The Danger of Partial Obedience
The Danger of Partial Obedience.
Nehemiah 10-13
“And are taking on themselves a curse and an oath to walk in god’s law, which was given through Moses, God’s servant, and to keep and to observe all the commandments of God our Lord and His ordinances and His statutes.” (10:29).
Some people just never get it. They give lip service to obeying God, affirming God’s Law, but fail to fully surrender to God and walk completely in obedience to Him. They are content with a “little bit of religion” but not fully committed to living in obedience to God.
This was the case of the people of Israel. Even as the final stones were being placed in the wall to finish the projects of rebuilding the Temple and the city of Jerusalem, they were starting to embrace the very sins that had led to the captivity in the first place. First, they began to intermarry with the surrounding nations of Ammon and Moab, despite the Law prohibiting them from doing so (Deut. 23:2-3). This was not because of ethnic prejudice, but due to the gross immorality and idolatry of these nations and their continual hostility towards the people of God. Exceptions were made in cases when an individual embraced the worship of God (For example, see Ruth). However, despite the warnings, the people continued to intermarry with and adapt culturally, morally, and spiritually to their idolatry (13:23-24). As a result, the Jews were in danger of reverting to the idolatry that resulted in the exile.
Second, the people were disregarding the Law to maintain the Sabbath day as a day dedicated to the worship of God. The people were not to work or perform business on the Sabbath. Instead, it was to be a day devoted to God. Yet the people were profaning the Sabbath by making it a day of business rather than worship (13:17-22). Nehemiah quickly realized that the spiritual health of the nation was eroding, and the people needed to be challenged to refocus their hearts and souls on obedience to the Law.
In response, Nehemiah challenged the people to be dedicated to being obedient to God in three areas. First, they were to separate themselves from the pagan people and culture surrounding them (10:28). To walk in obedience to God, we must recognize that we are called to live differently. Paul affirms this same truth in Romans 12:2, “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” Obedience and dedication to God mean that we follow him rather than our culture and the world in which we live.
Second, they were to be obedient to all the commands of God and His ordinances and statutes (10:29). Authentic faith results in a commitment to obey God. Christ likewise affirms this for his followers as well. An authentic disciple of Christ lives in obedience to his commands. Christ states in John 14:15, “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.” Genuine faith results in the desire and commitment to live in obedience to Christ and his commands as revealed in the whole of scripture. We are not just to obey the commands that we find convenient and appealing. We are to be devoted to live in obedience to all his commands.
Last, for the Jews to restore their relationship with God, they needed to prioritize the worship of God (13:14-22). God commanded the people in the Law to set aside the Sabbath day as a day of worship. They were to refrain from conducting business so that they might be complete devoted to worshiping God at the Temple. In the New Testament, we are also commanded to prioritize the worship of God within the context of the church community. In Hebrews 10:25, we are commanded to “not forsake our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but to encourage one another.” Part of a life of obedience to Christ is prioritizing being with God’s people for worship and mutual edification.
Just as Israel began to drift from their faith by neglecting these three foundational acts of obedience, so we can also start to drift when we fail to maintain these priorities in our own lives. Like Israel, we need to conduct a spiritual examination to make sure that we are also walking in obedience to God. Are we prioritizing worship? Are we striving to obey God’s commands as revealed in his word? Are we embracing our culture or living in a way that differs from it? Are we giving lip service to God, or are we fully dedicated to being obedient to Him?
Nehemiah 10-13
“And are taking on themselves a curse and an oath to walk in god’s law, which was given through Moses, God’s servant, and to keep and to observe all the commandments of God our Lord and His ordinances and His statutes.” (10:29).
Some people just never get it. They give lip service to obeying God, affirming God’s Law, but fail to fully surrender to God and walk completely in obedience to Him. They are content with a “little bit of religion” but not fully committed to living in obedience to God.
This was the case of the people of Israel. Even as the final stones were being placed in the wall to finish the projects of rebuilding the Temple and the city of Jerusalem, they were starting to embrace the very sins that had led to the captivity in the first place. First, they began to intermarry with the surrounding nations of Ammon and Moab, despite the Law prohibiting them from doing so (Deut. 23:2-3). This was not because of ethnic prejudice, but due to the gross immorality and idolatry of these nations and their continual hostility towards the people of God. Exceptions were made in cases when an individual embraced the worship of God (For example, see Ruth). However, despite the warnings, the people continued to intermarry with and adapt culturally, morally, and spiritually to their idolatry (13:23-24). As a result, the Jews were in danger of reverting to the idolatry that resulted in the exile.
Second, the people were disregarding the Law to maintain the Sabbath day as a day dedicated to the worship of God. The people were not to work or perform business on the Sabbath. Instead, it was to be a day devoted to God. Yet the people were profaning the Sabbath by making it a day of business rather than worship (13:17-22). Nehemiah quickly realized that the spiritual health of the nation was eroding, and the people needed to be challenged to refocus their hearts and souls on obedience to the Law.
In response, Nehemiah challenged the people to be dedicated to being obedient to God in three areas. First, they were to separate themselves from the pagan people and culture surrounding them (10:28). To walk in obedience to God, we must recognize that we are called to live differently. Paul affirms this same truth in Romans 12:2, “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” Obedience and dedication to God mean that we follow him rather than our culture and the world in which we live.
Second, they were to be obedient to all the commands of God and His ordinances and statutes (10:29). Authentic faith results in a commitment to obey God. Christ likewise affirms this for his followers as well. An authentic disciple of Christ lives in obedience to his commands. Christ states in John 14:15, “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.” Genuine faith results in the desire and commitment to live in obedience to Christ and his commands as revealed in the whole of scripture. We are not just to obey the commands that we find convenient and appealing. We are to be devoted to live in obedience to all his commands.
Last, for the Jews to restore their relationship with God, they needed to prioritize the worship of God (13:14-22). God commanded the people in the Law to set aside the Sabbath day as a day of worship. They were to refrain from conducting business so that they might be complete devoted to worshiping God at the Temple. In the New Testament, we are also commanded to prioritize the worship of God within the context of the church community. In Hebrews 10:25, we are commanded to “not forsake our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but to encourage one another.” Part of a life of obedience to Christ is prioritizing being with God’s people for worship and mutual edification.
Just as Israel began to drift from their faith by neglecting these three foundational acts of obedience, so we can also start to drift when we fail to maintain these priorities in our own lives. Like Israel, we need to conduct a spiritual examination to make sure that we are also walking in obedience to God. Are we prioritizing worship? Are we striving to obey God’s commands as revealed in his word? Are we embracing our culture or living in a way that differs from it? Are we giving lip service to God, or are we fully dedicated to being obedient to Him?
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