Why Should We Obey?

As to living underneath grace, why should we obey? Well, it protects the body of Christ from unnecessary suffering. You ever read Paul's angry letters, like to the Corinthians? They are suffering unnecessary struggles because they aren't, they're not, uh, repenting of sin. It's like, look, y'all, you're going to suffer enough in life. Don't suffer more because you're being stupid. Don't do that. Secondly, why should we obey? Well, it furthers the message of the gospel. If we're entrapped in sin and we're not willing to repent of our sin, the focus and the message of the gospel is lost. But most importantly, it brings God the deserved glory to His name. It really does. Every, every week, when I think about- when I walk out of this building, it is a wondrous, a wondrous event if I have the opportunity to just remotely share Christ with someone. I think God is so awesome and so wonderful and deserves so much glory that even if they don't want to listen to what I have to say, it's still wondrous to share that message, even with each other. The hope of the message of the gospel brings glory to God's name. It's worth doing that. So all of that to say, if God is sovereign and he saves sinners by his sovereign grace alone, and it's not determined by men's will, we still have every motivation to share the good news and pursue holiness because of who he is and not because of what we earn. That being said, is why every week I will constantly do my best within my power to bring you the hope of Christ so that your motivation is always what- your motivation is always your assurance. I am assured, therefore I will. And it is never "I must do so I can be assured." The phrase we like to use a lot is "we focus on the done before the do." Well, there's a do, but it's why. Why? Why do it? Why do it? We saw from Paul, we saw from Peter, and we've seen from John in the book of John that the emphasis is on what Christ has done. And because of what he has done, look what we get to do because now we're in Christ. Everyday Grace 063