Delayed Obedience is Disobedience in Disguise
God’s commands are a blessing not a burden. His commands are for us not against us. When we disobey God, our actions declare that we think we are greater than God. Sin is anything we do that we know God doesn’t want us to do or anything we neglect to do that we know God wants us to do.
Obedience to God requires taking steps of faith. “Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.” (Galatians 5:25 NIV) If we keep in step with God’s Spirit through daily obedience, we do not find ourselves in a position to take a leap of faith. Leaps of faith are terrifying, feel unreasonable, and seem utterly impossible. When obeying God feels like a leap instead of a step, there is a good chance that delayed obedience has been lurking for a while.
Delayed obedience is disobedience in disguise. When we know what God wants us to do but decide to put off doing it, we are not actually obeying. We deceive ourselves, but we do not deceive God. “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.” (Galatians 6:7 NIV) Delayed obedience is sin. When we sow sin, we reap death. When we sow obedience, we reap life. Refusing to take a step of faith today results in distance from God tomorrow. The longer we wait to obey, the further we get from God’s blessings.
Obedience is necessary to experience the fullness of life in Jesus. When we put off obedience, we are putting off life. We can pretend all we want, but we only deceive ourselves. Planning on doing something is not the same thing as doing it.
Is there something God desires of you that you are putting off? What are you waiting for? Unless God commands you to wait, obey without delay. “If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.” (James 4:17 NIV)
When God calls you to be baptized…be baptized. When God calls you to tithe…tithe. When God calls you to forgive…forgive. When God calls you to share His love…share His love.
Lordship is simple…Jesus is in charge. If He is your Lord, you will obey Him. If He is not your lord, you will disobey Him. Rationalizing sin with the notion of good intentions may help us sleep at night, but it robs our world of experiencing God’s blessings. “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Galatians 2:10 NIV)
If you have a relationship with Jesus, then you are a new creation in Him. God has prepared good works for you to do. Nobody else is going to do them. They are yours. Don’t wait for your life to get in order, for the next phase of life to start, or for obedience to get easier. The only thing that makes obedience easier is obeying right away.
Obey God. Step fully into every good thing He commands. What are you waiting for? Delayed obedience is disobedience.
