CHRISTIAN COMMITMENT: I must say I am not the first person to think or write about this topic. As I began a study of what the Bible has to say about a life of commitment to God I was almost overwhelmed by what the Bible had to say on this topic. I also discovered that Preachers down through the ages have produced sermons, lessons, audios, videos, books, and it seems every other type of print or electronic media discussing this topic. What could I add to what has already been said? Probably I could add nothing. But to those who will read what I am writing here I trust God will use these words to encourage and challenge you in your commitment to loving and serving God in this modern day world that has unique challenges of its own.
The Random House Dictionary says that “commitment” is “the act of committing, pledging or engaging oneself; a pledge or promise or obligation.” Christian commitment has to do with our committing, pledging and engaging ourselves to a relationship and life lived in and with the Lord Jesus Christ. It is a life that is under His control and in the manner described by His Holy Spirit in His Word the Bible. It follows then that this relationship described in the sixty-six books of the Bible will cover a lot of areas dealing with our daily living and our eternal life. A commitment to Jesus and a life-walk with Him is a serious commitment and the details of that walk are important. With fear and trembling let me take a few days to share a few of the basic principles of Christian commitment with the hope all of us will dig deeper into God’s Word and get more serious about our commitment to our walk with the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.
As a professed Christian let us make sure of our relationship with God. Jesus said, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind,” (Matthew 22:37 NIV). Jesus also said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me,” (John 14:6 NIV). “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it,” (Matthew 7:13-14 NIV). Our love for God the Father is first expressed by our relationship with Jesus His Son. There are not many ways to God; only one. There can be no committed Christian relationship if there is no commitment to the Son of God. We cannot possibly love God with all our heart, soul and mind if we do not approach Him through the Lord Jesus Christ who gave His life on the Cross for our salvation.
People often think that Christian Commitment after salvation begins with “doing” but I think it actually begins with worship. We love the Lord God with our heart, soul and mind and a redeemed person will want to rejoice with the angels of heaven before the throne of heaven about the changed life that has taken place and the new name written in heaven’s book. “Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth, Worship the Lord with gladness; come before Him with joyful songs,”
(Psalm 100:1-2 NIV). A love for God and a newly discovered relationship with God will cause us to want to begin to share that love with others who know Him and also with others who need to know Him. Christian Commitment after salvation will begin to grow as we begin to walk by the spirit of God (Galatians 5:16) who will teach us God’s principles in combating the desires of the flesh and will lead us into God’s pathway for us. More on that tomorrow.
DR. CHUCK DAVIS-
