September 5, 2017 NOT A BURDEN
1 John 5:3-5 “For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome. For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. And who is the one that overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
The idea of keeping ‘commandments’ has a negative connotation to many in culture in which we live. The nature of man is to be in control and man resist being told what to do or what not to do. However, those who have been born again have been given new natures and their new nature is to follow the leading of the Lord instead of being led by self-the old nature. Since Adam and Eve, the epic battle of mankind centers around who is in control, or, which of the two natures is operative. The battle is won by and through faith-faith that Jesus is the Son of God. By believing and accepting all that Jesus accomplished by His death, burial and resurrection, one is made new and given a new nature, a new heart, and a new mind. As sons and daughters of God, we learn that every command that God gives is good and leads to life, and we learn that keeping His commandments is not burdensome. (However, there is one fact that each believer must be aware of, and that is that even as a believer, it is possible to revert back to living under the control of our old nature-there are many scriptures that admonish believers to walk according to the Spirit and not according to the flesh.) We overcome the world only by living by faith in Christ, by acknowledging that He is in us and we are in Him, and by living according to the new nature that He has given us. Again, the battle is all about who is in control. The one who does not know Christ as Savior, has only one choice, and that is to live according to his nature that opposes the rule God in his heart. In the world, we see lives being lived out of an unredeemed nature where selfishness reigns. In contrast, there are those who overcome the world because of their faith; who have been born again to ‘a living hope’, who have been made new, who know God as Savior, who walk in the commandments of God, and who live their lives in a way that pleases God. For example, we overcome when we respond in love in place of anger; when we focus on giving instead of getting; when we prefer others rather than demanding what we want; and etc. The scriptures are full of commands and instructions from God, and every one of them is for our good and every one of them leads to life. As believers, let us welcome and let us be anxious to hear and obey the commandments of God-even if we do not fully understand and even if our old nature resist His command. A recent personal example-we recently moved, and in the process of the move, I came across something I had borrowed years ago but never returned. Even though I did not like the thought of calling the one that lent me the item, I knew that the Lord was saying to do just that. I did call and apologize, and the owner was very gracious, and we had a good visit when I met him to return the item. Immediately after returning the item, I felt the peace and joy that comes when we keep His commandments.
John 14:21 “He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and disclose Myself to him.”
Blessings,
Buddy
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