In a humorous story about a ship captain, it is clear that obedience is a vital aspect of our relationship with God. As followers of Jesus, we are called to walk in obedience to His word, even when it goes against our desires. This blog explores the importance of obedience in the life of a believer and how it leads to a transformed life in Christ.
Many times, we claim to follow Jesus and trust Him as our Savior, but our lives do not reflect that commitment. We have a disconnect between saying we trust Him as Savior and actually following Him as Lord. This disconnect hinders our growth and transformation in Christ. To truly follow Jesus, we must surrender our lives to Him and allow Him to be the one who calls the shots. We cannot live lives on our terms, but rather, we need to align ourselves with God's will and walk in obedience.
As believers, our new life in Christ should result in a life of obedience to the word of God. It is not enough to simply claim to follow Jesus without actually living it out. When we trust Jesus as Savior, we are called to surrender our lives to Him and allow His word to guide our thoughts, actions, and relationships. Obedience is not an option for followers of Jesus; it is a requirement.
James, in his letter to believers, emphasizes the importance of responding rightly to the truth of God's word. He encourages believers to be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger when faced with God's truth. This means humbly receiving the implanted word of God, which is able to save our souls. It requires us to put aside our own desires and agendas and submit to God's will.
In order to respond rightly to God's word, we need to cultivate a hunger for it. We should be eager to hear and learn from the Bible, allowing its truths to transform our lives. This hunger should lead us to spend time in God's presence, to meditate on His word, and to seek His guidance in all aspects of our lives. When we hunger for God's word, we position ourselves to be transformed by His truth.
Sanctification is a lifelong process of being made holy in Christ. It involves both a point of salvation, where we are made holy through faith in Jesus, and a process of ongoing transformation as we put off our old selves and put on the new. This process requires us to continually surrender our lives to God, confess our sins, and strive to live in obedience to His word.
James concludes by reminding us that it is not enough to hear the word of God; we must also be doers of the word. Simply acquiring knowledge or attending Bible studies is not sufficient. True transformation happens when we apply the truths of God's word to our lives and live them out in obedience. When we are doers of the word, we experience the blessings that come from walking in alignment with God's will.
As followers of Jesus, we are called to walk in obedience to His word. This requires us to be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger when faced with the truth of God's word. We must cultivate a hunger for God's word and be willing to let go of our own desires and agendas. Through the process of sanctification, we are transformed into the image of Christ. Let us strive to be doers of the word, not just hearers, and experience the blessings that come from living a life of obedience to God.