This is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome. (1 John 5:3)
What a great time we have had over the last three days focusing on how the Discipline of Bible Study can serve to illuminate God’s prescription of love. I hope you benefited from our look at Mark 12:28-31.
The link between, Love, Obedience, and God’s Word is found in numerous places in the Bible. In fact, several of you have touched on this point in your comments this week. By the way, if you are not reading the comments, you are really missing out. This journey of 40 Days is enriched by sharing as a community and the comments have been amazing. Anyway, back to the topic of love, obedience and God’s Word. Consider the passage above (1 John 5:3) and reflect on your attitude towards studying the Bible and following God’s commandments as an act of love.
Today’s Questions for comments:
Prayerfully consider the passage and answer the following questions:
- What is your reaction to John’s statement in 1 John 5:3 that “His commandments are not burdensome.”?
- David and other psalmists captured their love for God’s Word beautifully. Which are your favorite verses from the Book of Psalms dealing with the Word of God?
Tomorrow will be Feature Friday and the Discipline to be featured is the Discipline of Creation – An attitude of enjoying God’s creation.
February 26, 2015 at 3:38 am
The commandments are not burdensome if you depend on God. However, if you depend on your self it is a different story.
Two verses in Psalms i personally find beneficial and is great comfort are:
Ps 12:6 The words of the Lord are pure words: as silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.
Ps 33:4 For the words of the Lord is right; and all his works are done in truth.
February 26, 2015 at 8:26 pm
Absolutely well put. Thank you!
February 26, 2015 at 6:07 am
God’s commandments are most definitely not burdensome! If people, Christians and non-christans alike, really think about it, we would all realize that many of the troubles and worries we bring upon ourselves could be prevented if we had followed God’s commandments in the first place.
Envision a world where we all follow God’s commandments. Wouldn’t it awesome?
“Thy word is a lamp to my feet, and a light for my path.” Psalm 119:105 is a verse about God’s Word that I like. I’ve heard the verse being sung, and it’s beautiful.
February 27, 2015 at 1:24 am
The last part of that analysis is one that I love and thank God for greatly. God is the overcomer for all those who trust in him . I’m thankful because I can be called His child and because He has given me the key to paradise.I will serve him to the end.
February 26, 2015 at 6:10 am
I think if your heart is right with God, you will find his word to be beautiful and his commandments significant. If we don’t want to obey his commandments it’s the same as not having a good relationship with Him. If we love him we obey his commandments. We cherish it because His Word gives hope and life.
Psalm 119:105 Your word is a lamp for my feet, and a light on my path. (This is also in a worship song , THY WORD sang by Amy Grant). 🙂
February 26, 2015 at 7:45 am
I agree with Terrance in that if we try in our own strength to keep the Lord’s commandments we fail miserably, we need to tap into the Holy Spirit to be able to succeed.
Aurora took my verse but i will repeat it from ps 119:105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path
February 26, 2015 at 7:59 am
Admittedly, there are occasions that we would dare to consider that a right response to a command from God to be burdensome such as when you are to go and seek forgiveness from someone you have wronged when you believe it was their wrong action that you responded to or on occasion a commitment you made suddenly demands much more of you than you originally thought it would. However regardless of what the command is, the truth is that love for God is accompanied with the desire to please him and I also realize that there is nothing he demands of me that he has not already done for me and much, much, more. No cross he ask me to bare will ever be as heavy as the one he bore for me.
Psalm 19:7-10 is one of my favorite.
February 26, 2015 at 8:18 am
I think following God’s commands, particularly when we do it out of love for Him, frees us to be the people we were meant to be. To me, that’s what makes it ‘light’. When we don’t follow His commands, we become slaves to our selves, our desires… sin. Being obedient frees us from that. We don’t have that burden any more. We are free to be who we were meant to be in Christ.
Psalm 19:7-11
February 26, 2015 at 8:32 am
Mt favourite Bible teacher Steve Brown wrote a book called “Three Free Sins”. No, he was not asking us to sin freely but pointing out that God is not a policeman ready to haul us off to jail if we do sin. He is a Father and while he is concerned that we obey his commands he cares about our well-being first (Woman, where are your accusers?… Go and sin no more). We have the freedom to fail because failure is not the issue, getting back up and putting my hand back in His is. Because of this deep care for me His commands can never be burdensome as there is this fierce(!) desire to please this Person who does all things well by me. He is deserving of it.
Psalm 112:1 – Praise the Lord! How joyful are those who fear the Lord and delight in obeying his commands.
and delight in obeying his commands.
February 26, 2015 at 9:51 am
The Lord’s commands are not burdensome but actually liberating! Galations 5:1 (one of my favourite verses) says, “Stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage”. Christ’s sacrifice on the cross emancipated us so that we could follow His commands and not be imprisoned by sin. Which is why the psalmist can rejoice so much in His Word and His commands.
Ps 119:11 “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you”
February 26, 2015 at 10:06 am
Imagine saying to your heavenly Father “Look, all these years I have been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders…” This is so possible when the relationship is strained but you do your job anyway. These were the words of the brother of the prodigal son in Luke 15.
But when we walk towards Him and seek His forgiveness (as the prodigal son did) and remain in sweet fellowship with Him, then His commandments are no longer burdensome but a reflection of our love for Him. This for me is an ongoing experience that enables me to draw closer to His through the workings of the Holy Spirit.
Psalm 103:8 The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and plenteous in mercy.
February 26, 2015 at 3:27 pm
HIS commandments are not burdensome because they are indeed liberating – in Jesus Christ we can be our true selves. Following HIS commands leads to a better way of life – walking in the light is exciting and more fulfilling and peaceable too (imagine that!).
But nothing worth having is ever easy!
At times, the commands can certainly FEEL like a burden. Under the whip of the flesh … the ensuing conflict between God’s word and our own desires – can be quite tormenting resulting in great anxiety, and despair for some … even a sense of loss … of missing out ‘on the action!’
But there is hope … according to Phillipians 2:12-13 – We work out our salvation with fear and trembling; but we do not do it alone as HE has sent his HELPER and the WORD assures we are not given more than we can bear (1 Cor 10:13).
Psalm 119:11
February 26, 2015 at 4:13 pm
What is your reaction to John’s statement in 1 John 5:3 that “His commandments are not burdensome.”?
My reaction follows the trend of comments in some ways. People have said that God’s commandments protect us from sin and if everyone obeyed them, life would be easier. I tend to agree with this, but I don’t think that this is in any way a simple process. If you are not surrounded by people who hold this value (to keep God’s commands) and you suddenly find yourself seduced by earthy solutions and ways of dealing with life, the commands become burdensome. I think of the verse (Matt. 6:24) which says “No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other.” It becomes a burden when your loyalties are divided, but when you are devoted only to one master, the burden is relieved.
David and other psalmists captured their love for God’s Word beautifully. Which are your favorite verses from the Book of Psalms dealing with the Word of God?
Last weekend I was reminded of the principle of putting on the whole armor of Christ, and particularly of the shield of faith. Psalm 119:11 says “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you,” and I think about it in the context of burdensome versus freeing commands. Someone whose faith is strong who has the protection and shield of faith will not hear the beckoning of a fallen world and assume that it truly has more to offer than God does. If I have the word of God lodged in my own heart then my actions reflect the word and it protects me.
February 26, 2015 at 5:28 pm
Greetings from the USA!
The burdensome part of Gods Commandments is that He had to actually make Commandments at all. Much like burdensome government regulation, commandments are simply the resultant effect of our inability to “do the right thing” without some regulatory motivation. This is why the original 10 Commandments were not issued directly to Adam and Eve; they weren’t necessary until the first disobedience allowed the corruption of all mankind. Certainly God’s first Commandment to Adam/Eve was not “burdensome”. You may have noticed, much like government, as time progressed in the Old Testament, the list of Commandments or Laws increased to meet the increased levels of failure men continued to achieve. Alas the perfect answer to this increasing web of Laws is the sacrifice of Christ. He defeated the burdensome Law and Commandments and sin itself. I think it’s fair to say that none of us can keep all of the man made laws of our prospective governments much less the Laws designed to keep us clean before the Lord. What could be less burdensome than to accept the perfect sacrifice made by Jesus.
My favorite Psalms is: 51:10-12 – Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit with me. Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.
February 26, 2015 at 9:32 pm
There was certainly great consistency in the responses that emphasized the fact that God’s commandments are not burdensome if our relationship with Him is “right”. For example, if we rely on His strength rather than our own.
In reading your clear responses I couldn’t help but think about many who think God’s commandments are burdensome but in fact they are confusing man’s commandments for God’s commandments? This was certainly an accusation of the religious establishment of Jesus’ day and the same phenomenon exists today. It is a shame that people carry around this unnecessary “burden” oftentimes because they don’t spend the time studying the source of God’s commandments, the Bible, so that they can not only understand the command but also understand the loving Commander.
Thanks again to all for the inspired comments. By the way, your favorite Psalms gave me a charge for the entire day. His Word is sweeter than the honey from the honeycomb!