What Does God Demand of Me?

What does God demand of me? 

One might say that God demands obedience from me. 

• And that is certainly true. 
• Yet that answer does not cover the depth of God’s demands. 
• It is possible to render ‘obedience’ but to do so in such a way that God is not pleased.

Isaiah 29:13

• And so the Lord says, 
• "These people say they are mine.  
• They honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.  
• And their worship of me is nothing but man-made rules learned by rote."

Joel 29:13

• "Don't tear your clothing in your grief, but tear your hearts instead."  
• Return to the Lord your God 
• for he is merciful and compassionate, 
• slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love.  
• He is eager to relent and not punish.

God is not pleased with external or ritual obedience. 

• He desires obedience from the heart. 
• God wants my love. 

That is why the law is summarized: 

• “You shall love the Lord ... and your neighbor as yourself.” 
• It is possible to obey God without loving Him (an empty obedience). 
• However, it is impossible to love without obeying (cf. John 14:15). 

Adapted Excerpt From Van Delden's Only By True Faith