Making a DifferenceMaking a Difference

Chapter 11Chapter 11

Instruction - ObedienceInstruction - Obedience

The key purpose of this chapter is The key purpose of this chapter is to help us understand where to help us understand where instruction comes from, why instruction comes from, why instruction is important, and how instruction is important, and how obedience affects our lives.obedience affects our lives.

Lesson 23Lesson 23InstructionInstruction

Satan is a master at deception. Satan is a master at deception. He He will lure people into things which will lure people into things which satisfy the lusts of the flesh for a satisfy the lusts of the flesh for a season, but bring no lasting peace season, but bring no lasting peace or joy and only destruction in the or joy and only destruction in the end.end.

……people bounce around in life from people bounce around in life from one relationship to another, from one relationship to another, from one to experience to another, from one to experience to another, from one fix to another, all the while one fix to another, all the while thinking they are in control of their thinking they are in control of their life.life.

One day people wake up and realize One day people wake up and realize their life is really out of control and their life is really out of control and everything they have worked to everything they have worked to accomplish is in vain. accomplish is in vain. They are not They are not happy and they have no real joy. happy and they have no real joy. They soon realize that they are not They soon realize that they are not in control of their life, but instead in control of their life, but instead addiction is controlling their life.addiction is controlling their life.

God did not just leave it up to us to God did not just leave it up to us to figure out the right way to live.figure out the right way to live.

Proverbs 14:12 says, “There is a Proverbs 14:12 says, “There is a way which seemeth right unto a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” ways of death.”

And in Proverbs 4: 19, “The way of And in Proverbs 4: 19, “The way of the wicked is as darkness: they the wicked is as darkness: they know not at what they stumble.”know not at what they stumble.”

God gave Adam and Eve clear God gave Adam and Eve clear instructions about being fruitful and instructions about being fruitful and multiplying mankind, and having multiplying mankind, and having dominion over the earth. dominion over the earth. He He instructed them in how to be good instructed them in how to be good stewards of what He created. stewards of what He created. God also God also gave them clear instructions in which gave them clear instructions in which fruit of the garden could be eaten and fruit of the garden could be eaten and which fruit could not be eaten.which fruit could not be eaten.

We see all throughout Biblical history We see all throughout Biblical history how God spoke verbally to people how God spoke verbally to people whom He chose to use in a specific whom He chose to use in a specific way. way. He gave these people clear He gave these people clear instructions concerning want to do in instructions concerning want to do in accordance with His will to accordance with His will to accomplish His desired purpose in accomplish His desired purpose in their personal lives and throughout their personal lives and throughout the world.the world.

John 1:1-2 says, “In the beginning John 1:1-2 says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with The same was in the beginning with God.”God.”

The Scripture is very clear that Jesus Christ was and is the eternal Word of God.

Before Jesus Christ came to this Before Jesus Christ came to this earth as the Word of God in a robe earth as the Word of God in a robe of flesh, He was in the world as the of flesh, He was in the world as the Word of God in Spirit form.Word of God in Spirit form.

Prior to Pentecost and the ascension Prior to Pentecost and the ascension of Jesus Christ after His resurrection, of Jesus Christ after His resurrection, the Holy Spirit dwelt with man. After the Holy Spirit dwelt with man. After Pentecost and Christ’s ascension to Pentecost and Christ’s ascension to heaven, the Holy Spirit dwells in men heaven, the Holy Spirit dwells in men who are of the family of God, who who are of the family of God, who have been saved by accepting Jesus have been saved by accepting Jesus Christ as their Saviour.Christ as their Saviour.

There are two things we must There are two things we must recognize.recognize.

One, that God did not just place One, that God did not just place man on the earth without giving man on the earth without giving Him instructions for carrying out Him instructions for carrying out his responsibilities. his responsibilities.

And two, that because man had a And two, that because man had a choice to obey or disobey there choice to obey or disobey there were either positive or negative were either positive or negative consequences for those choices.consequences for those choices.

At the time of Adam and Eve, God’s At the time of Adam and Eve, God’s instructions were given verbally.instructions were given verbally.

One of the first examples of the One of the first examples of the written Word is seen when God written Word is seen when God wrote the Ten Commandments on wrote the Ten Commandments on the stone tablets and gave them to the stone tablets and gave them to Moses.Moses.

God chose to give written God chose to give written instructions so that it could be read instructions so that it could be read to the people and passed on from to the people and passed on from one generation to the next.one generation to the next.

The Bible says in Psalm 119:89The Bible says in Psalm 119:89, , “For ever, O Lord, thy word is “For ever, O Lord, thy word is settled in heaven.” settled in heaven.” This gives us This gives us assurance that God preserved His assurance that God preserved His Word for all mankind that we may Word for all mankind that we may have access to it to receive His have access to it to receive His instructions. instructions.

We find written within the pages of We find written within the pages of the Bible exactly what God the Bible exactly what God intended that we should know intended that we should know about life on earth and life after about life on earth and life after death.death.

God reveals to us in His Word as God reveals to us in His Word as much about Himself as he desired. much about Himself as he desired. He tells us what we need to know He tells us what we need to know about ourselves, our surroundings, about ourselves, our surroundings, and eternity.and eternity.

He has revealed mankind’s past, He has revealed mankind’s past, present, and future as they pertain present, and future as they pertain to our relationship with Him.to our relationship with Him.

God’s Word gives us instructions God’s Word gives us instructions concerning how we are to treat our concerning how we are to treat our fellow man, how we are to respond fellow man, how we are to respond to those who mistreat us, and how to those who mistreat us, and how to fulfill the purpose for which we to fulfill the purpose for which we were created.were created.

God’s written instructions are God’s written instructions are historically and scientifically historically and scientifically accurate. accurate. It is for all people, for all It is for all people, for all time, for every race and nationality.time, for every race and nationality.

There are no errors or omissions in the Bible.

God’s instructions effect our life God’s instructions effect our life whether we are willing to study and whether we are willing to study and obey His instructions or not. obey His instructions or not. The The reason we study and obey God’s reason we study and obey God’s instructions is to please Him and instructions is to please Him and open our life to His blessings.open our life to His blessings.

What must we have to please God?

The Bible tells us “But without faith The Bible tells us “But without faith it is impossible to please him.”it is impossible to please him.”

When a person is born into this When a person is born into this world they are not born with the world they are not born with the knowledge necessary to carry them knowledge necessary to carry them through life.through life.

It is important that the right It is important that the right information be given at an early information be given at an early age because it is this information age because it is this information that will have the most influence on that will have the most influence on the person through the rest of their the person through the rest of their life.life.

The only thing necessary for us to The only thing necessary for us to receive the full blessings from the receive the full blessings from the Creator is to believe what He says Creator is to believe what He says concerning his Son, Jesus Christ concerning his Son, Jesus Christ and follow the instructions in the and follow the instructions in the Bible concerning life He has given Bible concerning life He has given to us.to us.

David the Psalmist said “I will David the Psalmist said “I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.”wonderfully made.”

As a child we are taught to be As a child we are taught to be obedient to our parents so we can obedient to our parents so we can learn to be obedient to God as an learn to be obedient to God as an adult.adult.

There are three areas of authority There are three areas of authority God has chosen to give us God has chosen to give us instruction. instruction. These three areas These three areas correspond to the three earthly correspond to the three earthly institutions he has ordained: institutions he has ordained: family, family, church and government.church and government.

It is necessary that the man know It is necessary that the man know what God’s Word says about his what God’s Word says about his responsibilities as husband and responsibilities as husband and father so he can give proper father so he can give proper instructions to those under his instructions to those under his authority.authority.

When the man does not accept this When the man does not accept this responsibility to instruct, there is a responsibility to instruct, there is a breakdown in the family and breakdown in the family and consequently in the other two consequently in the other two institutions as well.institutions as well.

It is the strong Family unit that It is the strong Family unit that makes a strong Church and Nation.makes a strong Church and Nation.

The husband and father must The husband and father must realize that instruction is not just realize that instruction is not just given verbally but also by example given verbally but also by example in how he lives his life.in how he lives his life.

God has also established a man, God has also established a man, the Pastor, as the human authority the Pastor, as the human authority in the local church, and he must be in the local church, and he must be led by the Holy Ghost who is the led by the Holy Ghost who is the ultimate authority.ultimate authority.

The Pastor’s responsibility is to The Pastor’s responsibility is to ensure that all activities entered ensure that all activities entered into by the church are in obedience into by the church are in obedience to God’s Word. to God’s Word. The responsibility of The responsibility of the Deacons is to help the Pastor.the Deacons is to help the Pastor.

Authority is also given by our Authority is also given by our government to certain individuals government to certain individuals to uphold the laws of the land. to uphold the laws of the land. These authorities are called “law These authorities are called “law enforcement officers.”enforcement officers.”

God has given us five sources of God has given us five sources of instruction: instruction: Family, Church, Family, Church, Government, Nature, and the Holy Government, Nature, and the Holy Spirit.Spirit.