I recently sent an email talking about faith, salvation, and obedience and I acknowledge, these are topics that cannot be truly expounded in its fullness via email; for it is a sensitive subject that has been muddied over the centuries.
Today, I am still meditating on the way of salvation; which is Christ our Lord. How do we respond to this free gift? Some may say “do we need to respond to it”?
Jesus said, If you love Me, keep My commandments”. He said this to those who He had already chosen (His disciples). To people who He sought out, not because of their righteousness, for even Peter said “Depart from me for I am a sinful man”. What then are his commands? I suggest that they reside in love…to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind…..and to love your neighbor as yourselves. If we love Christ, we will love one another!
It is in that love that we respond with obedience to “GO”, to turn the other cheek, to love our enemies, to pray for our leaders, to give and…..the list goes on.
I am obedient because I love God. This love urges me to be obedient to God and in my obedience He is glorified. So what is at stake when are say we love God but are not obedient to His commandments? What is at stake when we hold our neighbors in derision and unforgiveness? What is at stake when we cast judgement and withhold grace?
My love for God urges me to obedience because “God is not willing that any should perish” and “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God”. Knowing that those who are without faith cannot “call on Him whom they have not believed” and cannot “believe in Him of whom they have not heard”!
So let us live as those who are sent, because we are! The moment we declare our faith in Christ we accept his command to “Go make disciples of all nations”! So what is at stake when we are not obedient?!
The Watchman's Diary 
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