In this peculiar age of social media where anyone and everyone can quickly establish a broad platform and attract a crowd, hoping to find their ’15 minutes of fame’ or longer, it is often done so by performing and then broadcasting absurd and oftentimes, dangerous stunts.

Hence the warning we see more and more often these days cautioning viewers to not try and imitate or replicate these things they see that ‘go viral’. 

In other words, you would be foolish to try and do so. Those warnings are often followed up by listing an assortment of consequences one might encounter should you ignore the warning to not attempt on your own…things like sickness or serious injury and even ‘death’.

I wonder at times if a similar ‘warning label’ should be attached or printed on our Bibles; or at least next to any and all of those verses that exhort us to be like Jesus. You know…the ones about ‘having the same mind as Christ’ or ‘being an imitator of Him’ or ‘walk just as He walked’. And let’s not forget the one about ‘being perfect like the Father is perfect’ either. (Matt. 5:48)

But I would just tweak that warning label ever so slightly from the one I posted here today; and it would say something like this:

“Warning- Do not attempt this in your own power”.

Then, I would list some of the side-effects or possible results and how it will most likely lead to frustration, defeat, disillusionment and even self-condemnation. I would also add an even worse possible side-effect explaining how it might lead to a ‘Pharisee-Piousness-Syndrome’.

But make no mistake about it…Jesus was pretty clear as to what this gospel of the kingdom proclaimed: men everywhere were to repent and turn to Him and follow Him. If they did, they would experience a transformation as part of God’s plan to reconcile man back to Him, conforming them back…into His likeness and image. I mean after all, that was the original plan, was it not? (Gen. 1:26-27). Now take a look at Rom. 8:28-29.

Friends…this ‘gospel’ that we hear so much about today, and sing about…involves just a tad bit more than just ‘believing Jesus is the Son of God who died on a cross for your sins’. And once again…all I can do is point out scripture after scripture for you to examine for yourself to see whether these things I share with you here are true or not. (Acts 17:11). Shall we…?

Let’s talk about ‘obedience’ today if we can.

“The word of God spread, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith.” (Acts 6:7). Please note that we see the word ‘disciples’ there, and not ‘believers’.

And that phrase: ‘obedient to the faith’; is that an oxymoron? What does ‘obedience’ have to do with ‘faith’? I think Paul touches on this in Romans 3:31.

You might visit 2 Thess. 1:6-8 where Paul describes a coming day of righteous indignation on God’s part where Jesus will be “revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God; and on those who do not…obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Again…is this gospel something to be ‘believed’ or ‘obeyed’?

We read in Hebrews 5, where referring to Jesus we are told: “Though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered. And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who …obey Him.” (8-9). (Might want to grab a highlighter)

Jesus turned and asked a group who were with Him: “Why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord’, and not do the things which I say?” (Luke 6:46)

Then there is a rather insightful story recorded for us in 1 Samuel 15. Allow me to hit some ‘key points’ here for the sake of time/space.

God had an assignment for King Saul that was not carried out completely as God had specified. We are told that the Lord was grieved and even regretted having made Saul king given that he had “turned back from following Him, and had not performed His commandments.” (11)

Saul, on the other hand was feeling pretty good about himself, enough to where he want to Carmel and erected a monument to himself. (12)

Samuel goes to see Saul and confront him, on behalf of God and when Saul sees him, he in turn greets Samuel with a resounding ‘Praise the Lord, Samuel…I’ve performed the commandment of the Lord!” (13)

Samuel then expresses doubt given the evidence that he ‘hears’ in the background. (14) Sounds a bit reminiscent to Paul’s word to Titus about how many will ‘profess to know God , but by their actions they will deny Him’. (Titus 1:16). Probably has something to do with ‘good fruit’ vs. ‘bad fruit’, you think? (Matt. 7:17-20)

So King Saul kind of sidesteps with a plausible excuse suggesting that the reason he kept back part of the better livestock was so the people could have a great sacrifice to the Lord. (15) I mean, worship really is an important and essential part of having a good church, is it not?

Then comes this riveting response from Samuel: “Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as He does in obeying His voice? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice...and to heed...as the fat of rams.” (22). Another ‘footnote’ here if I may…please refer back to vs. 11 again and remind us exactly how God explained how Saul had ‘turned back from following Him’? Now take a look at Hebrews 2:1 if you would please.

I find it interesting the way Samuel then equates ‘rebellion’ (not complying with or obeying) with the sin of witchcraft. Most professing believers would have nothing to do with such a ‘dark and evil practice’…and yet…? (23). Why he even doubles down to imply that ‘stubbornness’ is on the same level of ‘idolatry’ and we know…that no idolater “has any inheritance in the kingdom of God’. (Eph. 5:5; Rev. 21:7-8)

Yet even after all this, Saul’s half-hearted ‘apology-excuse’ is reduced to an admission of ‘fearing the people more, and listening to their voice’. (24). Good thing that could never happen to us today. (John 12:42-43)

I would like to encourage you to finish this up on your own today (or whenever you read/study this) and look over 1 Cor. 10:1-11. Paul did not want us to be ignorant or ‘unaware’ of what transpired with the early fathers who came out of Egypt. He gives an account of what all they witnessed and experienced as God led them out of bondage under the leadership of Moses. And yet…”God was not pleased with most of them.” (5). We are then told in both vs 6 and 11 as to why these things were written down for us to read/study and take to heart: “as examples and warnings to us upon whom the end of the ages have come”.

Then, before wrapping up, take a peek over at Hebrews 3:7-19. We are admonished there to ‘not harden our hearts IF we hear His voice’ as those early followers did that Paul just wrote about in 1 Cor. 10. We are then exhorted to not ‘depart from the living God’, (how do we do that again?) and are then warned about the deceitfulness of sin and its ability to harden our hearts. (12-13)

But it is vs.16-19 that you should really make note of as once again, that rebellious generation are held up as an example to what can happen to those who fail to fully follow God with all their hearts in obedience. “He swore they would not enter His rest…those who did not obey Him…so we see that they could not enter because of …unbelief”.

So once again, we seem to see this correlation with ‘faith’ and ‘obedience’. Might we conclude that ‘obedience is the fruit or the evidence of faith’? I mean…we do read that ‘not everyone who says…but those who do….”. (Matt. 7:21)

We truly cheat ourselves if we don’t allow the Holy Spirit to connect such vital truths from the OT that do indeed relate to us today in our walk of faith. God told the Israelites back in Deut. 9:23: “I instructed you to go up and possess the land which I give you…then you rebelled against the commandments of the Lord your God and you did not believe Hm nor obey His voice. You have been rebellious against the Lord.”

Last two verses for today; continuing on there in Hebrews where we left off: “Therefore, since a promises remains of entering His rest, let us fear lest any of you seem to have come short of it.” (Heb. 4:1)

God has a land for us to possess today, as He leads us to purify our hearts in preparation of His coming for a spotless and pure bride. And He is not kidding around. Without holiness, no man shall see the Lord, as it is the ‘pure in heart’ who will see Him. (Heb. 12:14; Matt. 5:8)

“Having these promises , beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” (2 Cor. 7:1)

Trust me on this: You can’t do this on your own. It is Only by His Spirit that you can be empowered by His grace to actually ‘do…the will of God.’ (Titus 1:11-14)

Do not….I repeat…Do Not…try to do this in your own power and strength.