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May 20, 2021

Obedience (or Not) Has Consequences

May 20, 2021 by GAIL GOOLSBY OBEDIENCE Culture adjustment Identity in Christ Obedience Reflecting God
Obedience (or Not) Has Consequences
“Consequently, just as one trespass resulted in condemnation for all people, so also one righteous act resulted in justification and life for all people. For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.”
Romans Romans 5:18-19

I looked over the stapled pages of English sentences in my principal’s office, each one clearly done by a different writer. Shaking my head, I glanced up at the American teacher in front of me at our international school in Central Asia.


“So, what’s the story here? Everyone in the family wrote a page of the assignment Asad got for not speaking English in class yesterday?”


She nodded and shrugged her shoulders. “You know how it is in this culture, if one family member brings shame, then they all have to restore honor together. Interesting, isn’t it?”  


Yes, interesting and familiar.


 All of humanity was drowning in shared shame due to one man’s sin in the garden–Adam. We had no way out except to try to be good, to follow laws and sacrifices that were only temporary payments on our growing list of offenses before our Holy God. Then enter Jesus Christ, God’s Son, into humanity’s story.


 The Message says in Romans 5:18-19: “Here it is in a nutshell: Just as one person did it wrong and got us in all this trouble with sin and death, another person did it right and got us out of it. But more than just getting us out of trouble, he got us into life! One man said no to God and put many people in the wrong; one man said yes to God and put many in the right.”


So where does that put us in the obedience requirement if Christ paid the price for our sin? Does it matter if we do the right thing?


In our private worlds, obedience brings a clear conscience, an easier intimacy with God, and an ability to hear His voice. In our public worlds, what we do is interpreted by observers just how much we love and revere the God we say we serve. When we live well, allowing God to shine through our acts of righteousness, others may want to know Him. If we take obedience casually and live according to the world’s ways, we miss the chance to lead others to the forgiveness and eternal gift God offers.


Say “yes” to God’s ways and perhaps you may help “put many in the right.”

Closing Prayer
Father God, We are desperate people when it comes to faithful obedience. Thank you for sending Jesus to break the yoke of shame and sin and offer us hope that we can, with the help of the Holy Spirit, do what’s right. Others are watching and we want to reflect you well. Thank you, in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Resources
Bible Study: The Patriarchs by Beth Moore The Patriarchs study (DVDs and workbooks) by Beth Moore is very insightful to Middle East/Persian culture. On two occasions while living in Central Asia, I led groups through this study and gained perspective on those I served as well as my own heritage and challenge to represent Him well.
Bible Study: Daniel by Beth Moore Daniel, another Beth Moore study, gives hope and clarity to standing firm against the tide of any culture, particularly materialism and “too much” in the West. Using Daniel and others from the Babylonian slave-days, Beth shows the way to be creative and determined to live righteously for God wherever we may find ourselves.
Book: The Life You’ve Always Wanted by John Ortberg John Ortberg’s book, The Life You’ve Always Wanted, does a great job of “modernizing” the spiritual disciplines with humor and transparency. He encourages believers to strive for obedience in righteous living each day with time-tested, Biblical principles.
Question for Reflection

What act of disobedience or new obedience is the Holy Spirit nudging you about to more accurately demonstrate your love and devotion, even if your culture may not understand your decision?

Comments
Gail Goolsby
May 20, 2021

I have been convicted of my choices of TV watching and movies at times, especially in the presence of others who may not be believers or strong in their faith. More than once, I have left a theater when a film had too much foul language or sexual content (that the trailers did not indicate!). For me, this is a continual act of discernment to obey.