[Jesus said] "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven." (Matthew 7:21)

In Athens, Greece, an event took place that most people didn't hear much about. The event was held Sunday, Aug. 22, at the Dora Stratou Theatre located on a hill adjacent to the Acropolis, site of the Greek Parthenon. It was sponsored by True Love Waits. This program challenges teens to abstain from sexual intimacy until marriage. 460,000 commitment cards from teens all over the world (20 countries, 200,000 from Africa) were presented as True Love Waits celebrated their 10th Anniversary. The pledge on those commitment cards said, "Believing that true love waits, I make a commitment to God, myself, my family, my friends, my future mate, and my future children to a lifetime of purity including sexual abstinence from this day until the day I enter a biblical marriage relationship." True love really does wait.

I'd like to coin another phrase, "True Love Obeys." If we truly love the Lord, we will want to obey Him. InJohn 14:21, Jesus says, "He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him."

Obedience shows where our heart truly is.

Words like obedience, righteousness, holiness and repentance seemed to have fallen by the wayside. We have and should continue to emphasize that we are saved by grace. However, these other words are in the Bible, too. Obedience doesn't save us, but it does show that we truly love the Lord and have been genuinely converted. "Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice." (1 Samuel 15:22)

Biblical repentance is more than just an acceptance of the truth, it is also a change of heart. If we have truly repented and are born again, we will want to obey the Lord. Does that mean that we are perfect? By no means. But we should desire to obey.

Does obedience matter? Yes. It shows where our heart truly is. Obedience shows that we really love God. It shows that we have sincerely repented. It shows that we want to please our loving Heavenly Father. Not only does true love wait, but "True Love Obeys!" Let's show our love through our obedience!

 

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© 2004 Mike Barres.

Title: "True Love ... Obeys!"
Author: Mike Barres
Publication Date: October 14, 2004

Captivating: Unveiling the Mystery of a Woman's Soul by John & Stasi Eldredge Many Christian women are tired, struggling under the weight of the pressure to be a "good servant," a nurturing caregiver, passionate lover, or capable home manager. What Wild at Heart did for men, this book can do for women.

Mike is a pastor and writer for a number of online publications.

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