“As Obedient Children” 1 Peter 1:14
Interestingly, we are not commanded to be obedient in this passage, but merely described as such. In other words, to be a believer is to be obedient. Peter assumed that his audience would be obedient because of their claim to be Christ’s followers, thus he says “AS obedient children.” Apart from obedience there can be no salvation; the essence of sin is rebellion against the divine authority. Think of Eve’s instruction: “do NOT eat of the fruit.” Her sin was that of rebellion and disobedience, bringing sin into the world.
Furthermore, it is stated in Ephesians that “people of the world are children of disobedience,” they are molded and shaped by their rebellion and disobedience. The question, then, is “who is boss?”, “to whom do I belong?”, “to whom do I owe allegiance?”, and “who has authority to require obedience of me?” As Americans, among all the people of the world, we are the most difficult to get to obey, as we are “sons of freedom.” Even the nature of our liberty is that of rebellion, and so we do not take kindly to being obedient to anyone.
We Americans, according to Tozer, embody the world as the Bible speaks of it, although he recognizes his appreciation for this country.
The people of the world will say they belong to themselves. They believe they owe allegiance to no one, but they give it to whomever they believe. They say that no one has authority to require obedience of them. The liberation of America is this: we have created our laws, and we give anyone in office the power to have their position. The point is that we are very used to doing things our way and having all authority.
Freewill says that God has given us the power of self-determination, but he has not given us the right to it. Unlike a car, or plane, or other object which does not have the power of self-determination, we are able to put ourselves in motion and make decisions. We do not have the right to self-determination because God has clearly given us a choice of good or evil, and we do not have the right to choose evil. We do not have the right to lie, to steal, murder, or commit crime but we have the power to do so. We never have a right to be bad, but only good, because God is good, just like Adam and Eve had no moral right to the tree and the fruit they ate of.
“Our wills are ours to make them thine.” In other words, our wills are ours so that we can give them back to God in obedience. God has the right to command and we have the right to obey, and thankfully his burden is light and leads us to life and joy in obeying Him.
There has been a heresy taught in many Christian circles, and it is this:
1. That we are saved by accepting Christ as our savior.
2. That we are sanctified by accepting Christ as our Lord.
3. That you can do one without the other.
We cannot take Jesus as our savior without taking him as our Lord, although the opposite is preached in many circles. Scripture does not teach that Jesus can have a divided relationship with His children, and that’s exactly what happens when someone takes Jesus as savior but not as Lord. In fact, Scripture consistently refers to Jesus as our “Lord,” and uses that word in place of Savior. Interesting, because that denotes a kind of expected obedience. Salvation apart from obedience is unknown in the sacred Scriptures.
No one can receive half of Christ, or part of Christ. We are not to believe on an office or a work, but on a Lord who did that work and who holds that office. We must submit ourselves to Him as Lord and obey his commands. It is here that we will find life and abundance, and it is where He is most pleased. And that should be our motivation; not blessings for ourselves, but only that He might be pleased.
Heaven is heaven because of the obedience of its inhabitants, and hell is hell because of it’s inhabitant’s disobedience. Choose heaven.
