Fight

A few weeks ago I was reading in 1 John and ran across this familiar scripture:

Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked. - 1 John 2:3-5

I can truly say at this point in my life that I really want to walk just as He walked - but that means keeping His commandments. So what are His commandments? If you are like me and someone asked me that question, I could probably name seven or eight things He wants me to do. But I realized I had never really looked at a comprehensive list. So the next thing I know I'm going through the book of Matthew with a sheet of notebook paper and writing down every command that I could find.

- Repent

- Let your light shine

- Be reconciled with your brother

- Agree with your adversary

- Do not lust

- Do not divorce

- Do not swear

- Do not resist an evil person

- Turn the other cheek

- Give extra

- Go the extra mile

- Give and do not turn away

- Love your enemies

- Bless those who curse you

- Do good to those who hate you

- Pray for those who use you

- Be perfect

- Do your charity in secret

- Pray in secret

- Do not pray with vain repetitions

- Forgive

- Lay up treasures in Heaven

- Do not worry

- Seek first the Kingdom of God

- Don't judge improperly

- Judge yourself

- Do unto others as you would have them do to you

- Do the will of God

- Keep His commandments

- Pray

- Confess Christ before men

- Love Jesus more than family

- Take up your cross

- Follow Him

- Take on His yoke

- Deny yourself

- Lose your life

- Humble yourself

- Serve

- Be ready for His coming

- Feed the hungry

- Take in the stranger

- Clothe the naked

- Visit the sick

- Visit the prisoners

- Make disciples

- Teach others

That is not even a comprehensive list - it's just from the Gospel of Matthew. That doesn't take into account commands given in the other Gospels as well as the rest of the New Testament. But still, you have to admit - that is a daunting list. When you look at it and think about trying to follow them, you realize how difficult the task really is.

Now around the same time I was studying on this we had a guest speaker at church. In his sermon, he brought up the following scripture

From the days of John the Baptist until now, the Kingdom of Heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force. - Matthew 11:12

Now it may seem that I've veered off the subject of obedience and started discussing another scripture, but in my mind that day these two subjects really came together. I don't confess to understand that scripture fully, but what I do understand from it is this: You can't just back into the kingdom or ease into the kingdom by accident. It's a purposeful decision and purposeful walk. When I look at that list of commandments I realize how difficult a walk it is. Did you notice how many of those commands force me to put someone else (even my enemies and those I may not like) ahead of myself? My flesh doesn't like it and doesn't want to live that way. But yet I'm commanded to walk as He walked. When I understand this conflict between spirit and flesh, between new creation and old nature, I can understand better when Jesus says the following:

“Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able.” - Jesus Christ

That word "strive" means "to struggle, to make a great effort, to fight", and I think we can all attest to the fact that trying to keep His commandments on a daily basis is a constant battle between flesh and spirit - between the new man and the old man. That's why it is so important to keep our eyes on the prize. So that we can say as the Apostle Paul did:

"I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith."