Commandments

“And by this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments.”  1 John 2:3

Commandments – What do you think about when you hear the word “commandment”?  It’s one of those big words in Christian circles.  Sometimes a word like this might make us cower, feeling that we have not lived up to God’s rules.  Sometimes this word makes us recall images of thunder and lightening, stone tablets and fierce expressions.  We might have flashes of God as the moral policeman of the world; ready to pounce on those who break His laws.  All of that scary stuff could overwhelm us so that we just throw up our hands and say, “God, I’ll never be able to do it.  How can I keep Your commandments?”

A little Greek helps.  This word, entoles, comes from a verb that means, “to give a charge or command”.  In our world, it is something like sending out a policy letter, issuing a regulation or delivering an order.  We do this kind of thing all the time.  A new operations policy for shipping goods.  A new form that has to be filled out for the benefits package.  A new traffic light.  A new tax regulation.  Our lives are constantly affected by charges and commands.  In fact, they are so common that we usually pay little attention to them.  Except when they come from God.  Then we get all flustered and worried and frightened.  But we shouldn’t.  John tells us that following Jesus’ commands is as simple as stopping at the new traffic signal, giving the human resources group the right form, shipping the goods according to the rules or paying the new tax.  God is a God of order and His commands are orderly expressions of His character.  I don’t have personal trauma about stopping at the new traffic light.  I just adjust my behavior to fit the requirement.  So why should I have concerns about following Jesus’ charges.  All I have to do is adjust my behavior accordingly.

Are you struggling with one of Jesus’ commands?  Love your enemies?  Do good to those who persecute you?  Love your neighbor as yourself?  Serve God first?  The charges are pretty clear.  Think about them as though they were new policies at work.  Then adjust your behavior accordingly.  Simple, huh?