3.The Secret Of Abiding Is Obeying
I. THE SECRET OF ABIDING
A. THE SECRET OF ABIDING IS OBEYING THE COMMANDS OF AHAISHUA...
1. As stated by Ahaishua...
a. By keeping His commands we abide in His love - John 15:10a If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love
b. By keeping His commands we will be His friends - John 15:14 Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.
2. And restated by His beloved disciple, John - 1 John 3:24a All who keep his commandments abide in him, and he in them.
B. THE PRINCIPLE OF ABIDING THROUGH OBEYING...
1. Governed Ahaishua's relationship with His Father while on earth
a. He kept His Father's commandments, and so abided in His love
- John 15:10b even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.
b. Passages which illustrate Ahaishua's desire to keep His Father's
Will - John 4:34 Ahaishua saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.;
5:30 I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me. 6:38 For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.
2. And should govern our conduct as believers as well
a. We abide in Messiah by keeping His commandments - 1 John 2:3-6 And by this we may be sure that we know him, if we keep his commandments.
4: He who says "I know him" but disobeys his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him;
5: but whoever keeps his word, in him truly love for Alohim is perfected. By this we may be sure that we are in him:
6: he who says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.
b. Otherwise we prove ourselves to be liars if we profess to
know Him and do not keep His word!
[And so "The Secret To Abiding Is Obeying".The importance of "obedience" is stressed throughout the Word of Alohim...]
II. THE IMPORTANCE OF OBEDIENCE
A. AS STRESSED IN THE OLD TESTAMENT...
1. With the nation of Israel
a. At their beginning as a nation - Deuteronomy 10:12,13 And now, Israel, what doth Ahaiah thy Alohim require of thee, but to fear Ahaiah thy Alohim, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve Ahaiah thy Alohim with all thy heart and with all thy soul,
[13] To keep the commandments of Yehovah, and his statutes, which I command thee this day for thy good?
b. Later, as the prophets tried to turn them from their apostasy - Isaiah 1:18-20 Come now, and let us reason together, saith Yehovah: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.
[19] If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land:
[20] But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of Ahaiah hath spoken it.
2. With the example of King Saul - 1 Samuel 15:22-23 And Samuel said, Hath Ahaiah as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of Ahaiah? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.
[23] For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry. Because thou hast rejected the word of the LORD, he hath also rejected thee from being king.
3. As concluded by Solomon in his search for meaning - Ecclesiastes 12:13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear Alohim, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
B. AS STRESSED IN THE NEW TESTAMENT...
1. By Jesus, on several occasions
a. During the sermon on the mount - Matthew 7:21-23 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
[22] Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
[23] And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.,
24-27 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
[25] And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
[26] And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
[27] And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it. ;
Luke 6:46 And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?
b. In describing His true family - Mark 3:31-35 There came then his brethren and his mother, and, standing without, sent unto him, calling him.
[32] And the multitude sat about him, and they said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren without seek for thee.
[33] And he answered them, saying, Who is my mother, or my brethren?
[34] And he looked round about on them which sat about him, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren!
[35] For whosoever shall do the will of elohim, the same is my brother, and my sister, and mother.
c. In giving the "Great Commission" - Matthew 28:18-20 And Ahaishua came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
[20] Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
2. By the apostles in their preaching and teaching:
a. the apostle Peter - Acts 10:34,35 Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that Alohim is no respecter of persons:
[35] But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.,
48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of Ahaiah.
b. the apostle Paul - Acts 17:30 And the times of this ignorance elohim winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent;
Romans 6:17-18 But Alohim be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.
[18] Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.
REVIEW
1. One cannot read much of Elohim's Word without realizing that obedience to Alohim's "commands" are essential if we are going to enjoy Elohim's "blessings!"
2. One verse that expresses this well is Hebrews 5:9, where speaking of
Jesus it is said..."And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him,"
3. Have you obeyed the commands of Messiah and His apostles? Consider just a few commands that you must obey if you are going to abide in Messiah, and He in you...
a. Believe on the name of Ahaishua Messiah - 1 John 3:23 And this is his commandment, that we should believe in the name of his Son Yehoshua Messiah and love one another, just as he has commanded us.
b. Repent of our sins - Acts 17:30 And the times of this ignorance elohim winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:
c. Be baptized - Matthew 28:18-19And Ahaishua came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
d. Grow in the knowledge of Messiah - 2 Peter 3:18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Master and Saviour Ahaishua Messiah. To him be glory both now and for ever. Amen.
e. Do not forsake the assembling of ourselves together - Hebrews 10:24-25 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:
[25] Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
f. Let the Word of Messiah dwell in you richly - Colosians 3:16 Let the word of Messiah dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to Ahaiah.
g. Devote yourself to prayer - Colosians 4:2 Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving;
4. To those who faithfully obey Jesus, to them are given the comforting
words of Revelation 22:14..."Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city."
The secret to living is bearing fruit;
The secret to bearing fruit is abiding;
The secret to abiding is obeying...
What is the secret of obeying?