Walking with the Wise #149: The Blessing of Obedience

“Whoever despises the word brings destruction on himself,
but he who reveres the commandment will be rewarded.”

—Proverbs 13:13

Obeying God’s commands is the true sign of whether or not someone is a disciple of Jesus. It doesn’t matter if one is a pastor, elder or deacon. It doesn’t matter if their name is on the charter of the church, and it doesn’t matter how much money they give, or how much they serve—none of that matters. The only thing that accurately tells whether or not one is a disciple is if one obeys His commands. As Jesus said, “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments”—John 14:15. And again, “For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome”—1 John 5:3.

One cannot be a disciple apart from obeying His commands. To say one is a disciple of Jesus and not obey His commands is like a couple pledging themselves at the altar on their wedding day, but nourishing other relationships on the side. No one would say that a man or woman who truly loves their spouse would cheat on them. Nor would we say that one who loves God would cheat on Him, voluntarily living in habitual disobedience.

Obeying His commands means doing what the Word of God says. It means rearranging the priorities of our life so that God is honored—stopping sinful habits, giving up sinful practices, being with God’s people, praying, reading the Word, disciplining ourselves for godliness. It means asking for forgiveness when we have wronged someone, it means making restitution for things we’ve done wrong, and it means living a life of integrity, placing everything in our life under the spotlight of God’s Holy Word.

The one who refuses to do what the Word says by adding to or taking away what the Word says will find himself or herself bringing destruction on themselves, as John wrote of the book of Revelation,

“I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book”—Revelation 22:18-19.

Ignore or try and change God’s Word and you will be destroyed, but revere and follow God’s Word and you will be rewarded.

May we seek to know and do God’s Word. May we experience the blessing of obedience that comes from doing that which God delights in—for His glory and our joy. Amen.