Obedience or Lip Service?

[Bob Estey]

Bob, your one question sentence as the OP is for non-believers not genuine believers. Genuine believers in Christ generally do obey the LORD GOD and thus do his will! You do realize this right?

Let me explain a bit----------------

It is imperative we define the word 'obedience' in the spiritual sense before going off to say we obey or we give lip service.

Obedience in a biblical sense means to hear (in Hebrew), listen, trust(in Greek - sama) and act upon.
Also, disobedience to God is not doing his will for a believer and never means sin. How can a believer separate themselves from God with the spirit of truth living inside them? They are permanently united in spirit via Christ to the Father.

They can however ignore the call to obey, and therefore suffer spiritually, stunt their spiritual growth toward perfection, and lack blessings from God in the process.

We can not sin if we have the spirit of truth, of Christ of God within us. It means we are not blessed as we are not doing the will of God. Prayer then does not get answered, and miracles in our lives sometimes cease.

So how do we hear and listen as a believer for obedience? In the OT it was primarily done via the prophets and the written Law. Today under grace we hear and listen from the spirit we have inside us, form our heart to our mind, and beside what scripture tell us, as a secondary tool. These can be commands (commandments) given by the spirit at times that we must hear and listen. They are different to each believer as our needs are different in this life. If we ignore the calling of the spirit within us we live a difficult live as a believer and struggle and do not grow as we should. And we sometimes get bewildered and confused and ask why is my life this way as a believer.

Now giving lip-service to the spirit is squelching the spirit for a believer as we are ignoring and not doing the will of God through the spirit of Christ. Believers generally do not give-lip service to the spirit, they do listen and obey. If one find themselves giving lip-service or feeling they do not know the will of God, most of the time, maybe they are not really saved, even if they give a profession of being saved with the spirit, although it is really absent. They might be religious 'good' and pious people and yet never can do the will of God because the spirit is absent and cannot speak to them directly.

A general formula for believers in maturing and constantly doing the will and thus obeying God consist of these three things:

1. Trust and act on the two commandment given by Christ with and through the spirit as a reflex spontaneous action - Love thy Lord your God and love your neighbor as yourself.
2. Pray at every opportunity for anything and everything and in thanksgiving with and through the spirit.
3. Read and understand scripture with and through the spirit.

Doing these 3 things and making them a genuine habit shows genuine obedience as the spirit desire us to do the will of the Father, always.

Giving lip-service and not doing the will of God, as a way of life is alien to a genuine believer. Lip-service is a trait of the imposters, the religious ones, the legalists, those that still work for their salvation, absent of the spirit and never doing the will of God in obedience.

I frequently witness to the fact that sin brings trouble into our lives, so it is best not to sin. I frequently am told that it is impossible to stop sinning.

 

[APAK]

I frequently witness to the fact that sin brings trouble into our lives, so it is best not to sin. I frequently am told that it is impossible to stop sinning.

Well that is another subject Bob, not really the main subject of your thread. Not obeying God does not bring sin to a believer unless you think such sins as of the body and hurting others are disobeying God. Yes we are failing God indeed, is this always sin ? Are we convicted by the spirit of truth within us every time WE FEEL we might have sinned?

There are sins indeed that some may need repentance for sure, but is this being disobedient to God and where he is saying to you, you are imperfect again Bob, now repent. Maybe you are trying to be perfect on your own steam? Maybe you are saying all of this to yourself and not God at all. You might be too hard on yourself I suspect Bob. Not everything we do is sin in God's eyes regarding a true believer in Christ.

Obedience to God is driven by the spirit, not our own interfering natural spirit or a from an evil outside source that convinces us to be guilty and downtrodden every time we miscue in life. The truth in spirit in our heart is always in charge for a believer and then we must cooperate and act as called upon...

 

[JohnPaul]

Should we obey the Lord or is he satisfied with lip service?

I say obey the Lord our God.

 

[Bob Estey]

Well that is another subject Bob, not really the main subject of your thread. Not obeying God does not bring sin to a believer unless you think such sins as of the body and hurting others are disobeying God. Yes we are failing God indeed, is this always sin ? Are we convicted by the spirit of truth within us every time WE FEEL we might have sinned?

There are sins indeed that some may need repentance for sure, but is this being disobedient to God and where he is saying to you, you are imperfect again Bob, now repent. Maybe you are trying to be perfect on your own steam? Maybe you are saying all of this to yourself and not God at all. You might be too hard on yourself I suspect Bob. Not everything we do is sin in God's eyes regarding a true believer in Christ.

Obedience to God is driven by the spirit, not our own interfering natural spirit or a from an evil outside source that convinces us to be guilty and downtrodden every time we miscue in life. The truth in spirit in our heart is always in charge for a believer and then we must cooperate and act as called upon...

For those who believe in obedience, it is not the main subject of the thread, true.

 

[Bob Estey]

I say obey the Lord our God.

I think I would concur.

 

[VictoryinJesus]

Should we obey the Lord or is he satisfied with lip service?

considering your question and for me I think I hear you asking: should we serve God with our heart, or is it instead…lip service with our heart far from Him?


Isaiah 29:13-20


Matthew 15:8-11 This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. [9] But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. [10] And he called the multitude, and said unto them, Hear, and understand: [11] Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.


Mark 7:6-15


Mark 7:21-22 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, [22] Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness:


Philippians 2:5-8 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: [6] Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: [7] But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: [8] And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

“obedient” above makes me think of you OP of “Should we obey the Lord or is he satisfied with lip service?”

 

[Bob Estey]

considering your question and for me I think I hear you asking: should we serve God with our heart, or is it instead…lip service with our heart far from Him?


Isaiah 29:13-20


Matthew 15:8-11 This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. [9] But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. [10] And he called the multitude, and said unto them, Hear, and understand: [11] Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.


Mark 7:6-15


Mark 7:21-22 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, [22] Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness:


Philippians 2:5-8 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: [6] Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: [7] But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: [8] And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

“obedient” above makes me think of you OP of “Should we obey the Lord or is he satisfied with lip service?”

It seems to me lots of people say they are Christians, so you'd think they'd try to obey the Lord, but they seem willing to do otherwise without batting an eye.

 

[VictoryinJesus]

considering your question and for me I think I hear you asking: should we serve God with our heart, or is it instead…lip service with our heart far from Him?


Isaiah 29:13-20


Matthew 15:8-11 This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. [9] But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. [10] And he called the multitude, and said unto them, Hear, and understand: [11] Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.


Mark 7:6-15


Mark 7:21-22 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, [22] Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness:


Philippians 2:5-8 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: [6] Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: [7] But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: [8] And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

“obedient” above makes me think of you OP of “Should we obey the Lord or is he satisfied with lip service?”

Considering:
should we serve God with our heart,
or is it instead…lip service with our heart far from Him? Romans 7:25 I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.

what exactly is “But with the flesh the law of sin” all I can think of is: no one is justified in the flesh but all are guilty. For me meaning no matter if we obey a forth, two thirds or three quarters …if we fail in one part we are guilty of all. So to serve the law of sin is death where in Romans and other places it instructs “dead” crucified in the flesh, Alive unto God to serve in newness. Alive unto God is the only way I can think to serve God with a Heart that is not far from God…as Paul instructed “I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God”
how can one serve the Law of God unless they are made Alive unto God? Romans 8:7-8 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. [8] So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. “Neither can it be” “I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord”???

Romans 6:7-11 For he that is dead is freed from sin. [8] Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: [9] Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. [10] For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. [11] Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.


Romans 6:13-18 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. [14] For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. [15] What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid. [16] Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? [17] But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. [18] Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness. (Heart…circling back to lip service with a heart that is far from God…or out from the heart that is near unto God? Alive unto God?)

but all this leads to a question. It is appointed to man to die once…
Then “Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. [10] For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.”
Being raised from the dead Christ dies no more …death has no more dominion over Him. —For sin shall not have dominion over you
He died unto sin once, but in that He lives as instructed liken yourselves also Alive unto God, as Christ Lives unto God..
…so confused as to why Paul said “I die daily” ?

 

[VictoryinJesus]

It seems to me lots of people say they are Christians, so you'd think they'd try to obey the Lord, but they seem willing to do otherwise without batting an eye.

with all due respect because I don’t know you. For me that sounds too much like lots of women say they are Christians, so you would think they would try to obey the Lord(their husband and master), but they seem willing to do otherwise without batting an eye. ‘As Even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement.’ 1 Peter 3:6

 

[Bob Estey]

with all due respect because I don’t know you. For me that sounds too much like lots of women say they are Christians, so you would think they would try to obey the Lord(their husband and master), but they seem willing to do otherwise without batting an eye. ‘As Even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement.’ 1 Peter 3:6

I look at God and Jesus as women's masters, not husbands.

 

[quietthinker]

Obedience or Lip Service?
Botox?