Repentance (3 of 3): Walking in Obedience
Open Your Bible
John 14:15-21, Deuteronomy 5:33, James 4:7-10, 2 John 1:6
BY Amanda Bible Williams
Text: John 14:15-21, Deuteronomy 5:33, James 4:7-10, 2 John 1:6
Growing up in the religious South, I’ve too often thought of faith as one of those moving walkways in the airport. The point was not the walking or the journey along the way; the point was getting to the destination—heaven. Or, to put it bluntly, not hell.
Being a Christian meant picking the correct lane and facing the correct direction. No deviating to the left or right, no passing Go or collecting $200. No obvious need for a Savior or real understanding of grace. Just a beeline for the pearly gates, with a little tithing and a lot of church attendance thrown in for good measure.
Aren’t you thankful Jesus didn’t come to give us empty religion? He came to give us Himself. The invitation Christ extends is an invitation to a relationship with Him.
Repentance is not a box we check so that we end up on the right side of eternity; repentance is an everyday event, a manifestation of an ongoing relationship with God. We turn from our sin and turn to God, and we walk with Him. The turning is the first step, but the walking is a continuous motion. And, contrary to what we may fear, it is not something we do on our own.
The night before Jesus was crucified, He sat with His disciples around a table and said to them, “If you love Me, you will keep My commands” (John 14:15). Those twelve men could not have known the full weight of Jesus’ statement at the time, but in hindsight, we can see just how hard that would be. Like them, you and I know how difficult it is to walk steadily in the way of Christ. We know how often we fall, just like Adam and Eve and every generation after them fell, and just like the imperfect disciples sitting around that table. When we hear “if you love Me, you will keep my commands,” we may wonder if we do.
We aren’t perfect. That’s why the perfect Savior came. Jesus came to give the Father glory and to give us Himself. And what He gave, the world could not take away.
They took His life, but He gave us His Spirit. They buried Him in the ground, but He rose out of that grave and later into the heavens, where He lives so we might also live (John 14:16,19). Yes, Christ calls us to walk in obedience and love, but we do not walk alone. “I will not leave you as orphans,” Jesus said to the disciples that day. “I am coming to you” (John 14:18).
Our command-keeping is not about proving to Christ that we belong to Him. It is what happens when we are His. When we repent of our sin and turn to God, we receive the Holy Spirit as His never-leaving, always-living gift to us. “He is the Spirit of truth”—a Spirit the world cannot receive or understand, a Spirit that teaches and reminds us of the things of Christ (John 14:17,26). He is our Helper, our Counselor.
With hearts so prone to wander, we may be tempted to stand still in our fear or uncertainty. But repentance is not a passive position; it is an active and humble pursuit. It is turning from sin, turning to God, and walking in obedience—all by the grace and mercy of a good Father who loves His children.
118 thoughts on "Repentance (3 of 3): Walking in Obedience"
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I grew up Catholic and until these past few years, I didn’t know what it meant to have a relationship with Christ. Since I began that journey my life has been changed…I am finding my purpose, following the path that God has for me, blessing others as a normal, and truly enjoying my life and my walk with Christ!
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That’s so exciting!! :)
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awesome news! he has indeed come to give us life to the FULL. Praise God :-)
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Im sorry you didn’t get that from your Catholic upbringing!! (I’m Catholic )but-happy for you!
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I too grew up Catholic and was not taught about having a “relationship” with Jesus. I have since become a Christian and my new life is so filled with joy at my new relationship with God. Everything has changed, and I have a much greater faith in Him. It is so awesome to know that He will provide my needs. And all I need to do is trust his great plan. What a great Father we have, such a blessing!
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Repentance is such a sweet gift!!
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Way to use the internet to help people solve prleboms!
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This year has been such a “turning” point in my life because, in the 24 years that I have been on this earth, I finally chose to turn to God. It took me some time to realize that He will save me and love me but I now turn to him each and every day. I give him all of my love and I am returned with so much more!
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That’s beautiful Charlotte. May He continue to fill you with love, grace and purpose!
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Turning from sin to Jesus. Continuously reminding myself to turn my eyes to Him.
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We aren’t perfect. That’s why the perfect Savior came. Jesus came to give the Father glory and to give us Himself. And what He gave, the world could not take away….
I am so so very thankful for my Jesus, that what He gave and continues to give, no matter what, who, where or how….it cannot be taken away….
Praising you God…Thank you…Hoping today is a good day..for all..xxx
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Love reading your thoughts throughout these studies Tina. Seeing your little picture on the comments stream is like running into a familiar friend. Even though we have never met, I am encouraged by you!!
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I was recently “instructed to leave my cchurch”
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What? Why?
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Yes … Why ?
That’s impossible . You’re in church right now with us women .
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Wow, this really hit me. I was taught legalism and the whole “personal relationship” was unheard of or mocked. I struggle daily with grace. Even though I have a wonderful earthly father, I am realizing that I do not see God that way. Always waiting for him to drop the hammer on me. Checking those boxes off seems so much easier but it isn’t effective. I can not save myself. I hope that one day I will grasp grace.
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The world doesnt want us to know the beauty of grace, Jen. It wants us to work hard and struggle, and do everything on our own. But Christ said take my yoke and my burden for its light and easy to carry. God is a God of knew chances, endless love and beauty. I pray that your eyes will be opened to that beauty and freedom from our Heavenly Father who gives us so much more than we could ever deserve.
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This has completely changed how I look at repentance. I previously thought it was something I should do when I know I have done something significantly wrong. However when you say it’s something we do everyday when we turn away from sin and turn towards God it gives the word a whole new meaning. It now seems like an everyday act, rather than a when things start to crumble kind of act. Thank you!
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