Jesus told the story of a man who had two sons. The Father found one of the boys and said, "Son I want you to go work today in the vineyard." "I don't want to, and I won't go." Replied the young man and he walked away. But later as he thought of how he had treated his Father, he repented of his hasty answer and went to the vineyard to work.
The Father meanwhile, went to his other son with the same request. This boy jumped to his feet declaring, "Yes sir I'll be glad to go work in the vineyard." But as soon as he was out of sight, he went his way to do as he pleased. Finishing His story, Jesus asked a question to those who listened, "Which of the two boys did as his Father asked?" Obviously the son who actually worked in the vineyard did the will of his Father. See Matthew 21:28-31. Jesus' point is summed up in the old saying: "Actions speak louder than words." This is doubly true in the Christian life. It is not enough to make a profession of faith. When we are born into the family of God, we must do the will of the Father. We may praise His name for the grace that has redeemed us; we may say "Lord I believe," but is this all that is necessary?
The Christian life must be lived and not just spoken. Through the prophet Ezekiel , God fitly described those who merely have a form of Godliness: "As for you, son of men, your people who talk together about you by the walls and the doors of the houses, say to one another, each to his brother, come and hear what the word is, that come from the Lord. And they come to you as people come, and they sit before you as my people, and they hear what you say but they will not do it, for with their lips they show much love, but their heart is set on their gain and lo, you are to them like one who sings love songs with a beautiful voice and plays well on an instrument, for they hear what you say, but they will not do it." Ezekiel 33:30-32.
It is true that we are not saved by obedience. Salvation is by faith in the blood of Jesus Christ through the grace of God. There is no other means of salvation. We must rely on the righteousness of Jesus. But the person who has experienced the saving grace of Jesus will gladly obey Him.
Jesus urges "If ye love Me keep my commandments." John 14:15. It is evident then that although obedience may not necessarily be a sign of salvation, willful disobedience is automatically a sign of non salvation; for obedience is the outward manifestation of our love for the One who has saved us.
Church ritual and tradition cannot take the place of doing that which God has commanded. King Saul learned this lesson long ago. The Lord commanded him " Now go and smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all..." 1 Samuel 15:3. But he did not fully follow this command, for he spared some sheep and oxen. When questioned, his excuse was that he desired to use them to sacrifice to the Lord. It was then that the prophet who was sent to rebuke him uttered an eternal truth: "TO OBEY IS BETTER THAN SACRIFICE." 1 Samuel 15:22.
It matters not how many years our names are on the rolls of some church register, how much money we have contributed to church enterprises, how many times we have attended worship. All this " sacrifice" says the Lord, is an abomination when it is not accompanied with willing and complete obedience. See Proverbs 28:9.
God promulgated the eternal principles of His kingdom in Ten commends. Wrote them on two tables of stone, and gave them to Israel, His chosen people to cherish throughout all generations. They were warned not to turn aside from them. Not to add to them, or take anything away from them. They were told many times their happiness depended on these commandments. See Exodus 20:1-17 and Deuteronomy 4:1-2.
The Lord exclaimed after giving them His commandments, "O that there were such an heart in them, that they would fear Me, and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children for ever !" Deuteronomy 5:29. Israel did not follow in this way but wandered in the way of the idolaters around them. They compromised the principles that God had enunciated in His commandments until they were no longer recognized as God's special people. One calamity followed another, and they were finally led into captivity. Then it was that the Lord, through Isaiah, cried out concerning His people: "O that thou hadst hearkened to my commandments! Then had thy peace been as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea ? Isaiah 48:18.
Unfortunately the Christian churches too often have been repeating what Israel did. While paying little heed to the Law of God, they have added many traditions that are contrary to the will of God. Today there is too much of human teaching among professed Christians and too little regard given to the whole duty of man, which is to "Fear God, and keep His commandments!" Ecclesiastes 12:13.
Christ's challenge to every Christian is "If ye love Me keep my commandments !" John 14:15. Lest we should think this statement unimportant, Christ repeats it and enlarges upon it in these words: "He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth Me; and he that loveth Me shall be loved by my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him ." John 14:21.
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