To Tie Everything Together

Recently I've written on focuses and growth and the like. It really stemmed from a personal "battle," if you will, that I have been struggling with. Both internally with myself, and externally with others to myself.

In a church program(and perhaps in life general), I think there are three focuses. Rewards(points for those in my youth group), growth, and doing our best(or simple obedience).

A point system is a motivation and/or a tool a "higher-up" or even yourself can use to get people to doing the right things(Devotions, bible memory, helping out missionaries, etc). Depending on the person, this type of motivation perhaps can be done away with, or is vital for the process of maturity. It, however, shouldn't be what you have your eyes fixed on the longer you use it.

Growth and doing our best are two things we are commanded to do in the Bible. In 2 Peter at least, we are commanded to grow in grace(2 Pet. 3:18). In Col. 3:23 and other places we are commanded to do our best, to be diligent with our duties, to do everything to the best of our abilities.
Therefore, one cannot place one above the other to the exclusion of the other. One cannot claim doing our best as our single most focus, while neglecting, or belittling the necessity and command of growth. Nor can one claim growth as a sole priority to the neglecting of doing our best.

Obedience is the process by which we grow, and growth is the reason for obedience.
One can "obey" and not grow, but one cannot grow and not obey.

By this we know we love the children of God when we love God and keep his commandments. --For this is the love of God to keep his commandments, and his commandments are not grievous.-- (1 John 5:2-3)

Love the Lord with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might(Deut 6:5 and several other passages referring to this love.)

However, "If ye love me, keep my commandments." (John 14:15) We can say we love God all we want, but our love for him won't be more than mere speech until we begin to keep his commandments.

Hereby perceive we the love [of God], because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down [our] lives for the brethren. But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels [of compassion] from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth. (1 John 3:16-18)


My team division of my youth group had our own Sunday school lesson this past Sunday, and the title of the sermon was "Great Expectations." The main text was Micah 6:6-8
(Wherewith shall I come before the LORD, [and] bow myself before the high God? shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves of a year old?
Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, [or] with ten thousands of rivers of oil? shall I give my firstborn [for] my transgression, the fruit of my body [for] the sin of my soul?
He hath shewed thee, O man, what [is] good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? )

I'll share with you some of the main thoughts, and then I'll share with you the Bible study we did on certain phrases in verse 8.

"Is God satisfied when we simply fulfill our required duties?"
"Is God satisfied if we do more than our required duties?"
"Is God satisfied if I do what those around me are doing?"

These questions stem off of the first two verses. (The first to verse 6, the second to the first part of verse 7, and the third to the latter part of verse 7.)


Our team then split up into 3-4 person groups, studying different phrases. I didn't get as much information from the other two study groups, but I did get a overall thought for each.

"And what doth the Lord require of thee, but..."
[*]"...to do justly..."
We must do right before God.
[*] "...and to love mercy..."
We must be kind toward others.
[*] "...and to walk humbly with thy God."
We must *be* right with God.

My study group was the second one. "Ant to love mercy." I'll post some cross-reference passages for you to look up on your own. (Matt 5:7; Luke 6:36; Eph. 4:32; Col. 3:12; 1 pet 3:8; 1 John 3:16-18; Ez. 33:31)

We went into definitions of words and for "love" we concluded upon the given definitions that it was a love from an individual to another. (As opposed to individual to God, or God to individual). And the "mercy" was kindness.

So, we are to love each other with kindness. This was perfectly exemplified by Christ on the cross nearing the end of his immense suffering. Instead of bearing hatred or disgust at them for their actions, he had compassion on them. He pleaded with God to forgive them.

His word of love then could have carried with it meaning by itself, but adding to it the actions of opening his heart and sacrificing himself brought about perfect love, agape love.



These are very scattered thoughts. But to summarize, our priority in life is to love and glorify God. (Deut 6:5; 1 Cor 10:31). And from that obedience comes into play(Growth, doing our best, etc). And to motivate obedience, a point system, or reward system, brings about motivation. However, as one matures the motivation matures and shifts as well. Our end motivation should be knowing that God will be pleased with us--satisfied with us.


Don't prioritize obeying God in one area to the exclusion of another. We are to obey God in everything He commands of us.


If anything in this or other similar matters are confusing to you(by my misrepresentation or otherwise) simply leave a comment and I will try to clarify.

-Kevin