The idea of obedience to the will of the Lord or leading of the Holy Spirit (which in my estimation is one in the same, but not always received the same) is not one for using to measure other Christians. However, I believe it is a measurement we should each use individually to understand our own love of the Lord. I believe it is an indicator of how much we are maturing in our faith. If we are becoming obedient in aspects of our lives as Jesus was obedient then we are growing.
As Murray points out, in the book we are discussing, in chapter 2, The Obedience of Christ, the scripture Romans 5:19 is one to study and learn about Christ’s obedience. It says, “For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s obedience many will be made righteous.”
He goes on to state in the same chapter, “The object of Christ’s life of obedience was threefold:
- as our example, to show us what true obedience was;
- as our surety, by His obedience to fulfill all righteousness for us;
- as our head, to prepare a new and obedient nature to impart to us.
And so He died to show us that full obedience is a readiness to obey to the uttermost, even to die for God.” Page 25
Later he writes, “To know what obedience is, consider how the obedience of Christ is the secret of our righteousness and our salvation. Obedience is the very essence of that righteousness. Obedience results in our salvation. His obedience, first of all to be accepted, trusted, and rejoiced in, as covering and making an end of my disobedience, is the one unchanging, never-to-be-forsaken ground of my acceptance. . . . Christ’s obedience becomes the life-power of my new nature.” Page 26
2 comments:
What touches me about Romans 5 is the realization that by one man's disobedience the many were "constituted" sinners. Disobedience is in the genes. That, of course, is wonderful - because if is "just as" we were made sinners "so also" by one Man's obedience we are made righteous, then we will be constituted righteous. Obedience is in His nature and is now being constituted into us to become our new nature as we feed on the Obedient One. We are partakers of the Divine Nature. Also I'm touched that obedience was worked out in the Godhead first. The Son became obedient to the Father. This obedience is therefore divine - eternal, indestructible and incorruptible, yet we can partake of it. Amazing grace!
When I was growing up I learned a song which has stuck with me for years: O-B-E-D-I-E-N-C-E, Obedience is the very best way to show that we believe. As said in number 4, we need to show the same obeniece tHat Christ showed he was willing to go to the cross give his life for us. It is about sacrafice, we must be willing to surrender all to him and in doing so we show our obedience as we give back what he has already given. As the song writer of old wrote "All to Jesus I surrender all to him I freely give." Take a moment and look around while you sit in your home and ask yourself would obedience be easier if we were not surrounded with the things in our lives, if we look at our stuff and remember that it dose belong to him how much more can we enjoy life, remenber by our fiathfulness he as he said provides all of what we need. Christ is my all and all and without him I would be nothing. We live in an exiciting time as we see the unfolding of his plan. Remain faithful for it could be today that we see him face to face in all of his Glory AMEN!!
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