How God Helps Us Keep His Commandments
—We don't have to do it on our own!
We have been studying the subject "What Must I Do?" and have seen our part and responsibility in God's plan of salvation if it is to be effective for us. We must not think, however, that we keep God's commandments and do his will by our own strength. God helps us to keep his commandments in various ways.
The following outline summarises the help God provides in our doing what we must.
1 God has made his commandments easy for us to know
- God has not spoken in secret (Isaiah 45:19 2Chronicles 15:2).
- We do not need to make a tortuous pilgimage or undergo a difficult initiation in order to be enlightened (Deuteronomy 30:11-16).
- Nor do we need to be brilliantly clever to understand what God wants us to do (1Corinthians 1:18-21)
- Note the simplicity of Paul's message to the intelligent men of Athens (Acts 17:17-34).
2 God has made his commandments easy for us to do
- His commandments are not burdensome (1John 5:3)
- His yoke is easy, his burden is light (Matthew 11:30)
- Jesus condemned those who made righteousness a heavy burden (Luke 11:46).
- God's commandments complement each other. Keeping one makes it easier to keep others. They are not isolated and unrelated tasks. For example, "Do not get drunk" (Ephesians 5:18) is easier to keep if one keeps company with good and sober people (1Corinthians 15:33)
3 God gives us motivation to keep his commandments
- God has provided us with a host of inspiring examples (Romans 15:4, Hebrews 11:1 to 12:3 Philippians 3:17, 1Pet 2:21)
- God has provided us with a wonderful goal to strive for (2Timothy 4:8; Matthew 5:12, Philippians 3:14; 1Corinthians 9:24-27 2Peter 3:10-15)
- The above two points show us that what others did in the Bible yesterday, and what God promises in the Bible tomorrow, helps us to obey the Bible today.
4 God provides us with all the assistance we need
- God adds us to the church in which we have fellowship in keeping his commands (Acts 2:42,47, Galatians 6:2, Romans 15:1 1Corinthians 12:12-27)
- Our prayers for God's help will be answered (Romans 12:12 James 1:2-5). Jesus's prayer helped him to be obedient even unto death (Luke 22:44, Philippians 2:8).
- God gives us his Holy Spirit to help and strengthen us (Acts 2:38, Ephesians 3:16-21).
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