Featured Most annoying/difficult to follow command in your opinion?

Annoying, difficult, or otherwise, all of the commands are impossible to follow. At least to the extent that God will be satisfied we are obeying them. God did not give His commands with the expectation we could follow them all.

 

(Really sorry, don't mean to hijack the thread) Is that really true? There are people in the Bible listed as blameless and it's implied they followed the Lord perfectly. Also, in the NT it says certain leaders in the church were supposed to be blameless. Doesn't that mean they don't sin? Also, in 1 John it says those who sin don't really know Jesus, and also that those who know the Lord keep themselves from sin and the wicked one doesn't touch them. Doesn't all this mean God expects us to reach a point where we don't sin anymore?

 

We probably need to have our friend list some commands or admonitions that are literally impossible for any human to comply with. Then we would have a better way to assess the truth or falsity of the claim.

 

You can try to reach the point where you don't sin anymore, but you will never reach it. The Bible says, "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23)." When someone says that we have to reach a point where we do not sin, I hear that we have to be like Jesus Christ. He was sinless and He is God. If we could do that then we don't need Him. All one will discover when they try to stop sinning is that they are digging up more sin to overcome. Besides, how do you go about this journey to stop sinning? You will have to subject yourself to some form of law? We aren't under any law. The law only stirs up more sin. There is another way of living Jesus offers.

 

That isn't the issue.

The claim was that it is impossible for us to keep the many commands. It wasn't that we are sinners.

 

gabriellaaaaa,

I have been chewing on Philippians 4:8 as of late:

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”

I’ve been prudent about the things I consume on the Internet and outside this space with helpful directives from the Lord.

But then I clicked on a post about the President’s wife. Why did I do it? I know the content isn’t edifying and participation isn’t an option. I proceed nonetheless.

Now I’ve got foolishness in my head and an immediate response. Is it acceptable to record conversations without the other person’s knowledge? That’s illegal. Would we welcome the same if our frustrations were made public to our spouse and loved ones? Probably not.

But that wasn’t the point. The bigger message was the value of boundaries and the reason God erects them. We may reason an action is harmless but He knows the end we cannot surmise.

While the thought made sense in my finite self the likelihood of disagreement is great and I’d be mired in a discussion I had no business taking on. I didn’t post.

This is a continuous lesson that began years ago. In the midst of fatigue and overwork I was reminded I’d taken on tasks the Lord had not assigned. Making the decision to do so without consulting Him (early in my walk) had an uncomfortable price.

In like fashion, veering from His directives will expose me to unpleasant experiences I can‘t anticipate. At first glance it seems fine. Then the truth comes out. Painfully at times.

My lesson for the day (and I’m thankful for this thread) is to stay on the narrow path. Every precept has a purpose. Every nudge is for my betterment.

Yours in His Service,

~Bella

 

Jesus said he didn't come to abolish the law. Instead Jesus says in Mt 5:48 "Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect", and I don't think Jesus was joking. And this expectation of Jesus that we become perfect makes fully sense when you think about it. Jesus himself was fully human, like you and me, and it says of him that Jesus was tempted in every way we are tempted in as well.
The reason why Jesus never sinned, why he resisted all the temptations, is because he was in such a deep, close relationship with his Father in heaven. A relationship like we should be aiming for, because that close of a relationship with God is possible for us now indeed. That's what Jesus died for! To enable us to have this same relationship with the living God.

This might sound quite theoretical, but I found it to be true over the years. The more I was willing to obey God the more He guided me and enabled me through His spirit to resist temptations. Over time God did exactly what the Bible talks about - He forms me more and more into the image of His son.
There is still a few things I struggle with, but it got much much less compared to a few years ago, and I am certain that this "perfectness" Jesus talks about in Mt 5 is to be taken literally. It is possible! But you will only know that it is possible when you try it yourself, when you stop saying "nobody is perfect" and give all of yourself to God - when you let Him do the work in you He will do it.

 

Are you as perfect as your heavenly Father in all that you do? Has your righteousness exceeded that of the scribes and Pharisees? Do you resist evil people? Do you give to all who want to borrow from you? Have you stopped looking at any woman with lust in your heart? Are you obedient to all God commands? James said, "For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it (James 2:10)." How are you doing with that? Have you never sinned? Have you resisted all temptation? Jesus didn't say we should be "aiming for" a close relationship through obeying the law, He said obey it! The law is not abolished. However, who is the law for? Paul gave us the answer. "Now we know that the law is good, if one uses it lawfully, understanding this, that the law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who strike their fathers and mothers, for murderers, the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine, in accordance with the gospel of the glory of the blessed God with which I have been entrusted (1 Timothy 1:8-11)." The law is for unbelievers to show them their sinfulness to lead them to Jesus Christ. It is not for Christians to try and obey in an effort to aim for a close relationship with God. It will only lead to the opposite as your repeated failures pile up. Or, it will lead to religious pride as you deceive yourself into believing you have found a way to be obedient to God. The righteous live by faith not obedience to the law.

 

Amen that's right

 

Jesus said though my yoke is easy and my burden is light.

Even loving our enemies when we see what our capacities are In Christ it's really not a hard thing. We must allow ourselves however to be built up strong in the Spirit where we have the power to do these things. Much more can be said about this.

 

Effort? Certainly not. If you read my original post carefully you'll notice that this perfectness is not a consequence of our own efforts but of us letting God work in us.
In Phil 2:13 it says "For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do", and that's the truth.

"Found a way to be obedient to God"? That sounds as if we don't have to be obedient, or couldn't even be. But there is dozens of verses in the Bible that tell us with 100%-certainty that we shall indeed obey God to the fullest. Read Romans chapter 6, the whole chapter.

Jesus himself said "If you love me, keep my commands", and that's not a joke.

 

I read your post carefully. But, I don't see that you answered most of my questions. Our perfection is not a consequence of Jesus working in us. It is the consequence accepting Him as our savior regardless of what work He does in us. "For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified (Hebrews 10:14)."

You're not being obedient to the point God commands. You aren't loving Jesus because you aren't keeping His commands. We love because He first loved us. No one is made righteous through obedience to law. If you're under the law you're under a curse. You've fallen from grace. You've been bewitched.You are rebuilding what has been destroyed. It's an obedience to faith which is responding to the truth He has revealed.

Anyway, I see this is going nowhere because you just ignored most of the questions I asked you in order to promote your perceived obedience or attempts at it. Good luck.

 

That ostensibly means, don't return evil for evil....I reckon you can and probably have achieved that.

 

I have heard so many times Gods Law is too hard to keep so why bother. What we cannot do on our own God gives His Spirit to help us for those who seek to keep His commandments.

But Jesus looked at them and said to them, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Mathew 19:26

 

And, of course as you correctly pointed out, since we're still human (true our "old man" was crucified with Christ) our "Old Man's influence remains with us, and it's OUR RESPONSIBILITY to "render him inneffective". THE PRIMARY PURPOSE of the LAW is to demonstrate to us, that we're unable to obey it consistently, and we're IN DESPERATE NEED of a SAVIOR.

 

Difficult, yes but not impossible. Everything is difficult but worth the reward.

 

One would be >

"Do all things without complaining and disputing," (Philippians 2:14)

So, yes this should not be something I see as hard or impossible, but God gives us this command in order to bless us and help us. By stopping whatever in us has us complaining or arguing, this can help us become God's way in love so we can find out how to love . . . while in intimate sharing with God in us who has us succeeding.

And be glad God holds us to His standard; because this means He wants His own best for us, not to merely leave us on our own; but in order to do what He means by each command, God in us has us succeeding, and so this means we are sharing with God Himself >

"for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure." (Philippians 2:13)

Each command, then, is what God can easily do in us, in sharing with us.

 

com7fy8,

I don’t believe obedience is difficult in the context I shared. But there are moments when His directives will challenge me to set aside my desires or look to Him for feedback in places I’ve neglected to do so. The larger goal is expanding my dependence on His counsel and sanctification in the process.

I shared the example to demonstrate the role reason plays in our decisions in juxtaposition to the Lord’s mandates. I knew replying was errant because I’ve done so in the past and the arguments disturbed my spirit.

I contemplate the wisdom of engagement and necessity of articulating my thoughts. The goal is authentic representation and discourse which points others to Him. This is a measuring stick of sorts that has proven useful.

Yours in His Service,

~Bella