The Most Important Decision
The Most Important Decision
Deut. 11-15
See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse: The blessing if you listen to the commandments of the Lord your God, which I am commanding you today; and the curse, if you do not listen to the commandments of the Lord your God, but turn aside from the way which I am commanding you today, by following other gods which you have not known.
It is estimated that a person makes 35,000 decisions every day, including 226 decisions on food alone. However, of all the decisions we face and all the options we confront, only one is genuinely transformative and essential: the decision to either obey God and His word or ignore and reject His commands.
As Moses recounts the law to the next generation of people going into the promised land, he reminds them of the rules that God has established to govern their lives and behavior. As he reaffirms the covenant and the law with the next generation, he starts with a reminder of God’s deliverance to the people and the promises God made to bless them with abundance in the land. However, for them to experience the blessing of God, they need to walk in obedience to the laws that God has established. This begins with their full allegiance to God. God does not tolerate rivalries, nor does He tolerate divided loyalty through the worship of other gods. However, idolatry is more than just the acceptance and worship of gods or the rejection of God. It is ingrained within our nature to believe in God. Idolatry also includes the distortion of God’s character by the denial or distortion of his character. In his classic work, The Existence and Attributes of God, Stephen Charnock points out, “In consideration of God, or misrepresentation of his nature, is as agreeable to corrupt nature as the disowning the being of God is contrary to common reason.” In other words, while we do not disown God or deny his existence, in our sinful state, we distort and misrepresent God and seek to live independently of Him. While we affirm that God is real, we reject or distort His character and reject His moral law that expresses His character. While we reject atheism, we forget God and ignore His word.
To affirm God and walk in obedience to Him is to establish that His word expresses His character. If we desire to experience His blessing, we will wholeheartedly and entirely surrender to His will and conform our lives to His commands. Just as the complete rejection of God invites His judgment, so the disregard of His laws invites His judgment, for it is an act of rebellion against Him. “You shall follow the Lord Your God and fear Him; and you shall keep His commandments, listen to His voice, serve Him and Cling to Him” (13:4). This requires that we only listen to His word and we reject any teacher who teaches people to disregard or distort His word (13:1-3). We should reject the teaching of a false prophet and not even tolerate their presence in the community or any who follow them (13:5-15). Living in obedience is to be complete and all-encompassing.
In the New Testament, life and blessing come through our faith in Christ. Obedience is not the means to earn God’s salvation and blessing but is the inevitable result of our salvation. In the Old Testament, obedience was required to obtain God’s blessing; in the New Testament, obedience expresses our love and gratitude because of our salvation and the blessings God has given us in Christ. In Ephesians 1, Paul reminds us that God has already blessed us with every spiritual blessing in Christ. Because of what He has done, the only proper response is a life of obedience that transforms our lives and relationships with others. When we do not walk in obedience to God, God does not withdraw His blessing; instead, we disconnect ourselves from His blessings. Our salvation from God leads us to the desire to obey Him and follow His commands.
The most important decision we make is the daily decision to obey God’s word. When that becomes the focus of our lives, then it is a decision that becomes as ingrained and natural as the decisions we make regarding the foods we eat and the clothes we wear. Have you made that decision today?
Deut. 11-15
See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse: The blessing if you listen to the commandments of the Lord your God, which I am commanding you today; and the curse, if you do not listen to the commandments of the Lord your God, but turn aside from the way which I am commanding you today, by following other gods which you have not known.
It is estimated that a person makes 35,000 decisions every day, including 226 decisions on food alone. However, of all the decisions we face and all the options we confront, only one is genuinely transformative and essential: the decision to either obey God and His word or ignore and reject His commands.
As Moses recounts the law to the next generation of people going into the promised land, he reminds them of the rules that God has established to govern their lives and behavior. As he reaffirms the covenant and the law with the next generation, he starts with a reminder of God’s deliverance to the people and the promises God made to bless them with abundance in the land. However, for them to experience the blessing of God, they need to walk in obedience to the laws that God has established. This begins with their full allegiance to God. God does not tolerate rivalries, nor does He tolerate divided loyalty through the worship of other gods. However, idolatry is more than just the acceptance and worship of gods or the rejection of God. It is ingrained within our nature to believe in God. Idolatry also includes the distortion of God’s character by the denial or distortion of his character. In his classic work, The Existence and Attributes of God, Stephen Charnock points out, “In consideration of God, or misrepresentation of his nature, is as agreeable to corrupt nature as the disowning the being of God is contrary to common reason.” In other words, while we do not disown God or deny his existence, in our sinful state, we distort and misrepresent God and seek to live independently of Him. While we affirm that God is real, we reject or distort His character and reject His moral law that expresses His character. While we reject atheism, we forget God and ignore His word.
To affirm God and walk in obedience to Him is to establish that His word expresses His character. If we desire to experience His blessing, we will wholeheartedly and entirely surrender to His will and conform our lives to His commands. Just as the complete rejection of God invites His judgment, so the disregard of His laws invites His judgment, for it is an act of rebellion against Him. “You shall follow the Lord Your God and fear Him; and you shall keep His commandments, listen to His voice, serve Him and Cling to Him” (13:4). This requires that we only listen to His word and we reject any teacher who teaches people to disregard or distort His word (13:1-3). We should reject the teaching of a false prophet and not even tolerate their presence in the community or any who follow them (13:5-15). Living in obedience is to be complete and all-encompassing.
In the New Testament, life and blessing come through our faith in Christ. Obedience is not the means to earn God’s salvation and blessing but is the inevitable result of our salvation. In the Old Testament, obedience was required to obtain God’s blessing; in the New Testament, obedience expresses our love and gratitude because of our salvation and the blessings God has given us in Christ. In Ephesians 1, Paul reminds us that God has already blessed us with every spiritual blessing in Christ. Because of what He has done, the only proper response is a life of obedience that transforms our lives and relationships with others. When we do not walk in obedience to God, God does not withdraw His blessing; instead, we disconnect ourselves from His blessings. Our salvation from God leads us to the desire to obey Him and follow His commands.
The most important decision we make is the daily decision to obey God’s word. When that becomes the focus of our lives, then it is a decision that becomes as ingrained and natural as the decisions we make regarding the foods we eat and the clothes we wear. Have you made that decision today?
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