Dear Church Family,
What would you say to someone who gives you the following reasons why they are not a Christian? “Christians are hypocrites. They say you should do one thing, but they do the opposite. They just follow a bunch of rules. Who needs to be constantly told to do this list of things, but you better not do any of these things. No two people seem to have the same list. I could never keep all the rules and I would have a hard time even remembering all of them. No one really wants a God that makes you do stuff that is hard to do. A life like that sounds like no fun at all. I would be worn out just trying to do all that and might not do enough good to make God even like me.”
Just the last sentence gives you a wide open door to present the message of God’s grace. No one can keep God’s law perfectly. Only Jesus has done that. By believing that one has sinned against the holy God and that Jesus has paid the penalty for sin, can one be forgiven. Jesus did the good works for us. One writer notes how most people view the end of life with these simple words, “The day of judgment is understood to be a straightforward day of reckoning where God weighs a person’s good deeds and their bad deeds. If the scale is heavier on the side of the good, then that person will go to gardens of paradise. If the bad is the heavier side, then that person will begin suffering right away in fiery torment.”
Theologian Doug Eaton provides three reasons why God’s commands are not burdensome. I hope you will meditate on these profound truths.
First, “we are motivated by our love for him.” We love God because He first loved us per 1 John 4:19. Earlier in verse 11 John wrote, “Since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” We have seen God’s love at the cross and that love provides great impetus for His people to overflow with love for Him and His gracious commands.
Second, “the Holy Spirit empowers us” to do what God’s commands. To produce spiritual fruit one must have the indwelling presence and power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus makes this clear in John 15:5, “I am the Vine and you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing.” You can honestly tell anyone (including yourself) that trying to obey God in your own strength will result in failure, frustration and falling on your face.
Third, “His commands revive our soul.” Eaton explains with tender wisdom that, “the commands of God, when viewed in the light of the Spirit, revive our soul. They become a source of strength and happiness. In Psalm 19:7-8 David rejoiced saying, “The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; the precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. Did those key phrases jump out at you? “Reviving the soul,” “rejoicing the heart,” and “enlightening the eyes.” There is no happier state for the believer than holiness, and there is no righteousness apart from his commands. When we are living outside of the will of God, the weight of sin drags us into the mire and makes our brightest day dull. On the contrary, the joy of the Lord and his holiness lifts our spirits to the heavens and can make us rejoice even on our darkest days.”
Pray that God will give you the opportunity to give an answer for the hope that is in you and may these words equip you to share words of life with those who need to hear them.
Living by grace to His glory,
Pastor Gillikin