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Obedience

Feb 04
Love0

What Do Storms Reveal About Us?

By Christian Living, Obedience, Suffering, Trials, Worry No Comments

All of us are headed toward a storm, in a storm, or coming out of a storm. I do not remember the first time I heard those words or the first time I repeated them. Most pastors have offered a version of the remark in more than a few sermons. The prevalence of this biblical truism reminds us that trials are commonplace for all people without exception. Both the righteous and the wicked experience blessings and difficulties again and again (Matt. 5:45).

To illustrate the point, Jesus shared a story about two men that built their homes on different foundations (Matt. 7:24-29). Both subsequently faced rain that fell, floods that came, and winds that blew against their houses (Matt. 7:25, 27). We can certainly relate. The pressures of life come from above, below, and all around us. Nothing we accumulate, construct, or secure is ever entirely safe in our broken world.

Live out West and you will have to weather earthquakes and fires. Make your dwelling in the South and you will battle tornadoes. Call the North your home and flooding will always be a threat. Take refuge on the East coast and hurricanes may unsettle you. No region is without its problems just like no life is free from trouble. When it comes to heartache, it is not a matter of IF but WHEN (James 1:2).

How we handle the storms of life, though, depends upon the foundation upon which we build our lives. Jesus delineates between a wise man who builds his house on a rock and foolish man who chooses to erect his residence on the sand (7:24, 26). The rock in the parable is a picture of safety (Ps. 27:4-5) pointing to Christ Himself (Isa. 28:16). By contrast, the sand depicts instability, illustrating a life outside of the faith.

Above the surface, the two homes look incredibly similar. Made with comparable material and a common design, the two buildings are equally attractive. Lurking beneath the surface, however, is the difference. Some people appear to be self-sufficient without the Lord until the rain starts falling. Others appear to be religiously well-kept, until the floods commence and many fall apart when the wind begins to blow. Yet, there are also those who remain remarkably strong when storms rage around them.

So, how do we explain the contrast? The foundation is key. Navigating the storms of life is impossible outside of a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Neither atheistic independence nor dead religion will strengthen us when adversities rise. So, how should we evaluate our commitment to Jesus? Thankfully, our Savior specifically explained that the man or woman who “hears these words of Mine and acts on them” is like the wise man who built his house on the rock (Matt. 7:24).

Here, Jesus distinguishes between the religious establishment and those who really love Him. Building on His previous application, He insists that true righteousness is much more than religious conformity to external standards (Matt. 5:20). While the Pharisees were stricter than any other Jewish sect, inwardly thy were dead toward God. These religious hypocrites sought to obey God’s commands without imitating His character. Despite giving the appearance of righteousness, they did not sincerely love the Lord. Their lives serve as a sober warning that religious activity and biblical salvation are not always the same.

Be careful, though. Jesus is not advocating for a version of love that places no value on obeying God’s commandments. Those who say they know God yet live in perpetual disobedience are untruthful (1 John 2:3-6). Claiming to love God without obeying Him is just as damning as seeking to obey Him without loving Him. Both errors lead us away from God. The Lord will evaluate the conduct of our lives, but He is equally concerned about the condition of our hearts.

Thus, throughout the Sermon on the Mount Jesus emphasizes both inward and outward commitment. Before offering guidelines about marriage, money, prayer, and revenge, our Savior admonishes us that blessing comes through a poor spirit, mourning, meekness, hungering for righteousness, showing mercy, and a pure heart (Matt. 5:1-12). Refusing to murder is important, but so is our unwillingness to harbor hatred in our hearts (Matt. 5:21-26). Resisting adultery is key, but so is our determination to fight secret lusts (Matt. 5:27-30). Telling the truth is important, but opposing other deceptions is, too (Matt. 5:32-37).

So, what about it, church member? How healthy is your heart? Despite projecting religious fervor, do you hate, curse, and slander inside? Are lust, cheating, and rebellion in your soul? Are you continually worried because you do not trust God with your life and future? Do you judge others for standards that you simultaneously refuse to live by yourself? Is prayer far from you because of a hidden independence? Are you a professing believer who lives like a practical atheist?

Unfortunately, the sands of religion are a poor substitute for the foundational rock of Jesus Christ. He isNOT shaken when the storm comes! He is NOT washed away by the rain of trouble! He will NOT sink in the flood of adversity! He will NOT wilt under the winds of tragedy! Christ will stand tall though the world around Him rages. And so will you, if you plant your life firmly upon Him.

Adam B. Dooley
February 4, 2026

Jan 28
Love0

How Can I Know For Sure?

By Assurance, Christian Living, Discipleship, Faithfulness, Holiness, Obedience, Sanctification No Comments

How can I know for sure that I am a Christian?

The frequency of this question over the years has been staggering. Initially, we might falsely assume that the concern signals weakness. The reality, though, is that most Christians doubt at some point whether they are truly born again. From the youngest to the oldest, from the newest convert to the seasoned saint, churchgoers of all kinds sometimes struggle with questions about their salvation.

The famed preacher Charles Spurgeon began his ministry in London, England at age 17 and remained in the pastorate until his death at 57. If you are unfamiliar, Spurgeon was the Michael Jordan, Babe Ruth, and Tom Brady of pastors during the late 1800s. Long before the modern mega church movement, more than 6000 congregants crowded into services in order to hear him preach. At 27, he shared a message before 23,000 people without any electronic amplification. Newspapers around the world printed his sermons weekly. Today, those collected messages fill 63 volumes, making him the most prolific author in the history of Christendom.

Yet, at the height of his spiritual power and popularity, Spurgeon shared an honest confession in his autobiography, “I felt at that time very weary and very sad and very heavy at heart; I began to doubt in my own mind whether I really enjoyed the things which I preached to others” (Autobiography, Vol. 2). Likewise, in his Lectures to My Students, Spurgeon lamented, “There are times when the believer questions whether he has ever been converted at all, and fears that all his religious experience has been a mistake.” Remarkably, the greatest preacher since biblical times wrestled with seasons of doubt, too.

Testimonies like these reassure us that we are not alone in our struggles but do little to guide us toward clarity. So, what is the greatest evidence that an individual has experienced genuine salvation? In a word, obedience. More than mere outward conformity, true obedience flows out of our inward transformation. God not only expects us to keep His commandments, but He also empowers us to do so by writing His law on our hearts (Jer. 31:31-34). Grace encompasses both the gift of forgiveness and the means of perseverance.

No wonder Jesus insisted, “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments” (John 14:15). Ultimately, the thin line between religious hypocrisy and sincere affection for Christ is a heartfelt willingness to obey what God says. At the conclusion of His Sermon on the Mount, our Savior even warned, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter” (Matt. 7:21).

Admittedly, the subject of personal holiness has, in many ways, fallen on difficult times. On the one hand, some erroneously teach that Christians can reach a state of moral perfection, always obeying everything that Scripture teaches. Yet, an honest reading of the Bible does not bear out such lofty expectations (1 John 1:8-10). Additionally, the failed efforts and lifestyles of biblical saints stand in stark contrast to any quest for unblemished purity. Abraham’s lying, Jacob’s deceptions, David’s adultery, Solomon’s hedonism, and Jonah’s selfishness illustrate our shortcomings. Peter’s hunger to be the greatest in God’s kingdom, his threefold denial of Jesus, and his capitulation to legalism in Galatia all prove that we continue to fall short of God’s standards even after we are born again.

On the other hand, though, are those who readily admit their flaws but quickly jettison any talk of personal obedience or holiness as legalistic. For these, loving God becomes a substitute for adherence to any and all scriptural commands. The idea is that we simply love God rather than obey, as if the former contradicts the latter. To the contrary, according to the Bible, “The one who says, ‘I have come to know Him,’ and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him” (1 John 2:4).

None of this means that an unbeliever can obey one time in order to be saved, nor that a believer becomes unsaved after committing a single transgression. The point is that Christians display a pattern of life change. “By this we know that we are in Him,” wrote the Apostle John (1 John 2:5). Or, to simplify, the more you obey God the more assurance you will have that you belong to Him. As your love for God grows, so does your obedience, giving you increased confidence that your faith and commitment are real.

Good works may not be the cause of our relationship with the Almighty, but they are the consequence of it. Scripture describes faith in God that fails to produce life change as dead and worthless (James 2:14-26), even as it encourages us to look for deeds appropriate to repentance (Acts 26:20). Jesus Himself explained, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free (John 8:31-32).”

The key to avoiding legalism here is understanding good works an expression of love to our heavenly Father (2 John 6). The world says, “I’ll do what I want to get what I want.” Lust says, “I’ll do you want to get what I want.” But only love says, “I’ll do what God wants to get what He wants.” Seeking the Lord’s will above our own is the greatest witness of love for Him. Openly celebrating or continually practicing sinful behavior is entirely contrary to saving faith, no matter how passionately we insist otherwise. Frankly, doing so is the opposite of loving our Savior.

Adam B. Dooley
January 28, 2025

Dec 17
Love0

The Tensions of Christmas

By Christmas, Comfort, Doubt, Murder, Obedience, Salvation, Second Coming, Waiting No Comments

For many, images of glowing lights, nostalgic carols, bountiful tables, and family gatherings are synonymous with Christmas. Jubilant declarations of peace on earth and good will toward men warm our hearts with the hope of Jesus Christ. Yet, amidst our celebrations is a dark underbelly that, though suppressed, competes for our attention every December. The tension between the nativity story’s promises and the world’s fallen realities can be jarring.

Thus, in what is supposed to be the most wonderful time of the year, our grief feels sharper. Our burdens seem heavier. Our conflicts appear more irreparable. Our brokenness becomes impossible to mask. Loneliness chases us mercilessly at Christmas. The deafening silence of an empty chair at the family table exposes our hidden sorrow. Our anguish, doubt, and anxiety compound while the world around us makes merry. The burdens of life can easily steal our festive joy.

These tensions should not surprise us.

We quickly forget that imperial injustice forced Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem on the first Christmas, making their already impoverished lives more difficult (Luke 2:1-7). Once they arrived, there was no room nor compassion for them at the local inn. All the while, in the background, were harsh, gossipy believers who reeked of superiority as they whispered about a pregnancy mistakenly assumed to be illegitimate. Circumstances like these were hardly joyful or triumphant.

In the months following our Savior’s birth, Herod plotted Jesus’ demise even as magi from the east were anxious to celebrate His arrival (Matt. 2). Matthew’s account of Bethlehem’s welcome reception for Jesus is nothing like a sentimental postcard, but abounds with jealousy, injustice, sin, and suffering instead. The contrasting hatred of King Herod with the hopeful presence of the wisemen exposes the same tension we often feel at Christmas even today (Matt. 2:1-12).

The good guys and villains in this familiar story are easy to identify. Perceiving the Christ child as a threat to his fragile kingdom, Herod plots to kill the toddler (Matt. 2:8). Equally offensive in the narrative are the religious leaders who knew exactly where the Messiah would be born but refused to worship Him due to their own insecurities (Matt. 2:4-6). The ordeal is not without hope, though. The presence of the magi is proof that Jesus would be a Savior for Jew and Gentile alike. Their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh were fitting for the newborn King (Matt. 2:9-11).

The point is not, however, that we should celebrate some while loathing others. Matthew wants us to stop and consider who we are more like. Do we put our hope in Jesus, or do we express hate for Jesus? Before answering, we should acknowledge that the answer may not be as simple as it seems.

Far too often we are much more like Herod than we care to admit. Without scriptural diligence, we may very well worship a god made in our own image rather than the biblical Jesus. One who exists to make us happy. One who requires nothing of us and gives everything to us. One who is anxious to build our kingdom rather than his own. Could this be why we love the festivities of the season, but scoff at the notion of God’s holiness? Or that we are willing to bellow out Christmas hymns while simultaneously enjoying our blatant disobedience to God’s Word?

We might sing O Little Town of Bethlehem without having any interest in worshipping Jesus in every place, every day. We might sing O Holy Night without the slightest intention of living a life of holiness and obedience. We might sing Away in a Manger without being anxious for God to have His way in our lives. We might even ask Mary Did You Know? while never considering what we know and how it impacts our daily lives. Like Herod, we can easily be guilty of craving our own kingdom and doing anything to get it. Like the chief priests and scribes, we might choose to ignore what we know from Scripture simply because it interferes with our lust for power or influence.

And this is precisely the problem.

Tipping our hat toward Christ is not equal to bowing to Him as our King. Our Savior requires more than our leftovers. Mere acknowledgment of Jesus for the sake of the season is not salvation. He desires to be more than a good luck charm that justifies any means we choose in pursuit of our goals and aspirations. Christ refuses to be remade in our image. Part of the tension we feel is due to our chasing dreams that are outside of His will. Herod may very well be staring back at us in the mirror.

But, even when our lives resemble the worshipful hope of the wisemen, we remain in a broken world where many of God’s promises have yet to be realized. Sinful consequences obnoxiously obscure the comforting future reserved for the saints. Thus, we find ourselves waiting for what will be even though it currently is not. The tension is real, but Christmas is an invitation to keep going when you do not understand God’s ways, do not agree with His timing, and do not feel His presence.

Adam B. Dooley
December 17, 2025

Oct 22
Love0

Love in the First Degree

By Accountability, Christian Living, Faithfulness, Holiness, Love, Obedience, Priorities, Righteousness, Salvation No Comments

“Loving God and loving people is all that matters.”

Those were the words in an angry email I received the day after preaching a sermon about personal holiness. Intended as a less than subtle rebuke, the writer was eager to correct what he labeled as my “overemphasis on obedience.” Any directives about resisting temptation or regulating behavior were, he insisted, hateful and legalistic. Or, to put it differently, conforming to the standards of Scripture was an unnecessary distraction to the simple hermeneutic of loving God and loving others sincerely.

On the surface, the argument is convincing. After all, Jesus Himself identified the two greatest commandments as loving God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength (Mark 12:30) while also loving your neighbor as yourself (Mark 12:31). The problem, though, is a false dichotomy that fails to consider how we best exhibit genuine love for God.

The moment we substitute loving God for obeying God, we step outside the boundaries of our Savior’s intention for His people. Nowhere does the Bible teach that we simply love God rather than obey Him. Quite the contrary, the consistent witness of Scripture reveals that the greatest expression of our love is obedience. In fact, Jesus not only insisted that we love Him, but He also clarified how we can best do so. “If you love me,” He said, “you will keep my commandments (John 14:15).”

Concluding that since salvation is a gift of grace, we are free to live however we choose is both reckless and misleading. The Apostle John warns us that, because “God is light and in Him is no darkness at all, if we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth (1 John 1:5-6).” The analogy of darkness presents the deceptive waywardness of sin as antithetical to the light of a relationship with Jesus.

True believers refuse to misconstrue the grace of God as an excuse for remaining in their transgressions. No one was clearer on this point than the Apostle Paul, who asked rhetorically, “Are we to continue in sin so that grace may increase? May it never be (Rom. 6:1-2)!” Though we are born again by grace through faith apart from good works (Eph. 2:8-9), the goal of salvation is transformed lives characterized by radical change (Eph. 2:10). The seed of redemption is, without question, the grace of God revealed in the gospel of Jesus, but the fruit of salvation is obedience to and joy in the ways of God.

Perhaps an illustration will shed light on the marriage between our love for God and the actions He commands. Admittedly, no human relationship can completely mirror our connection to Christ, but let me share a story that comes close. Years ago, while dying of a crippling neurological disease, David Ireland came to grips with the reality that he would never hold, kiss, or play catch with the unborn child in his wife’s womb. In his book, Letters to an Unborn Child, Ireland desperately communicated his love for his future son or daughter.

In one of his letters to the child, David included the following description of his remarkable wife: “Your mother is very special. Few men know what it’s like to receive appreciation for taking their wives out to dinner when it entails what it does for us.”

“It means that she has to dress me, shave me, brush my teeth, comb my hair, wheel me out of the house and down the steps, open the garage and put me in the car, take the pedals off the chair, stand me up, sit me in the seat of the car, twist me around so that I’m comfortable, fold the wheelchair, put it in the car, go around to the other side of the car, start it up, back it out, get out of the car, pull the garage door down, get back into the car, and drive off to the restaurant.”

“And then, it starts all over again; she gets out of the car, unfolds the wheelchair, opens the door, spins me around, stands me up, seats me in the wheelchair, pushes the pedals out, closes and locks the car, wheels me into the restaurant, then takes the pedals off the wheelchair so I won’t be uncomfortable. We sit down to have dinner, and she feeds me throughout the entire meal. And when it’s over she pays the bill, pushes the wheelchair out to the car again, and reverses the same routine. And when it’s over—finished—with real warmth she’ll say, “Honey, thank you for taking me out to dinner.”  I never quite know how to answer.”

The point is that you will do anything for someone that you love. For Christians, that means obeying God is never a burden. Gratitude, rather than guilt, drives every believer to honor Christ in word and deed.

Good works may not be the cause of our relationship with the Almighty, but they are the consequence of it. Scripture describes faith in God that fails to produce life change as dead and worthless (James 2:14-26), even as it encourages us to look for deeds appropriate to repentance (Acts 26:20). Jesus Himself explained, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free (John 8:31-32).”

Openly celebrating or continually practicing sinful behavior is entirely contrary to saving faith, no matter how passionately we insist otherwise. Frankly, doing so is the opposite of loving our Savior.

Adam B. Dooley
October 22, 2025

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