To obey God is an act of love and submission. It is not a forced behavior. Christ found joy in obeying His Father’s will. “I delight to do your will, O my God: yea, your law is within my heart” (Psalm 40:8). When the law is inscribed in the heart, obedience becomes a pleasure. Instead of being regarded as a series of outward rules to be followed, obedience to the law becomes natural.
How does this process start?
When a person invites Jesus into their heart, he begins a daily walk with Him. He does this by reading the Scriptures and by prayer. As God sends His Holy Spirit to convict his heart, a change starts to take place in the life. The old thoughts are transformed and a new life begins to take place. Thus, the process of conversion begins (John 3:8). God does the work of change as the person submits His will for his life. “For it is God who works in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13). Thus, to the Christian, obedience to the commandments of God are no longer hard, but is the result of love (1 John 5:3b).
By beholding we become changed
A true understanding of God leads to an intelligent appreciation of His divine character and creates a longing to reflect His character. The humblest Christian who continually beholds the Son of God as his Redeemer will reflect in his own life the character of Christ. “But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord” (2 Corinthians 3:18). Therefore, if a Christian faithfully continues to do so, he will be transformed “from glory to glory” in his walk with the Lord (2 Peter 1:5–7).
Love leads to joyful obedience
Comprehending the infinite cost of salvation that God paid at the cross (John 3:16) makes the Christian delight to live in harmony by the principles of heaven. Thus, love to God is translated into active obedience to His law. “For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments” (1 John 5:3a). The Ten Commandments are the extension of these two principles, love to God and love to man (Matthew 19:17–19; 22:36–40; Romans 13:8–10).
God gives the power to obey
A born again person has God as his Father and reflects Him in character (1 John 3:1–3; John 8:39, 44). His aim, by His grace, is to live above sin (Romans 6:12–16). Therefore, he doesn’t submit his will to sin. “Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God” (1 John 3:9 also 5:18). In fact, he who loves God finds joy in fulfilling His commands and God Himself gives him the will, power and grace to obey (1 Corinthians 10:13; Philippians 4:13).
In His service,
BibleAsk Team
