Proof We Are Christians

Calvinists veer away from teaching obedience. The Book of James was questioned by Martin Luther because it didn't fit his doctrine of "only by grace" that people are "saved". Arminianism teaches against eternal security because Christians must do things. Faith is not a onetime event but an ongoing endless trusting in the efficacy of Jesus's blood. Although faith is a gift from God, the exercise of faith is our responsibility. There is a strong correlation between faith and obedience. Let's look at what Paul wrote:

2 Corinthians 2:9 For to this end also did I write, that I might know the proof of you, whether ye be obedient in all things.

"The proof of you" is that the Corinthians were one of his kind - Christians. Thus, obedience is the "proof" of being a Christian. Of course, obedience is not slavery to the Law as a profession of faith but a sincere desire to please God. True Christians have a strong desire to please God because He is the redeemer of those who have faith in Him.

Let's say that I want a new bicycle. Someone gives me the object of my desire. I am so pleased and grateful for the person's charity that I love him back. I know that I don't deserve that new bicycle which makes me even more appreciative! I know how evil inside I have been. Maybe I even stole from this man before, what was his. His generosity overwhelms me. What's more, I know the cost of the bicycle is a sacrifice by this man because he is without wealth. His sacrifice for me is humbling, and I love him back! The spiritual "bicycle" is eternal life, the giver of life is Jesus, and the recipient of eternal life is the Christian. If we truly appreciate Jesus's sacrifice, because He loves us so, then we should want to please him! I started to use the word "must" but with God, there are no "musts".

God doesn't demand that we be saved.  He calls us to receive His gift. Like the bicycle, I don't have to accept the bicycle for various reasons: (1) because I know that I don't deserve it to the extent that it is rejected (false guilt), (2) I fail to believe that the donor can even give the gift, (3) I trivialize the gift, (4) I take it for the wrong reasons, (5) I am ungrateful, (6) I have no use for it, (7) I want a better gift, (8) I doubt the gift is authentic, (9) I'm afraid that I might owe a debt myself!

I want to focus on the latter reason for not accepting gifts: I am afraid that if I accept the gift, the giver expects something in return. He does! He wants our love.

God gave His gift because He loves us:

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

"The world" are all the "us's" who ever existed.  His gift was "his only begotten son". The only Son God Fathered was Jesus Christ. The rest of us were created! What's more, Jesus is God in the flesh. God essentially sacrificed Himself for our sins. Our gift is God sacrificed! To whom is the gift for? To "whosoever believeth". His gift is only for those who accept it's authenticity and reality.

The gift itself is "everlasting life". Now who would not want that gift? Those who doubt that it even exists. "Doubt" is the lack of faith. We must have faith in God to even accept the gift. That merely takes a little faith. However, to keep the gift requires steadfast faith (Colossians 2:5).

Genuine gratitude results in a circumcised heart. A new creature with a new nature is the product of rebirth. That new creature is willing to submit his or her own will in exchange for God. The flesh which was circumcised from the heart was unwillingness to do God's will. The result of a circumcised heart is obedience - willingly do what God wants us to do! It's not having to. That would revert back to the force of the Law. The convert looks at the Law with new eyes and a new mind. Rather than servitude to it, the Law is loved because it is God's will. Those genuinely born-again genuinely want to please God!

Calvinists reject obedience because, frankly, it is hard work.  He allows Satan to tempt us with diverse pleasures as a test of our love for Him. Since love is hard work, it can waver. Satan's purpose is to make us waver to undermine God. He created the law of sin to counteract the Law of God. What is Satan's law of sin? The inverse of the Law of God. The law of sin is not doing God's will. That becomes obedience to Satan's will.

When even Christians sin, we endeavor to serve two masters - God and Satan. Scripture tells us that is impossible because one will win out (Matthew 6:24). Even those who are born again but still do the will of Satan are serving two masters. If the sin continues on without remorse and repentance, the Christian mutinies. He finds himself serving another master. That is apostasy.

Apostasy is the affect of disobedience. Sinners come to God because he calls us to, but since we are not spiritual zombies, we voluntarily answer the call. He shows us His gift, not just to tempt us, but to make it ours. We must willingly accept the gift to have it. That is doing something for our salvation. It does not undermine the gift because it's still there, but submitting our will, is our part in the new birth. Just as a baby can breach his own birth, we are at liberty to breach our own spiritual birth. Either way, the Light is still out there, and ours for the having, but we are at liberty to fight the rebirth to the end. That is our free-will.

Free will doesn't stop at rebirth. God's gift doesn't make us automatons. With each temptation, we "exercise" free will. Satan doesn't make us do anything (Job 1)! Sinners freely do our own will.  Of course, Satan is gleeful that we do but the decision is still ours. Obedience to God is utterly rejecting Satan. By doing God's will rather than ours, we accept the law of God over the law of sin. That is presenting our will to God to show our love - our "living sacrifice" to Him (Romans 12:1), and is our "reasonable service". Serving God is hard work! It takes great faith to work hard.

What if we get lazy and quit being obedient? God still forgives us, not once, not seven times, but seventy times seventy (Matthew 18:22). Justice is that we must be willing to do that for our fellow man! Yes, obedience is hard work. However, like the hard worker of years past, there is great satisfaction in hard work both to the employer and to the worker. Deming called real life employees "willing workers", and that's all God expects from us!

John 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments. 15:10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.15:7 These things I command you, that ye love one another.

Obedience is how we demonstrate to Jesus that we love him. It's not the emotional things we see but the acts of charity toward others. Commandments 5-10 are the "other commandment like unto" the "Greatest Commandment" (1-4).  It's easier to love God who we can't see, than it is to love others who we can see. Hence, "loving others" is the true test for "loving God"!

We think obedience are the shall and shall not do's.  However, love is the measurement of our willingness to obey the shalls and shall nots.

With all that said, obedience is the proof that we are indeed Christians.