IOU (Obedience)

Obedience

1 John 5:3, John 14:15, John 15:10, Genesis 35:1, 7

The main aim of this teaching is to alert you to the fact that ‘obedience’ is not a choice. I know this may sound very untrue and hard to grasp, but it is my aim that, to the best of my knowledge, I would be able to make things clear.

Concept 1: Free will
Free will is simply the ability for us, humans, to choose our actions. And it is a gift from God. God gave us the ability to choose what we want to do. Irrespective of situation or circumstance, however, there are other reasons why we don’t just choose things. In every human, free will is present and ultimate. Free will is above every other of our choices.

Concept 2: Choices
Apart form the influence of free will; we (humans) also have a lower level of decision making called - choices.
In this context, we choose without necessarily drawing from the power of free will.

It is this dimension of choice that I say obedience is not based on.
Obedience is not something you choose whether to do or not, obedience is part of the make up of life.

It will be clear in the course of this teaching that our perspective of obedience affects our disposition towards it.
As long as we think obedience is a choice, we put ourselves in a position to choose for or against it.

Example:
As an engineer, we design a lot of things, including lifts. For every lift designed, there is a maximum capacity (i.e. load it can carry). This is boldly written in the lift. This warning requires obedience, and you really do not have a choice on whether to obey or not. The limit is part of the design of the lift. (Obedience is part of the make up of life)
If you disobey, you will face the consequences, (i.e. lift being stuck or get broken, endangering lives). However, you should know that the consequences of disobedience were not designed with you in mind. You were not the reason for the stated punishment.
The punishment also was part of the design.

When God told Adam not to eat of the tree in the middle of the Garden of Eden, God was not trying to test Adam or put him in a risky situation. That instruction was just part of the design of the garden. And surely there were consequences for disobeying.

The laws of a nation are put in place not because they are looking for people to jail, but because that is the design for a peaceful nation for all the inhabitants.
In fact, if you obey, you are not doing anyone a favour; you are only doing your part in making the design work.
Your parent giving rules about certain things is their way of making your life better. It may not be right, but once you know obedience is not a choice, you can work your way backwards and find the ultimate design for that situation.

Concept 3 – Better than sacrifice

1 Samuel 15 vs. 22: “Obedience is better than sacrifice”. Adam disobeyed and the sacrifices of animals could not restore the relationship with God.
The sacrifice of Jesus brought us back to God – those who are willing.

When you acknowledge that God is the creator of the universe, then you will realise that whatever He tells you to do is part of the ultimate design.... and obedience becomes part of the package.
When can you disobey?

Ø When it is not part of the ultimate design.
Ø When it goes against God’s will.

In conclusion, obedience is a short cut to gaining other’s trust.