Christian Living

Does God Really Require Anything of Us?

by Susan Hanson
09/05/17
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Deuteronomy 10:12-13 (NAS) "Now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require from you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways and love Him, and to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul,

13 and to keep the LORD'S commandments and His statutes which I am commanding you today for your good ?”

Micah 6:8 (NAS) “He has told you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justice, to love kindness, And to walk humbly with your God ?”

But those are Old Testament passages. God sent His son, Jesus Christ, to die and be raised again for our sins. And that is a miraculous free gift of grace explained to us in the New Testament. We need not be under the law of the Old Testament any longer! How wonderful! Now that we have this marvelous free gift, we have no obligation to God any more, right? No more instructions, no more commandments? NOT!

Colossians 3:1-2 (NAS) Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.

The passage goes on to explain these things we are to set our affections upon, particularly verses 12-15 of the third chapter in Colossians (NAS).

“12 So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; 13 bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. 14 Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. 15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful.”

I see a striking resemblance to the Old Testament scripture. In light of these next two passages of scripture, it would stand to reason that God requires the same heart in His people regardless of the time in history in which they live.

Malachi 3:6 (NAS) "For I, the LORD, do not change; therefore you, O sons of Jacob, are not consumed.”

Hebrews 13:8 (NAS) “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”

How sad that so many people claim to be Christians yet refuse to acknowledge the statutes and commandments of peace and love written in the law given to Moses, and again in the New Testament. They have been misled into believing that they have no responsibility or accountability toward God just because of that free gift of grace. Is it not still God’s will for us to obey Him?

The requirement that God expects of us is to love one another even as Christ has loved us. (John 15:12) The requirement of us toward God is to love Him. (John 16:27) So, where on this earth will we find the love of God? How will we learn and understand what His love is? We can say, “I recognize the love of God because Christ died for me.” Without understanding a more meaningful depth of this love, we convince ourselves that God somehow chases after us while we are acting as though we don’t respect Him. We continue to say, “Who can separate me from the love of God.” Yes God will always love everyone, even those who deceive themselves by thinking they are saved, and never respecting the facts behind these requirements. Fact is, if we continue in our own self-righteousness, expecting God to bless an unreturned love, we are none of His, and the truth is not in us. (I John 1:8-10; I John 2:1-6)

These requirements outline a two way street for us. That is, if we want to love God with all of our being, which is required, we will respect greatly His will and do it, because that is what is in our hearts. That entails searching the scriptures in order to understand His requirements, including the law and the prophets, which those that really believe are not under. If we truly love God as we ought to, we will earnestly want to put ourselves under the requirements of our Lord God because we desire His companionship. If we are not subject to these things, there is no companionship in love, and He will say to us at judgment day, “Depart from me, I never knew you.”

Matthew 7:21-23 (NAS) “Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. 22 "Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?' 23 "And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.'

Why does this thought not scare the daylights out of Christians today even if they don’t want to obey God out of love for Him?