I believe love is better than obedience.
We can do what we do for others out of our desire to be obedient to God. We discern the circumstance, we examine our knowledge of God's Word, and we act according to our best understanding.
We can do what we do for others our of our Christian love for them. I like where the KJV says, "Charity". I understand this as, our internal commitment towards the wellbeing of others. The inner desire to meet other people's needs, however much I can, with all godliness.
With all godliness, we are informed by the Bible as to what is and is not godliness.
But the true expression of our faith isn't found in conforming our behavior to a list of commands we read in the Bible, and focus on constraining our behavior to those.
"Faith, expressed by Love."
The true expression of our faith will be our caring for those around us, serving their needs from our hearts.
I remember years ago, my mother was in poor health at the time. In those days I wanted nothing to do with her. God spoke to me, "She is my beloved daughter, and you will serve her." There was no doubt in my mind. So serve her I did, and in bitterness, though I think I was just about always able to hide it. Once I dared mention things past, with no better response then I had expected.
But I served her needs, obedient to God's command. God's child was cared for, so the work was accomplished.
But is this what God intends for us?
In loving others, we do all that we do in obedience, only, we add in this inexhaustible outflowing of care and concern that doesn't just do what is required, but finds more to do till all that love is fully expressed.
And I'm not seeing a limit on that!
Much love!
We can do what we do for others out of our desire to be obedient to God. We discern the circumstance, we examine our knowledge of God's Word, and we act according to our best understanding.
We can do what we do for others our of our Christian love for them. I like where the KJV says, "Charity". I understand this as, our internal commitment towards the wellbeing of others. The inner desire to meet other people's needs, however much I can, with all godliness.
With all godliness, we are informed by the Bible as to what is and is not godliness.
But the true expression of our faith isn't found in conforming our behavior to a list of commands we read in the Bible, and focus on constraining our behavior to those.
"Faith, expressed by Love."
The true expression of our faith will be our caring for those around us, serving their needs from our hearts.
I remember years ago, my mother was in poor health at the time. In those days I wanted nothing to do with her. God spoke to me, "She is my beloved daughter, and you will serve her." There was no doubt in my mind. So serve her I did, and in bitterness, though I think I was just about always able to hide it. Once I dared mention things past, with no better response then I had expected.
But I served her needs, obedient to God's command. God's child was cared for, so the work was accomplished.
But is this what God intends for us?
In loving others, we do all that we do in obedience, only, we add in this inexhaustible outflowing of care and concern that doesn't just do what is required, but finds more to do till all that love is fully expressed.
And I'm not seeing a limit on that!
Much love!
