COMMITMENT VS OBLIGATION:
Bible Study
“And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.” (Deuteronomy 6:5)
Even before Jesus walked the earth, God revealed to His people the importance of commitment, and how commitment frees us from the burden of obligation. God will take our hearts from have to to want to, if we let HIM. Obligation is just for us. We use it to rid ourselves of guilt and make us feel good about ourselves; only catering to the flesh. But commitment is unto the LORD and is spurred by our deep love for Him:
Are Our Actions Out of Love or Obligation?
The Apostle Paul used the phrase ‘I press’ to mean continuance in Christ Jesus. All believers require time, and Paul was no exception. Inasmuch as growth requires a step-by-step approach rooted in love and patience. Therefore, as long as we are pressing forward, we can be assured that all is well with our soul—
“Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:13-14)
As long as we are working with God’s Spirit in unfeigned devotion, He will continue enabling and strengthening us and little by little, we will learn how to come up higher, and give more of ourselves to God by serving Him and His Kingdom/people.
With all this being said, however, this reveal begs the question of obligation—
“Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.” (2Corinthians 9:7)
And by this same Precept, verse 6 illustrates that the depth of one’s devotion, He will reward accordingly—
“But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.” (2Corinthians 9:6)
While God is well-pleased when His children press onward in Christ, He is not pleased with our doing good deeds in order to try to appease Him. This sort of attitude is sorely lacking in sincerity, and boils down to attempted manipulation of GOD, whether intended or unintended. Obligation is aligned perfectly with legalism. If it doesn’t come from the heart, its phony and meaningless, for all intents and purposes. As we see in Cain’s half-hearted offering—
“But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.” (Genesis 4:5)
Furthermore, God declares that He considers the heart-intention behind what we do—
“But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.” (1Samuel 16:7)
“I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.” (Jeremiah 17:10)
And God considers likewise, what we neglect to do—
“Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.” (James 4:17)
And moreover, He cannot be fooled, mocked or tricked in any way—
“Be not deceived, God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” (Galatians 6:7-9)
Furthermore, Jesus said—
“I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.” (John 15:5)
This is why pressing into Him brings forth spiritual fruit. But going our own way, even if in a way that tricks even our own minds, will ultimately only serve the self—
“All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.” (Isaiah 53:6)
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.” (Galatians 5:22-25)
Those who are sincere with unfeigned hearts before Him can abide in the confidence that God is pleased.
But through the pursuit of obligation, we only serve legality, much like the Pharisees—
“But all of their works; they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments, And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues, And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi.” (Matthew 23:5-7)
“For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:20)
KJV