WE are not our own. We have been bought with a price—the precious blood of Christ; we are therefore not to live unto ourselves, but unto Him who died for us and rose again. We are to obey and glorify God, because we are His. He hath given us His Holy Spirit. In the riches of His grace, He passed by us, saw us polluted in our blood, and said, “Live;” He looked upon us, spread His skirt over us and covered our nakedness, aware unto us, entered into covenant with us, thoroughly washed us, and we became His. (Ez. 16:6, &c.) We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus; but let us never forget, “unto good works.” Being now children of God, we should be “obedient children.” We are called into the fellowship of His Son Jesus Christ, to “walk as He walked.” We are born again of water and of the Spirit, that we should “walk in newness of life” – “walk in the Spirit.” “We are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that we should show forth the excellencies of Him who hath called us out of darkness into His marvelous light.”
The great abuse that Israel of old made of the words and ordinances of God, was to retain the outward farm, and seek their own comfort and ease, without obeying the voice of the Lord. The burden of the prophet’s testimony against Israel was their disobedience. Saul thought it was of little consequence not to slay all the Amalekites and their cattle; he saw no harm in retaining some sheep, a few oxen, and Agag their ling; but it was very hateful to God, it was positive disobedience to His holy word, it was self-will, carnal policy, and was evil in the sight of the Lord. Hence the prophet exclaimed, “Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry; because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, He hath also rejected thee from being king.” (1 Sam. 15:22, 2322And Samuel said, Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. 23For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, he hath also rejected thee from being king. (1 Samuel 15:22‑23).)
Again, and again, the prophet Jeremiah sounded in the ears of the people, “Ye have not obeyed My voice, saith the Lord.” (Jer. 3:1313Only acknowledge thine iniquity, that thou hast transgressed against the Lord thy God, and hast scattered thy ways to the strangers under every green tree, and ye have not obeyed my voice, saith the Lord. (Jeremiah 3:13).) “I spake not unto your fathers, nor commanded them in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning burnt offerings or sacrifices: but this thing I commanded them, saying, Obey my voice. . . . but they hearkened not unto Me.” (Jer. 7:21-2621Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Put your burnt offerings unto your sacrifices, and eat flesh. 22For I spake not unto your fathers, nor commanded them in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning burnt offerings or sacrifices: 23But this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people: and walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well unto you. 24But they hearkened not, nor inclined their ear, but walked in the counsels and in the imagination of their evil heart, and went backward, and not forward. 25Since the day that your fathers came forth out of the land of Egypt unto this day I have even sent unto you all my servants the prophets, daily rising up early and sending them: 26Yet they hearkened not unto me, nor inclined their ear, but hardened their neck: they did worse than their fathers. (Jeremiah 7:21‑26).) They obeyed the commandment of Jonadab their father, but they “hearkened not unto Me,” saith the Lord. (Jer. 35:1414The words of Jonadab the son of Rechab, that he commanded his sons not to drink wine, are performed; for unto this day they drink none, but obey their father's commandment: notwithstanding I have spoken unto you, rising early and speaking; but ye hearkened not unto me. (Jeremiah 35:14).) They walked after the imagination of their own hearts, but they obeyed not the Lord. (Jer. 22:2121I spake unto thee in thy prosperity; but thou saidst, I will not hear. This hath been thy manner from thy youth, that thou obeyedst not my voice. (Jeremiah 22:21).) Daniel, with chastened soul before God, acknowledged this sin, saying, “We obeyed not Thy voice.” (Dan. 9:1414Therefore hath the Lord watched upon the evil, and brought it upon us: for the Lord our God is righteous in all his works which he doeth: for we obeyed not his voice. (Daniel 9:14).)
The prophet Zephaniah also charged Israel with not obeying the voice of God, not receiving correction, not trusting in the Lord, and not drawing near unto her God. (Zep. 3:22She obeyed not the voice; she received not correction; she trusted not in the Lord; she drew not near to her God. (Zephaniah 3:2))
Talking about Jesus may be a sentiment, obeying His word must be a reality; the former may be connected with great profession, while the latter may be scarcely seen. O for more exercise of conscience before God, as to how we deal with the Holy Scriptures, which He hath given, to throughly furnish us unto all good works! (2 Tim. 3:1616All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: (2 Timothy 3:16).)
Being not under the law, but under grace, obeying the word of our Lord Jesus Christ is surely our only be coming or happy position. Christ Himself is the perfection of obedience, and we have received His word and Spirit to follow His steps. Let us not deceive ourselves. God is not mocked. Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. It was Christ’s delight to do the will of Him that sent Him, and He says, “Blessed are they that hear the word of God and keep it.” To be only hearers, and not doers of the word, is what our great enemy desires. It is an awful deception, for such think they have got blessing when they have not. It is like a man beholding his natural face in a glass and turning away again; he has beheld something, but has neither tasted, nor enjoyed, nor received any good. In keeping His commandments there is great reward; but let us beware of sentimentality, and of that knowledge which puffeth up. We are not to please ourselves, but to glorify God; not to follow men, but to follow Christ; not to obey human rules and systems, but to obey the word of God; not to walk after our own imaginations, but to walk in the truth. O wretched self-will, vile fancied wisdom, miserable unbelief that pretends to a better path than the leading of the Holy Ghost by the written word!
May God keep us, beloved, abiding in Christ, walking in Christ, bearing faithfully “the testimony” of Christ, waiting for Christ, that we may walk worthy of Him who hath called us unto His kingdom and glory.