Nuggets from An Urgent Call to a Serious Faith by Dave Hunt - To Obey Is Better than Sacrifice

Nuggets from “An Urgent Call to a Serious Faith” by Dave Hunt – “To Obey Is Better Than Sacrifice”

The phrase “eternal life” refers not only to the quantity of the life God offers, but to its quality – a quality of life that God wants us to begin to experience here and now. Jesus said that eternal life was knowing  (not knowing about) God and His Son (John:17:3And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.
See All...). Paul warned that Christ would one day take vengeance upon those who “know not God” (3 Thessalonians 1:8). In keeping with the truth of these and similar scriptures, evangelicals profess that they don’t practice a religion about God but that they have a personal relationship with God. Unfortunately, this boast has become almost a cliché – one that sounds good in theory but for which there is often little practical evidence in daily life.

Recognizing that eternity is infinitely longer than one’s most optimistic life expectancy provides a powerful motivation for living for Him (and thus choosing heaven instead of this world). But to truly know God provides an even more powerful motivation.

Knowing God leads to holiness. He alone becomes one’s consuming passion, displacing all other desires and overcoming the power of sin in our lives. His presence within is sufficient to satisfy every longing. For to know God is to love Him – and there is no higher motivation for obedience to His commands than love. In fact, no other motivation is accepted. It is no accident that the first commandment is, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all they soul, and with all thy might” (Deuteronomy:6:5And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.
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Obedience to God’s laws must spring from love for Him. Otherwise, as 1 Corinthians:13:1-3 [1] Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. [2] And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. [3] And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.
See All... declares, obeying the letter of the law is nothing. We could give all our possessions to the poor and submit to martyrdom at the stake in service for Christ, but if our motive is not love, it would all be in vain. So it is that Christ declared, “If a man love me he will keep my words…he that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings” (John:14:23-24 [23] Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. [24] He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me.
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