April 3: Learn to obey the Lord

Steve Smartt is pastor of Moultrie Baptist Church in St. Augustine.

“Again and again” He warned them, “but they did not listen or pay attention; instead they followed their evil hearts.” Such is the basis for God’s judgment against Judah that begins this week’s study in Jeremiah. Their persistent inclination toward disobedience was the liability of this rebellious people that the prophet is told to speak the Word of the Lord against. God’s judgment would rest upon them for their failure to follow the commands of God and to keep His covenant. Their example provides us with a timely reminder that obedience to the Lord is a sure and necessary confirmation of our salvation; the result of which brings blessing and assurance of our reward. Its neglect, however, carries forth God’s judgment. Sadly, this wayward appetite thrives in our own generation as well.

The Christian life is marked and confirmed by conduct that is appropriate to that of a slave to righteousness. The evidence of which will be clearly witnessed by its submission. To illustrate this, John writes under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit that “We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands. The man who says, ‘I know him,’ but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him” (1 Jn 2:3-4). Consequently, there is a definite correlation between faith and the behaviors that should occur as its result.

On the other hand, when we choose to stubbornly live our lives in a pattern of rebellion separate from obedience to God, we face the inescapable judgment of the consequences of our sin. Therefore, judgment is justly due to all who rebel, both to those who confess to be believers and to unbelievers alike. Both face the consequences of decisions made here in this life and reap upon ourselves the due penalty of our sin. Obedience, therefore, results in blessing. Disobedience brings judgment.

The prophet Jeremiah declares the Word of the Lord with the simple instruction to listen and follow (11:6-8). The Hebrew verb that is translated in verse six as “obey” is translated as “listen” in verses seven and eight. Its use conveys the concept of “listening with the intent of obeying.” When God reminded the people of Judah of their ancestors’ rebellion, it was to bring to their attention the repeated failures that earned their calamities. His expectations for His people are that we should simply obey as He warned “again and again.”

But the people of Judah had “returned” to the wicked ways of those before them (11:9-10). Again, the strength of God’s message is seen in the choice of verbs. The word here translated as “returned” in verse 10 is the same word often used in the context of repentance. Here, however, it refers to their turning away from righteousness and back to disobedience. “As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his folly” (Proverbs 26:11). Likewise, sinfulness must be regarded as disgusting to the regenerated life and the cycle of sin must be broken.

Wherever there are patterns of disobedience, there must be repentance. Otherwise, judgment lies ahead. God’s command to Jeremiah to not intercede for the people was a specific command in that historical context. For Judah, their repeated failure to repent and obey promised them an inescapable judgment that could only be repaired by a new covenant realized in Christ (11:11-14). Jeremiah later prophesied of that promise (31:31-34), and to our great joy, we have seen its fulfillment. Within that promise is the confidence that “if anyone obeys His Word, God’s love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him” (I John 2:5). Let us then learn to obey.