Many today consider religion to be a matter of establishing and maintaining a relationship with the Divine instead of keeping rules and regulations.
For example. where the Bible states that God desires to be worshipped “in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24-25), which necessarily implies obeying revealed instructions concerning worship, some today preach and practise the slogan, “All life is worship.” This unscriptural slogan is all-encompassing, considering every possible human action and conduct an excuse not to assemble to worship according to God’s will (Hebrews 10:24-25; Romans 12:1-2).
Living a life loving God requires ordering our lives so that all we think, say and do evidence obedience to the faith (Romans 1:5; 16:26). In the words of Romans 6:17, “… God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. And having been made free from sin. You became slaves of righteousness.” The term “form” (or “pattern”) of doctrine (or “teaching”) refers to a body of beliefs and commands Christians (as ‘slaves’) must adhere to and obey in everything we do all our life.
Our relationship with God must be reflected by our obedience to His commands. The requirement for relationship with the Father. the Son and the Holy Spirit is clearly set out in the inspired scriptures: “If you love Me, keep my commandments” said our Lord Jesus (John 14:15). He also asked the rhetorical question, “But why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord’ and not do the things which I say? (Luke 6:46). Indeed, having considered the folly of man’s pursuit of the “good life” under the sun, the writer of Ecclesiastes concluded, “Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man’s all. For God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil.” (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14).
The good life,- “fine living”- is not achieving fortune, fame and freedom to have fun, that is, satisfying “the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life”. These are the things pursued by the world, but, “the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.” (1 John 2:16-17). Instead, the good life in this world, as a preparation and prerequisite for eternal life in the next, ought to be characterised by the ascertaining of God’s will for us as revealed in His word of truth which sets man free (John 8:32; 17:17) and the doing of it, appropriate to our station in life: as child or parent, employer or employee, citizen or those in state authority.
Our Creator made us for a specific purpose: “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10). All the instructions we need regarding such “good works” and how to do them are contained in the Divinely-inspired word (2 Timothy 3:16-17) which we have to study correctly (2 Timothy 2:15; Acts 17:11) and apply well (Hebrews 5:14).
The good life is one filled with happiness, even through times of trial and tribulation, physical deprivation and want, persecution even. Such were the conditions often faced by the apostle Paul but with which he could be content while in the service of the Lord (2 Corinthians 11:23 to 2:10). He was thereby imitating his Lord who suffered more hardship on the way to the cross and, as such, we must imitate Paul (1 Corinthians 11:1) in pursuing a lifetime of loving God.
Brother Billy Bland will expound God’s word on this important topic in his lecture, “Hearts On Fire: Living Out Our Love For God” at the Klang Valley Year-end Seminar 2024 to be held at the Klang church of Christ assembly premises, 2.00 to 5.30pm, Saturday, 16 November 2024. Do join us in this feast of God’s word!
1 Corinthians 11:1 1 Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ.