Grace and Obedience Were Never Meant To Be Enemies

If Jesus loved us enough to die for us while we were sinners, and He asked us to do something, then should we not want to do it?

Are we earning our salvation? No, we should just want to do the things He commands the way that He has commanded because He 1st loved us. Why would I argue against obeying or suggest that His commandments are insignificant regarding my salvation. They should be important to us, “because of” our salvation. “…if you love Me, you will keep my commandments.” (John 14:15) Do I always understand the whys and wherefores of the particulars? No. Do I always get it right? No. However, I do know that while in bondage, the sinless, spotless lamb of GOD suffered and died so that I could experience deliverance from the bondage of sin. To say that keeping the commandments of GOD is something for legalistic religious folks is a biased blanket statement. This thinking may be true for some, but for others, perhaps they simply want to keep what GOD commands to the best of their ability because they are motivated by what He has done for them. Why would we not want to obey GOD? Why would we ever suggest that His commands are not important? Why would we want to change them?

Some are, “works based legalists”. Others, “workless grace only” folks. But others value the commands of GOD and strive to keep them because they are driven by the Grace of THE GOD who did not spare His own Son but gave Him up on behalf of us all. Therefore, “…if He did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up on behalf of us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” Romans 8:32

It should never be argued that “I do not have to keep the commands of GOD because I am saved by Grace.” Neither should it be argued that “I keep the commands of GOD therefore I am saved.”  

The fruit of obedience should always be the result when we realize that while we were still sinners Christ died for us. After being added to the LORD’S church by responding, the fruit of obedience should continue to be born in our lives, not to merit salvation, rather out of desire because we are saved by the Grace of GOD. If we do not have a desire to obey what He asked to enter a relationship with Him, worship Him the way He commands and live the way He has revealed, or, in anyway suggest that these commands are insignificant, we should look again to the cross. By the same token, if we ever feel that we have earned anything regarding our relationship with GOD, we too need to look again to the cross.  

Grace and obedience were never meant to be enemies but rather work in perfect harmony. However, when we misplace and misuse them, we make them rivals.