A Cold Shell of Obedience

There are two kinds of obedience: that which is done in love and that which is not. The litmus test is how we treat others. If our obedience forms an impenetrable outer crust, we have failed. If our obedience is a light that guides the way for the lost and the weak, then we have succeeded.

Throughout the Bible, God makes mention of the above distinction. Some have missed the point completely and remained alienated from their Creator, even died and been judged to an eternity in the Lake of Fire. Others have embraced God’s wisdom and lived incredibly fulfilling lives, knowing the truth that set them free. Love. God is love. “We love because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19).

To unfaithful Israel, the Lord God said:

For I delight in loyalty rather than sacrifice, and in the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.
To the Pharisees of His time, Jesus said:

“But go and learn what this means: ‘I DESIRE COMPASSION, AND NOT SACRIFICE,’ for I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”
“But if you had known what this means, ‘I DESIRE COMPASSION, AND NOT A SACRIFICE,’ you would not have condemned the innocent.”
Sacrifices in the Bible are results of, not causes of, spiritual wisdom. When man inverts this truth he disorients himself from God’s good intention. We must be careful not to fall into this trap, as it is quite a slippery slope, indeed. I’m a pastor, and I have to check myself regularly. Any injustice to my flesh (I speak from the flesh’s perspective) must be set aside for honest examination. If we are simply going through the motions, we are failing, no matter how magnificent our labors might appear outwardly, or even superficially to ourselves in the mirror (we can convince ourselves of an awful lot when we put our minds to it - the human mind is especially adept at counterfeiting).

What good is even reading this blog if your heart’s not in it? Are you doing so merely at the request of your pastor? Has “blog time” become so routine that the best part of it is the coffee in your hand? Familiarity is death. Satan and the kingdom of darkness utilize familiarity just as a military organization uses a FOB (Forward Operating Base). It’s the tip of the spear for so many casualties in the faith. What begins with a seemingly benign “meh” in the soul, degrades into something insidious.

Check yourself for familiarity. Regularly. Ensure you haven’t become a cold shell of obedience.

If you don’t know where to begin, I’m here to help you. Begin the way I often do, appraise your heart for others. For example, are you cold or warm towards those in need? If your show of love is merely an act, you are cold - let’s just establish this up front. The apostle Paul wrote that if he didn’t have love, he would become “a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal,” or “nothing,“ even - ouch (1 Corinthians 13:1b, 2b)! Furthermore, he wrote, “And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing” (1 Corinthians 13:3). To echo Jesus’ words, “I DESIRE COMPASSION, AND NOT SACRIFICE” (Matthew 9:13).

God desires inviting warmth, not repulsive coldness. After all, we represent Him, right?

Is it possible to concoct routines that fool others, that look good, but lack substance? Of course, we do it all the time. It’s one of the primary things I look for in my own congregation. Are they merely putting on a good show? Can I see it in their eyes that they’d rather be somewhere else than in church learning the Word of God? These are the red flags that appear like clockwork before a person fades even further. I’d argue that some people are so bewitched by whatever’s caught their affection that the rest of us see the malady in them before even they do. We are masters at deceiving ourselves, aren’t we? The Word of God warns us:

Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you thinks that he is wise in this age, he must become foolish, so that he may become wise.
But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; for once he has looked at himself and gone away [e.g., read this blog then go right back to your old habits?], he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was. But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty [of love], and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does.
This passage summarizes what the Spirit’s inspiring in this blog. There’s no blessing in being a cold-hearted person. The blessing is in abiding in love. “[Love] does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful” (1 Corinthians 13:5). Sacrifice is about others, not self. When God demands we sacrifice ourselves (ref: Romans 12:1), He does so to ensure our own blessing along with those we serve. As Jesus stated, “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35).

It’s never enough to simply go through the motions of sacrifice, whether ritualized and commanded by the Bible specifically, or not.

The quality of sacrifice is measured by God. We don’t have the right to set the bar. Every time man has attempted such a feat he has failed miserably and suffered dire consequences as a result (consider those in Hell who metered righteousness to themselves - ala Matthew 7:23). “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap” (Galatians 6:7).

A just balance and scales belong to the LORD;
All the weights of the bag are His concern.
Differing weights are an abomination to the LORD,
And a false scale is not good.

False religions set their own boundaries for righteousness, supposing , as the Pharisees did in Jesus’ time, that keeping rituals and performing sacrifices with hard, cold, merciless hearts is sufficient service of worship. Individuals who teach false doctrines are among the antichrists in this world.

For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their deeds.
Some of you reading this blog need to step back, as former members of false religion, and examine your own hearts for purity’s sake. I guarantee if you look close enough you’ll find remnants still there, cancerous roots still pulsating with lies. If you spend enough time, you’ll begin making appropriate connections as to your own familiarity with God’s grace and love. Maybe you’ve been reading your Bible half asleep, or you’ve rushed it, like you would a chore. Maybe you’ve become familiar with your church family, skipping days when the doors are open and the Word is being preached. Maybe you’ve forgotten to count your blessings. Worst of all, maybe you’ve become familiar with Christ’s work on your behalf...forgetting that you’ve been purchased with a price and that your life isn’t yours to keep.

Wake up; your familiarity has made you bitter.

The cold, uninviting shell of counterfeit obedience cracks under the weight of Truth. While such a breaking down of long-held beliefs is painful to go through, the exercise is both fruitful and freeing. Sanctification isn’t always pleasant as its happening, but the results always produce a greater peace.

I’ll end the way I began...

There are two kinds of obedience: that which is done in love and that which is not. The litmus test is how we treat others. If our obedience forms an impenetrable outer crust, we have failed. If our obedience is a light that guides the way for the lost and the weak, then we have succeeded.

You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.
Love in Christ,

Ed Collins