Kingdom Living - The Commands of Christنموونە

Kingdom Living 

Thank you for starting a bible reading plan on the commands of Christ. This is an exceedingly important topic. In fact, the Great Commission describes the process of making disciples as baptizing people and teaching them to obey all Christ commanded. There are a number of lists of the commands of Christ. I will add one more. This reading plan will primarily be based on my list. 

Perhaps the most well-known list of the commands of Christ summarizes them in just seven commands. I feel there is value, however, in a more complete look at the topic. If we want the simplest list possible then we should probably just limit ourselves to the Great Commandment (and the Second) as Jesus did. If we love God with all our being and love our neighbor as ourselves then all the other commands will be fulfilled. In fact, Jesus equated loving Him with obeying Him. That is another way we can look at it. 

Obedience to the commands of Christ has nothing to do with legalism or with somehow earning salvation. It is the response of our grateful heart in love to the One who loved us and gave Himself for us. It is done in the power of the Holy Spirit Whom He has given us. It is evidence of our new life in Him. It is the expression of our love for Him. As it says in 1 John 5:3, “this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome.” It is not an onerous duty but an overflow of loving gratitude. 

Christ is our King. His desire is our aim. He has specific plans for what He wants to do in us in conforming us to His image. He has specific plans for what He wants to do through us as we are told in Ephesians 2:10: “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” We want to please Him. We want His will to be done. That is what life in the Kingdom is all about. Kingdom living is about seeing His will done on earth as it is in heaven. That starts with obeying Jesus’ commands.