Wiveliscombe Evangelical Congregational Church

This is the story of the reconciliation of something I have struggled with since I became a Christian. It has been revealed to me over the last two years, but first let us talk about understanding what God tells us. When Jesus revealed the wonders of the Kingdom to His disciples, when he told them about these things, he wanted them to absorb these revelations into them-selves. He said "He who has ears to hear; let him hear." Matt 11: 15

Like a spot of dye in a tank of clear water this understanding was to tint every particle of their being. He wanted the knowledge He gave them to not: just be shown by a change in their actions just be referred to in the way they spoke

or even just colour their thinking. He wanted them and he wants us to feel this knowledge. For it to be written on our hearts. It has to become part of us. Does God not say "my words will not return to me empty but will accomplish all that I desire". Now why have I said all that; because for years I struggled with an apparent impossibility.

I was given the impression as a Christian that you:

 Should go to Church

 Should go to Prayer and Other meetings

 Should take the opportunity to meet with your fellow Christians whenever you can.

 Should tithe

 Should give of your time

 Should not indulge in things which would bring the Church into disrepute

 Should not ogle attractive women in the street

 Should love your brothers and sisters in Christ. (Even if you do find some a pain in the neck)

BUT and this is the problem

You should not rely in your own strength but in God

You see these are all good things. However there is just one word in all that which is the crux of the problem and the reason why you cannot achieve it.

SHOULD

So, one has to do and not do all these things and more - but not put effort into it yourself.

However surely "SHOULD" requires action by the one who SHOULD.

So, in some magical way, will it just happen?

Well I knew perfectly well it would not, just happen. It takes effort to get out of bed on Sunday morning; to arrive at a meeting after a days work. Sometime you need a lot of energy to talk to a friend with a problem. Well how do you do all these things but not do it by shear determined effort. (That doesn’t work anyway because you have not got that much energy or will-power)

The answer is in this statement of Jesus.

"If you love me, you will obey what I command."

John 14: 15

How DO YOU read it?

Lets try again -read it as a command -

"If you love me, you will obey what I command."

John 14: 15

Or like this - read it again, but not as a command.

Read it as a statement of fact, or as a promise ...

"If you love me, you will obey what I command."

John 14: 15

You see keeping the Lord’s commandments is not they way to show you love the Lord; it is the consequence of loving Him.

Did Jesus really need the disciples to obey His command to know they loved Him? Remember what the Samaritan woman said to her fellow townspeople. "He told me everything I ever did". Jesus knew His disciples and knows us through and through, he knows if we love Him. That first reading does not hold water.

If Jesus was telling us that he would know we love Him if we kept His commandments then that would be like my wife saying she will know I love her if I bring her a cup of tea in the morning. I do, but because I am under no obligation it really is a sign of love. I don’t do it to show I love her, I do it because I love her.

What we need to absorb is the knowledge that God loves, with a love that we see in Jesus.

When we understand in that all embracing, dyed into our spirit, way then will we love God in such a way that we will keep His commands.

In this state we will not have to strive, it will be natural for us.

But for now we "see through a glass darkly, we know in part", we are not perfected and do not love God as we should.

We are being transformed, we are not yet completed.

If you think this is all waffle then tell me how you can reconcile "you should" do this, not do that, be like this and other such instruction with the words of our Lord.

If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. John 8: 36

How are you free if you are obliged to do all these things?

How are you going to enthuse the people around you who ask what is being a Christian all about.

Are you going to say "You Should"….

Or

Are you going to quote Jesus?

I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

John 10: 10

Jesus tells clearly that the most important thing we can do is to love God. Second is our love for our neighbour. All the law God has given us stands on these two things.

As I have said we can only achieve the “you should”s, if we love God. But to love God we have to know Him and more we need to know His love for us.

How much does God love you and me?

I could quote John 3,16. I think it better that we try to understand in that “dyed into our spirit way” I mentioned before. We

could do this by remembering that God made us in His image and likeness. That means does it not, that we experience in

our minor way Gods feelings.

Now consider this. LOVE COSTS. Its not written like that in the Bible but John 3,16 says exactly that. It cost God His son, the agony of the cross and separation of the one God, (God the Father from God the Son).

If we are to understand Gods love for us we must look to our own experience, for we are made in His likeness. We know from our own lives the cost of love. If you love someone and for whatever reason you lose them you know the pain.

In my talk in the service I expressed my pain at the thought I may never see my parents in eternity, because I have no assurance that they accepted Christ.

 

But if we feel such agony, what does our Heavenly Father feel about His creatures who have of their own free will turned from Him, will have nothing to do with Him and in the end will be permanently separated from Him.

“My spirit will not contend with man for ever.”

f I a creature of God, the God who is by His very nature love, feel dreadful hurt at such loss, what does He feel?

This is surely the thing we must strive for above all things; to know God and the depths of His love.

Only as we appreciate God and His love can we truly love and worship Him for who He is. And only as we love Him will obeying His commands become the natural, effortless thing for us to do.

How else could Jesus say, “My yoke is easy, my burden is light”.

I keep the Lord’s commandments just because I want to.

This I have learnt or should I say am learning more every day.

How many more times will He have to tell me?

Being a Christian is not a continuous battle of will; it is a state of existence.

God has accepted you THEREFORE you are His beloved child.

Robert Lewis – May 2005