ARTICLE:

OBEDIENCE CAN SOMETIMES BE FOOLISH

   

         I wrote an article some weeks ago about obedience and how important it is for a steady walk with God and man. Obedience remains one of the major keys to an effective living. Most times it just seems reasonable to obey especially when someone that knows better is giving the instruction. When God gives specific instructions about certain things to be done, only a foolish person thinks it better to do it his own way. The bible records that even the foolishness of God is wiser than the wisest of men. Obedience to authorities is also an important obligations of a good person.The bible says that all authority is ordained by God.

     As good and important as it is to be obedient,sometimes it can be foolish and unreasonable. Yes, it really can be. There are certain periods where we have to draw the line especially when it comes to obeying men.
In the Book of Acts, Peter and John got in trouble for preaching Christ. In Acts 5:29, when they were told not to preach anymore, Peter answered and said this,

"We ought to obey God rather than men."

       That is where you draw the line. If you are ever asked to do something that would cause you to be disobedient to God or that would cause you to violate your conscience (not your preference, but your conscience), that is where you draw the line.

Paul made a statement that he lived in good conscience before God and before men. Your conscience deals with things you truly believe in your heart are morally right and wrong. If you go against your conscience in one of those things, then that is sin.

 

       So this is not even about religion.It is not about being a believer or an unbeliever. It goes beyond all that. Most of us deceive ourselves a lot and carry out heinous crimes in the name of religion. Our Lord Jesus Christ didn't even come to give religion. He came for something better- to reconcile man with God. 

       Your conscience is one thing that will judge you on the last day if you claim to be ignorant of everything else (and ignorance cannot even be an excuse). God gave every man he created the ability to discern between right and wrong within himself. Stand your ground when it comes to conscience and obedience to God. If people ask you to do something that violates either of these two things—then it is time to take a stand for what you know is right.

        For example, in many nations of the world, it is illegal to share your faith. It is illegal to win people to Christ.  But Jesus said, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature." We have an allegiance to a higher authority. And when the authorities are telling us to do something that would cause us to disobey God, we obey God, not men. This is because we are accountable to a greater system. As children of the kingdom, we have no cause to fear the one that destroys the body alone but rather the one who destroys both the body and the soul.