Obedience & Change
Our decision to put our faith in Jesus changes us. The grace of God starts transforming us from the inside out. The change in our heart leads us to start living differently. This new faith matters to God and will start the process of us becoming who He created us to be. In fact, scripture says it’s impossible to please God without faith. We aren’t called simply to know God exists. We’re called to live in such a way that invisible realities open up before us as we take steps of faith. We work in partnership with Him to bring about what is not yet seen and fully become a new person in Christ.
That’s God’s goal for your faith. Salvation is huge, but it’s just the beginning. God is establishing his kingdom through his people—by faith. So our obedience to God proves our love for Him, demonstrates our faithfulness to Him, and glorifies Him in the world. But obedience also positions us to receive all God’s blessings and live in the ways God says is best for us. That means letting our faith lead us into living a lifestyle characterized by righteousness, modeling the example set for us by Jesus Christ. We obey His commands, not because we have to, but because we want to and because we love Him.
When we obey the Lord, we can live a life of joy, without shame, rooted deeply in the Lord and confident in our eternal hope. Our obedience is actually part of our assurance that we truly know God. In fact, when we obey our Heavenly Father, He is glorified. Jesus told us that the plan is for others to “see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven”. Of course, performing “good deeds” requires obedience to the One who calls us to good deeds. God is gracious but we experience that grace all the more when we trust Him, live as he directs us and allow the Holy Spirit to change us.