Clarification on Obedience
Clarification on Obedience
”Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.“
Hebrews 13:17
So this past Sunday I made a statement from the pulpit that went something like this, “You don’t have to obey me, because you don’t answer to me, but you do have to obey God, and that should scare you more.” Now I want to give some clarification.
Let me start by saying, if anyone hates being told what to do, it is me! If you want me to do something, you better butter me up first lol. If you just order me to do something my immediate reaction is straight rebellious refusal. It is just my nature...it is my sin nature. I have learned over the years of trying to obey God in my life that when that rebellion rears its head to keep quiet, refuse to give in to my fleshly reaction, and serve whoever it is that God has given me to serve...well, I try to do it that way, but some times I fail.
Obedience is always a choice. Who we obey is always a choice. If you are employed then there is someone who has to be in charge to make sure things get done. The employer has the authority to give instructions for you on how to perform your tasks...you can obey them or not. More likely than not, if you choose not to obey them, they will choose not to employ you. Obedience may be a choice we are free to choose but we are not free to choose the outcome of our choice.
So, as far as the people God has placed at my church here in Greenfield Indiana, again you do not have to obey the instructions I give on how to follow the Lord in your life...it is your choice, but Hebrews 13:17 says this, ”Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.“ So, my clarification is this, I have to answer for what you know, that is my obedience to Christ. You are responsible for what you do with what I instruct you with. That is not just from the pulpit, that is anytime that I am making sense of God’s Word.
I know this, if you choose to follow and I go the wrong way, I have to answer to God for that...that’s heavy. If you choose to follow, God WILL bless your life for it.
Pastor Larry Hof
”Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.“
Hebrews 13:17
So this past Sunday I made a statement from the pulpit that went something like this, “You don’t have to obey me, because you don’t answer to me, but you do have to obey God, and that should scare you more.” Now I want to give some clarification.
Let me start by saying, if anyone hates being told what to do, it is me! If you want me to do something, you better butter me up first lol. If you just order me to do something my immediate reaction is straight rebellious refusal. It is just my nature...it is my sin nature. I have learned over the years of trying to obey God in my life that when that rebellion rears its head to keep quiet, refuse to give in to my fleshly reaction, and serve whoever it is that God has given me to serve...well, I try to do it that way, but some times I fail.
Obedience is always a choice. Who we obey is always a choice. If you are employed then there is someone who has to be in charge to make sure things get done. The employer has the authority to give instructions for you on how to perform your tasks...you can obey them or not. More likely than not, if you choose not to obey them, they will choose not to employ you. Obedience may be a choice we are free to choose but we are not free to choose the outcome of our choice.
So, as far as the people God has placed at my church here in Greenfield Indiana, again you do not have to obey the instructions I give on how to follow the Lord in your life...it is your choice, but Hebrews 13:17 says this, ”Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.“ So, my clarification is this, I have to answer for what you know, that is my obedience to Christ. You are responsible for what you do with what I instruct you with. That is not just from the pulpit, that is anytime that I am making sense of God’s Word.
I know this, if you choose to follow and I go the wrong way, I have to answer to God for that...that’s heavy. If you choose to follow, God WILL bless your life for it.
Pastor Larry Hof
Posted in Love, Get Humble, Living Sacrifice, Losing to Win, Poor in Spirit, Scripture is Illuminating, The Word
Posted in obedience, Obey, Jesus
Posted in obedience, Obey, Jesus
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