Blind Obedience?

You know there's a lot of misconceptions about God. One in particular is regarding obedience. There are those who might say that blind obedience is a bad thing. That listening to a bunch of rules because God's Word says to do them is stupid, and that we should think for ourselves.

Well.

First, its not a bad thing. If God says to do something, we ought to do it -- for no other reason than God said to do it. He's the creator of the universe and of all mankind. He made it, he made us, and therefore he gets to make the rules. You can't argue with him. His stuff, his rules.

Now, you can argue that the Bible is not the Word of God, but that is a whole different can of worms. Suffice to say, that the main reason many people deep down reject the Bible as the Word of God is not because of some great logical argument or evidence, but rather that they don't want to be held accountable to God for not listening to what he says. If you can rationalize away the Bible then you can go make up your own god and your own ideas about what this god wants. In effect, you make yourself God. That's a tradgedy.

But back on target, to blind obedience.

Despite the fact that blindly obeying God is a correct thing to do, the Bible doesn't leave us blind anyway! Check it out:

Genesis 4. The Lord asked Cain was he was angry and told him that if he does what is right, he will be accepted, but if he does what is wrong, sin is crouching at the door ready to get him. God doesn't just say "don't be angry" -- he gives Cain a reason. Can just doesn't listen.

Exodus 20. The ten commandments. The Lord gives a command to honor parents so the children may live long in the land they are going to get. Again, God gives a reason.

Leviticus 20. A bunch of laws. The Lord tells the people to keep them so the land will not vomit them out and because the people have been set apart from the other nations. Again, God gives a reason.

Deuteronomy 28. Moses' recap of the events that took place in the past 80 years or so before he died. He tells the people that if they folow the Lord's commands, he will set them high above all the nations on the earth and lists various blessings that will come on them. Again, a reason.

Let's skip to some New Testament stuff.

Matthew 26. "Whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me. Then they will go away to eternal punishment, but the righteous to eternal life."

Mark 10. "No one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present ago and, in the age to come, eternal life."

Luke 12. "Whoever acknowledges me before me, the Son of Man will also acknowledge him before the angels of God."

John 15. "If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete."

Revelation 3. The letters to the churches. To those who continue to follow Jesus to the end -- "I will give the right to eat from the tree of life." "He will not be hurt at all by the second death." "I will give him a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to him who receives it." "I will give him the morning star." "I will never blot out his name from the book of life." "I will make a pillar in the temple of my God." "I will give the right to sit with me on my throne."

Reason after reason after reason.

No, not every single commandment of God is explained with a reason. That would be silly. We're supposed to TRUST God. Just like our children are supposed to TRUST us as parents. We know better, and there are many things that are way over their heads. Even more so with us and God. But this isn't blind obedience. This is obedience with a purpose behind it. Joy. Peace. Honor. Power. Glory. Eternal life. And yes, avoidance of the wrath to come for those who do not heed God's Word.

We should obey God simply because he is God, and we love him, and we trust him. As a BONUS he throws in all this other awesome stuff too. Yet, somehow, we stiff-necked human beings often thing we know better or that there is a better deal? Shame on us.

Grace and Peace