Chapter Nine
Discovery of Blessing
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On the contrary, blessed are those who hear the word of God, and observe it (Luke 11:28).
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DEFINITION
It is important before we go any further in this key chapter, that we understand the word blessed as used in the above verse and throughout the following discussion. The Greek word makarios, used above, has the thought of "happiness" or "happier." Thus we are not thinking primarily of material prosperity, although that may be involved in some cases. However, the primary thought is one of pleasure, contentment, joy, peace or gladness.
If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them (John 13:17 KJV).
Those who love thy law have great peace, and nothing causes them to stumble (Ps. 119:165).
BLESSING versus RESULTS
We are very "results" oriented. We often hear the phrase, "It is results that count." This attitude has penetrated professing Christianity as well. Evangelists count souls saved, pastors the size of the congregation, authors the number of copies sold, and so on. Much fleshly competition has resulted due to this outlook. Obedience has taken a back seat in many circles, because results are stressed. The end now justifies the means. We all desire results and rejoice to see them. However, in many cases results do not make one happy, contented, or in a state of gladness. It must be remembered that "God gives the increase" (1 Cor. 3:6-7). In many cases the increase or result is despite our efforts and/or disobedience. Today many look only at the "good" coming out of many movements and thus endorse them wholeheartedly. However, results do not, in and of themselves, imply obedience to His Word.
PRINCIPLE
We will look at several examples in Scripture to establish the principle that obedience produces blessing and then at areas in our Christian life where it may be applied. We will by no means cover all the areas set forth in Scripture. This will be left to each one's private study. We will look at the results of obedience in Scripture to illustrate the principle. I trust I am not contradicting previous statements concerning results. The reason we can use the results set forth in Scripture to show this principle is that God has told us directly and specifically that these results are because of the individual's obedience. God knows the heart, while we see only the outward appearance. He may say the results are due to obedience, while we may not always be able to do so.
ABRAHAM
We have already noticed this principle as we looked at the first use of the word "obey" in Scriptures (Gen. 22:18).
And in your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed because you obeyed My voice.
CREATION
We must realize that when God created the world and placed man in it, an order was established. This order had man's blessing (happiness) in view. All of creation was at Adam's disposal. God did require Adam to work prior to the Fall (Gen. 2:15). God in His wisdom knew that man would be happier working. This work was easy since no weeds, sickness, or death were present. After the Fall, this work became toilsome as a result of the curse.
The principle seen right in the beginning of time is that God established "order" for blessing. The husband-wife relationship was established, not to show man as superior to the woman, but to provide an order and the resulting blessing. When man broke that order, unhappiness resulted, blessing is therefore contingent upon obedience.
SALVATION
This area illustrates the principle extremely well. We start our Christian pathway by hearing under the gospel concerning the Lord Jesus Christ. We confess (agree with God) our sin (root, nature) and accept His provision of salvation from it and the penalty of our sins (fruit, acts). What are the results?
The Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him (Acts 5:32).
And having been made perfect, He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation (Heb. 5:9).
But the fruit of the Spirit is love (giving and obedience), joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self control (Gal. 5:22).
Man cannot be in a "happier" state than to be in a right relationship with God. Unfortunately, we do not always see this and thus seek happiness in other ways. Our Father graciously brought us back to that understanding many times (Heb. 12:5-8).
I would like to suggest that those qualities or fruits (outward evidence of inward life) in the above reference (Gal. 5:22) proceed out of the first one mentioned. That is the fruit of love. If we give of ourselves and also have an attitude of obedience (complete faith and dependence) toward God, true joy, peace, etc., will follow. You can meditate further on that thought.
By the obedience of the One, (result) the many will be made righteous (Rom. 5:19).
EXALTATION OF CHRIST
And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore also God highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow (Phil. 2:8-10).
Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross (Heb. 12:2).
But the Lord was pleased to crush Him, putting Him to grief; If He would render Himself as a guilt offering, He will see His offspring, He will prolong His days, And the good pleasure of the Lord will prosper in His hand. As a result of the anguish of His soul, He will see it and be satisfied; By His knowledge the Righteous One, My Servant, will justify the many, As He will bear their iniquities. Therefore, I will allot Him a portion with the great, And He will divide the booty with the strong; Because He poured out Himself to death, And was numbered with the transgressors; Yet He Himself bore the sin of many, And interceded for the transgressors (Isaiah 53:10-12).
There is a sense in which the fullness of our blessing may not be realized until a later time. We do, however, experience a portion of it prior to that fullness. Christ certainly had a joy set before Him as He lived that obedient life and died that obedient death. There is no doubt that He, while here on earth, enjoyed the anticipation of the fullness of that joy which would be His upon returning to His Father. In many cases the extent of the blessing will not be immediately known, but we can joy in the fact that blessing is promised and will come. Thus, promised blessing for current obedience can produce current happiness.
NOAH
Noah worked many years on the construction of the ark, but he knew that blessing was to come out of his labor of obedience. I am sure he had a daily blessing as he carried out God's instructions. This should encourage us as we bring up our children in the manner prescribed in Scripture. Many times we must wait many years to see the results of our obedience to His Word, but we should not become discouraged. He has promised blessing for faithful obedience. Others also labor many years only to see little results. By man's standards the effort is in vain, but if the work is done in obedience to Him, blessing will follow, if not in this life, in the one to follow.
AREAS OF APPLICATION
Since we are now entering the areas which impact directly upon each of us individually, we must be prepared to hear under. We may have difficulty understanding the reasons for many of God's instructions, but we must have an attitude of obedience as we look at these practical truths. Pray that you will have an obedient spirit in areas in which perhaps you find a natural resistance to the truth presented in Scripture. Blind acceptance of teaching is not suggested, but if a correct presentation of the Scriptures is made, let us have obedient hearts to it. Let us not substitute our logic for Divine revelation.
Since one would have difficulty in determining which area to discuss first, we will proceed in alphabetical order. Certainly all areas of obedience are not covered here. You may wish to add others.
ATTENDANCE
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Nor forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some (Heb. 10:25).
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The Lord knows our weaknesses and our needs better than we do. He knows we form bad habits which are difficult to break. For this reason we are instructed in Scripture to form good habits which are also difficult for Satan to penetrate once we are established in them.
Failure to gather with the Lord's people is a sure sign of a spiritual problem. It is for one thing, a sign of independence. A feeling that one is not in need of the others expressing fellowship in the local assembly of Christians, implies that they are capable of carrying their entire load alone. It can also imply an attitude of superior knowledge, since they are not in need of the teaching carried out there. If one is gifted with much knowledge, it should be put to practice among the Lord's people.
Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall (1 Cor. 10:12).
The failure to assemble with the Lord's people is of course contrary to all of Scripture which stresses the need of each member for all others in the body. This world offers no encouragement to a Christian. Any Christian who is attempting to live for the Lord needs encouragement, just as the soldier and athlete do (2 Tim. 2:1-6). The world cannot give this to us.
Meeting with one or two Christian friends is not assembling together (unless that is the entire local assembly). To just gather with a few individuals we know, "agree with," and with whom you happen to have similar personalities, is not what is in view here. This is not to say we cannot enjoy and benefit from fellowship with small groups. However we need to be faithful in attending scheduled meetings of the whole assembly. We will never meet new Christians, help old ones and grow properly by staying at home.
Are you hearing under!
OUR BODY
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Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: Therefore glorify God in your body (1 Cor. 6:19-20).
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Of all the areas in our lives in which we often fail to obey, this is probably at the top of the list. For some reason we seem to have the hardest time recognizing that our bodies belong to the Lord as well as our energy, talent, and time.
Our bodies are the means by which we express our inward desires. If we make our bodies easily accessible to our lust or strong desires, we are only making the final carrying out of inward sin that much easier. If we deny our bodies to our desires, these desires are more easily controlled. Romans 8:13 indicates that we should be putting to death the sinful deeds of the body. Colossians 3:15 also states this same principle.
What might be an example of this? Matthew 26:41 states,
Keep watching and praying, that you may not enter into temptations.
We need to pray for strength for the pathway, but we must also be alert. Take an individual who before and perhaps after his or her conversion had a difficulty with alcoholic beverages. That one must be on the alert. They must stay away from places where that is prevalent. Praying for help and then not being alert is irresponsible.
It must be remembered that as Christians our bodies are the dwelling place of God. These are only words on paper, but may each of us ponder the weight of them. Consider the Old Testament Scripture which describes God's power and glory. If Mount Sinai can tremble and smoke at His presence, and Instant death occur to one entering the Holy of Holies in the Tabernacle, how would one begin to describe the holiness and power of the One who indwells us? If Christ were physically beside us, would we use our bodies as we do now?
If we are to use our physical bodies for the Lord, we must care for them. How can we rise early in the morning to read and pray if we do not get into bed until all hours of the morning? How could we literally destroy our bodies through smoking, riotous living and poor health habits? We must take proper care of ourselves. This includes proper rest and eating habits. We can see how God had the priests take care of the tabernacle to keep it clean, are we doing the same with our bodies?
Are you hearing under!
CHILDREN
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Children obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right (Eph. 6:1).
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If there is one area that shows the attitude of mankind in this world today towards those in authority over them, it is this area of child disobedience. In describing the difficult times of the last days in 2 Timothy 3, Paul includes disobedience to parents among many other unpleasant characteristics of man at that time. So as not to give the wrong impression, we are not talking about babies or two and three year olds when we use the term "children." This term includes all children under the authority of their parents, and I have in mind more than any others, the teenagers.
Much of the problems in this area are because we as parents do not begin early in the life of our children to instruct them in the truth of obedience. Do we take time to explain the need for authority and its role in man's happiness? Do we explain that while they do not and will not understand many of the instructions that you and others give to them until many years later in life, that their ultimate happiness depends on "hearing under" now.
Train up a child in the way he should go: when he is old, he will not depart from it (Pr. 22:6 KJV).
There are many good materials available on bringing up children, and time will not be taken here to discuss that topic. However, one thing is sure, every child must be taught the following principle of obedience in their youth. It must be explained in a loving way and in such a way that they realize you have their ultimate happiness in view.
Obedience is not based on understanding, but on faith (trust) in the character and wisdom of the one giving the command.
We are not saying that understanding is always absent. However, it is not the basis for obedience. The above principle puts responsibility on the parent as well, since we must have character in which trust can be placed. We must also seek daily wisdom from above (James 1:5) so that the wisdom we impart to our children is not more of man's thinking, but God's.
If the reader happens to be a child who lives inside or outside of the home, and should be responsible to your parents, one can only say to you that your ultimate happiness will come only as you listen to your parents in the attitude of obedience. Remember this was an attitude which was found perfectly in Jesus Christ, even as a child. Your parents were children once and do know what your problems are. Technology may have changed since your parent's youth, but the basic nature of man has not changed since the Fall in the garden of Eden. If you have Christian parents, you certainly should be thanking the Lord daily.
If the reader is not a child, but has a child of an age in which he or she could read and benefit from reading such a book, it is suggested they be invited to read it, since a grasp of this principle will be of great help in those early years.
I recently heard that a child has many of its concepts and value judgments made by the time it is six years old. If that is correct, and even if it isn't, we better start very early in our children's lives with Scriptural discipline. Again, many books are available on this subject. Do not be deceived, that little six-month old child has the same nature as you and I, and given the right climate to grow, it will, and at a rapid pace. Start early to create a climate in which the precepts of God's Word are carried out daily.
THE CHURCH (ASSEMBLY)
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But as the Church is subject to Christ (Eph. 5:24).
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True blessing for "the" Church is dependent on its submission to Christ. Since what is true of the whole should be true of the parts, the local assembly of believers should also be subject to Him. However, if we take that one step further, the individual believer in the local assembly should also be subject to Him. Is this our attitude? Do we have a willing attitude of service and obedience to Him? I am not talking about serving Him as a missionary or as a great evangelist, but in our day-to-day activities of life.
Many times in Scripture the Lord (Phil. 2:7) and others (Phil. 1:1) are referred to as "bond-servants." The concept of a bond-servant is set out for us in Exodus 21:1-6. Here we see the thought is that of one who voluntarily puts himself into the position of serving his master. Christ of course did this to God. Paul was, and we should be, to Christ. Is this our attitude? Do we have the joy, peace, and happiness that comes from voluntary submission to Him as Lord and Savior? May it be so, for His honor and our blessing.
The local assembly is to be submitted to Christ. How many professing "Christian churches" do not even own His deity? Do we collectively declare Him as "Lord" to a world in which humanism is rampant? Do we exalt the teacher, pastor or evangelist above the Lord? Can the servant be greater than his Master? I am not stating that obedience to those in a position of authority in the local assembly is not necessary; it is in fact very much needed as we will see later when we discuss Order in the Assembly. May we as local assemblies be obedient to Him and His Word, and may we declare Him to be the Christ, the Son of the living God (Matt. 16:16).
To be continued.
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