn after his word but also…
Enjoy God’s Word
Enjoy God’s Word
God’s word is not meant to be a burden.
3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome.
28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.
God’s word is not meant to be a burden, rather a joy.
16 I will delight in your statutes; I will not forget your word.
103 How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!
16 Your words were found, and I ate them, and your words became to me a joy and the delight of my heart, for I am called by your name, O Lord, God of hosts.
8 I delight to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart.”
If we are to yearn for God’s word, and enjoy God’s word, this can only be accomplished if we…
Study God’s Word
Study God’s Word
There is no doubt that God wants us studying his precious message that we should yearn for and enjoy.
6 And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. 8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. 9 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.
8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night…
15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.
Summary
Summary
What does yearning after God’s word, enjoying God’s word, and studying God’s word have to do with the question “Must I Obey The Bible?”
If God expects us to yearn after his word, enjoy his word, and study his word, he most certainly expects us to obey his word.
8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.
22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.
28 But he said, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!”
21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.
Again this answer, is easy for anyone and everyone to know.
As I said earlier, I don’t know anyone that claims Christianity, saying we don’t have to obey the bible, so why do we find so many people clearly not obeying the bible?
Because most people quietly agree and gravitate towards the idea that Terrell Owens once brazenly shouted out saying the quite part out loud…
I Love Me Some Me
I Love Me Some Me
Feelings Rule Over Most People
Feelings Rule Over Most People
I wish I could stand up here and say with a complete confidence that no one seeks to determine the will of God through his word with feelings in mind.
Now, I’m not saying feelings don’t play a vital part, as we just talked about, in our walk with God and obedience to him.
However, feelings should play no role in determining what God’s word says concerning how we are expected to live for him.
And yet people will take the opportunity to “live for” based solely on how they “feel” God would want them to live and are willing to ignore what God actually says on how he wants them to live.
Again, this is nothing new.
Naaman is a great illustration of this reality when it comes to feelings over the facts of God’s word.
Elisha sends a messenger out and who tells Naaman what he must do to heal his leprosy.
10 And Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh shall be restored, and you shall be clean.”
Naaman doesn’t feel this is good enough.
11 But Naaman was angry and went away, saying, “Behold, I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call upon the name of the Lord his God, and wave his hand over the place and cure the leper. 12 Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?” So he turned and went away in a rage.
The rich young ruler is another great illustration of this.
He had been a wonderful servant of God wherein it came to keeping the Law of Moses.
16 And behold, a man came up to him, saying, “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?” 17 And he said to him, “Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. If you would enter life, keep the commandments.”
18 He said to him, “Which ones?” And Jesus said, “You shall not murder, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness, 19 Honor your father and mother, and, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” 20 The young man said to him, “All these I have kept. What do I still lack?”
Yet when Jesus tells him what was keeping him from being faithful to God, he feels Jesus isn’t right.
21 Jesus said to him, “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” 22 When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.
How Does This Play Out Today?
How Does This Play Out Today?
Most people would rather feel like they are right on a doctrinal topic than actually be right about that doctrine.
All those that believe that there can be more than one church feel like they are right and yet the bible actually says…
22 And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.
4 There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call
All those that believe “once saved always saved” feel like they are right about the bible and yet the bible clearly teaches this isn’t the case…
4 You have become estranged from Christ, you who attempt to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.
All those that believe we can all have different interpretations about doctrinal matters and everyone is right feel like they are right about this, and yet the bible clearly says we must…
15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.
32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.
All those that believe they can live however they want and still go to heaven feel like they are right.
This is why the majority of funerals and people with lost loved one’s always say their dead loved one’s are in heaven, because this feels better than admitting that person never actually lived as God said was necessary to get to heaven.
10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.
14 For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil.
All those that believe you don’t have to be baptized to have your sins removed feel like they are right and saved without such, but the bible is very clear on this matter like the others.
21 Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ
16 Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.
38 And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
16 And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name.
Summary
Summary
I know I have said a lot here that will and should make a lot of us think long and hard.
And I know that hearing this can be difficult and maybe even painful to hear.
But I am not doing it to become your enemy as Paul would say to those who where mad at him for telling them what the bible said even though they didn’t feel like it said it.
16 Have I then become your enemy by telling you the truth?
I’m not saying all this because I don’t want you to go to heaven.
No, I’m showing everyone all this because I desperately want you to go to heaven.
Conclusion
Conclusion
Must I Obey The Bible?
Yes, and again God has said over and over yes.
Invitation
1 Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or his ear dull, that it cannot hear; 2 but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.
6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.
17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
30 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent
33 So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.
32 Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. 33 But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.
8 in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.
1 Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, 2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures
3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.
7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.
12 Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.
