But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does. James 1:25
When we accepted Jesus, we gained eternal life, freedom, and a personal relationship with a Holy God. We were adopted into the family of God. This is the beginning of our journey with the Lord. Now we belong to His Kingdom. The Bible teaches us about our inheritance as the children of God. In addition, it shows us how to live a victorious life. We also learn that His kingdom has different operating procedures.
We can’t claim to have freedom, if we dismiss God’s operating procedures and ignore in following them. God gives us many promises, but many of them are based on the condition of us doing what He is asking us do. It would be as if a sixteen year-old teenager getting very excited about having a care and a driver’s license. They can enjoy the freedom of driving on their own. However, their freedom will last as long as they honor the traffic rules and obey their parents instructions. The day they decide to ignore the rules or get sloppy with them, they will either get grounded by their parents or will get into trouble with the police.
God’s commandments are not meant to be burdensome. To the contrary, they are a blessing when we recognize their value. They allow us to go along with God’s design for our lives. It’s a shame that some in the body of Christ think that because of God’s love and mercy, we are exempt from following His commandments. God’s laws keep us free from trouble and bondage, and it’s wisdom to live by them. The Bible is a good and perfect gift from above, so we can learn how to live our lives with the liberty that Christ bought for us.
Some of us were raised with no rules, by permissive parents, or with indifferent parents. Children who were raised that way may see the rules as punishment. If we are honest with ourselves, our parents’ permissiveness created much chaos and disorder in our lives. On the other hand, some were raised by strict parents, and they either rebel against rules or see them as the answer to gain God’s approval. God’s rules are not like our parents’ rules. Sometimes parents are strict, so they can impress others with their well-behaved children, but God does it for our benefit. He is not worried about what others think of us. He wants us to function at our best by living with His commandments that keep us free and allow us to maintain our joy and peace.
How do you perceive God’s rules and instructions? Do you value them to be life-giving? Do you find them to give you wisdom and security? Or do you see them as constricting and burdensome? The Lord’s ways always lead us to greater freedom, joy, and peace. If you find them difficult to follow, ask the Lord to show you the reason behind it.
