Give Me The Bible - Why I Obey The Bible

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                          "GIVE ME THE BIBLE"

                          Why I Obey The Bible

INTRODUCTION

1. In this series ("Give Me The Bible"), thus far we have explored...
   a. The Problem Of Biblical Illiteracy
   b. Why I Read The Bible
   c. Why I Believe The Bible
   d. Why I Love The Bible

2. But it does us no good to...
   a. Read the Bible
   b. Believe the Bible
   c. Love the Bible
   -- If we are unwilling to obey the Bible!

[To drive this point home, let's first take a close look at...]

I. THE NECESSITY OF OBEDIENCE

   A. AS TAUGHT BY JESUS...
      1. Necessary to enter the kingdom of heaven - Mt 7:21-23; Lk 6:46
         a. It is not enough to believe in Jesus as Lord
         b. Not even to do many things in His name
         c. We must do the will of His Father in heaven
         d. We must do what Jesus says!
      2. Necessary to qualify as good soil - Lk 8:15
         a. It is not enough to hear (read) the Word of God
         b. Not even to initially do what the Word says
         c. We must receive the Word with good and noble hearts
         d. We must bear fruit with patience!
      3. Necessary to be faithful disciples of Christ - Mt 28:18-20
         a. It is not enough to simply believe in Jesus
         b. Not even to be baptized into the name of the Father, Son,
            and Holy Spirit
         c. We must be disciples of Christ (i.e., adherents)
         d. We must observe (do) what He says!

   B. AS TAUGHT BY HIS APOSTLES...
      1. Necessary in order to be saved - He 5:9
         a. Jesus is the author (source) of eternal salvation
         b. But for those who obey Him!
      2. Necessary to avoid God's wrath - Ro 2:4-11
         a. The goodness of God is designed to lead one to repent
         b. The righteous judgment of God is coming, a day of wrath!
         c. Eternal life is for "those who keep on doing good" (NLT)
         d. Indignation and wrath is for those who do not obey the
            truth!
      3. Necessary to avoid eternal destruction - 1Pe 4:17; 2Th 1:7-9
         a. What will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel?
         b. Vengeance in the form of everlasting destruction!

[Of course, we must understand that obedience does not earn or merit
salvation (cf. Ep 2:8-9; Tit 3:4-7; Lk 17:10), but obedience is
necessary nonetheless.  Especially so when one considers...]

II. THE BLESSINGS OF OBEDIENCE

   A. AS TAUGHT BY JESUS...
      1. Enables one to withstand the storms of life - Mt 7:24-27
         a. It is not enough to hear the sayings of Jesus
         b. We must both hear and keep His says
         c. Only then will we be blessed to stand strong against the
            storms of life!
      2. Qualifies one to be in the family of God - Lk 8:21
         a. It is not enough to simply listen to the Word of God
         b. We must both hear and do it
         c. Only then will we blessed to be a member of the family of
            God!
      3. The key to blessedness (joy) - Jn 13:17
         a. It is not enough to know what Jesus teaches
         b. We must do what He teaches
         c. The blessedness (joy) of following Jesus is in the doing!

   B. AS TAUGHT BY HIS APOSTLES...
      1. Delivers from the bondage of sin - Ro 6:16-18
         a. We are slaves to that which we obey
         b. When one obeys from the heart the doctrine of God, they are
            set free from sin!
      2. Purifies one's soul - 1Pe 1:22-23
         a. Obeying the truth purifies our souls
         b. It leads to being born again by the Word of God
      3. Saves and blesses one's soul - Jm 1:21-25
         a. The Word has the potential to save our souls
         b. But we must doers, not hearers only
         c. Again, the blessedness (joy) is in the doing!

CONCLUSION

1. Why do I obey the Bible?  Because obedience is necessary...
   a. If we truly love Jesus  - Jn 14:15
   b. If we want Jesus and His Father to abide in us - Jn 14:21-24;
      15:10
   c. If we want to truly know the Lord and experience the love of God
      - 1Jn 2:3-5

2. Again, such obedience is not an effort to earn or merit salvation...
   a. Salvation is by grace through faith, not of works - Ep 2:8-9
   b. But grace does not preclude obedience done in faith - He 5:9
   c. We obey the Word of God, not to earn salvation, but to receive
      salvation!

As Jesus stated on one occasion:  "Blessed rather are those who hear the
word of God and keep it!" (Lk 11:28).  Are you keeping (obeying) the
Word of God in order to be blessed...?
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