Comments on: Obedience Out of Love not Legalism http://einquisitive.com/blog/obedience-out-of-love-not-legalism/ Bible Study Lessons Mon, 19 Sep 2011 17:40:42 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Greg http://einquisitive.com/blog/obedience-out-of-love-not-legalism/comment-page-1/#comment-973 Greg Fri, 25 Mar 2011 15:45:28 +0000 http://einquisitive.com/?p=2317#comment-973 You talking about a problem that the US church has in interpreting the Bible. John 14:15 is a conditional statement and not a commandment. Jesus is stating that when people love Him, they will naturally be drawn to do what He says we should do. It is not a commandment but a rather simple statement about a truth. The problem comes here in America when people then come to the conclusion that we must show the outward signs of obedience as proof of our love. Rather than focusing on the love we need to nurture with God, we focus on the "doing" of the rules. We think that if we do everything a Christian should do, we will somehow demonstrate that we love God more. We judge each other on the actions. I hope that someday churches here will speak of God's love and help people to love God and other more, rather than focusing on what Christians should be doing as proof of their love. Preaching the "do's" makes for empty Christians working hard to prove they love God when they really don't have much of a relationship with Him. You talking about a problem that the US church has in interpreting the Bible. John 14:15 is a conditional statement and not a commandment. Jesus is stating that when people love Him, they will naturally be drawn to do what He says we should do. It is not a commandment but a rather simple statement about a truth.

The problem comes here in America when people then come to the conclusion that we must show the outward signs of obedience as proof of our love. Rather than focusing on the love we need to nurture with God, we focus on the “doing” of the rules. We think that if we do everything a Christian should do, we will somehow demonstrate that we love God more. We judge each other on the actions.

I hope that someday churches here will speak of God’s love and help people to love God and other more, rather than focusing on what Christians should be doing as proof of their love. Preaching the “do’s” makes for empty Christians working hard to prove they love God when they really don’t have much of a relationship with Him.

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