Do What I Say
There are times when the Master bids us to go in a certain direction and we know not why. But we go, because obedience is born not of understanding but of love.
We obey God not simply because we understand him, for to claim to love him out of understanding insults who he is. We must obey him despite the shallowness of our understanding. For obedience is reflected in its fullness when one obeys in love rather than through understanding.
Obedience towards God is rendered even more difficult when God demands such obedience through an icon, a human figure. The human icon provokes our inclination to respond towards the call of obedience by saying “Tell me why first”, “I need to understand first before I obey you”, or “I need to trust you first”.
The same rule applies with both God and the icons he sends into our lives to provide direction for us.
The rule of obedience has nothing to do with understanding. It is the rule of love. For Jesus said, “If you love me, you will do what I say”, not “If you understand me, you will do what I say”.
Comments (4)
obedience to what God says is one thing. interpretation of what God says is another.
There are so many interpretations about what God says, and so many people claiming that God is saying this this this and that. So many fingers pointed at so many directions until people end up going astray.
Is all this right and appropriate? What do you do when what is being preached in places like YQ, camps, JS contradict what is being preached in certain churches elsewhere? Even worse, when it contradicts with common sense and logic.
Could use some of your perspective.
Posted by ashleighhhh | February 29, 2008 10:59 PM
Hi Ashleigh,
Good question to raise. Very pertinent.
In one word, the answer is this: TRADITION.
Unfortunately many Christians do not come from circles which hold tradition in very high regard. This is why the issue of interpretation cannot be solved.
Posted by sk | February 29, 2008 11:17 PM
Maybe we need to go back to the Source rather than the relayed message... we do have the Holy Spirit in us after all. Just a thought...
Posted by Gabriel | March 3, 2008 11:57 PM
Gabriel, if we indeed have the Holy Spirit, why is it that we have so many differing opinions? This is not something that God intends for us and neither is God stupid. St. Paul once said that God's stupidity is far greater than our intelligence.
The Spirit leads us into all truth, and since this is literally so, think about the leaders of the Apostolic and post-Apostolic age. It really is unimaginable if God led them through the wrong path and are asking us to reform now. God protects His holy Church and people and will not let His people to be decieved by misunderstanding.
Posted by Collin Michael Nunis | April 24, 2008 9:39 PM