Free to Obey - Ron

The last time that I wrote for the blog, I wrote about being a committed disciple of Christ. Without re-typing the post, I also gave four brief reasons why some remain uncommitted. Now that it is my turn to write again, I am writing about something that I hope is not too similar. In actuality, it kind of jumps off of Stephen’s post a little bit. Stephen wrote about the Civil War, how easy it can be to misuse the Bible (purposefully or not), and how important it is that we understand and apply the Bible correctly.

It seems to me like there are still battles raging all around us. As an actual war rages on the other side of the planet, there are some battles waging on the home front, too. The political machine is nearing top speed as we approach a presidential election year. The LGBTQ+ issue grew into a raging inferno during the month of June and isn’t going away any time soon. Discussions of COVID-19 have moved – for the most part – beyond the topics of masks and lockdowns and have settled instead on things like the efficacy of the vaccines and boosters. So, the pandemic remains a divisive issue. Americans have been on different sides of the aisle over border control, police reform, the U.S. budget, financial and military support to Ukraine, climate change and the appropriate response (if any), graphic and wholly un-biblical sex education geared toward children, and illustrated books in libraries which cover the same topic and appeal to the same audience.

Simply put, there is a bunch of stuff which we citizens of the United States are not actually united about. Not even all Christians are on the same page in trying to address some of these issues. And I am not saying these things are unimportant, either. But there is something of infinite importance upon which every Christian should be able to agree. And that is this: regardless of what goes on in the country/world around us, we have a duty to obey Christ.

In 1985, Bob Greene wrote a book entitled: Duty. If you have never read it, I highly encourage you to do so.  In the book, Greene tells the story of two World War II veterans, his father, Robert Greene Sr., and a man by the name of Paul Tibbets.

Greene writes, “Paul Tibbets had been the central figure in the most momentous event of the Twentieth Century; what he had done changed the world in ways so profound that philosophers and theologians will be discussing and debating it as long as mankind exists.”

This event was the dropping of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan on August 6^th, 1945.

Over 1900 years before that, Christ and His disciples stood at the precipice of an event that is the most momentous in all of history. That event is the crucifixion of Christ, and His death as a sacrifice for all mankind. Just like Paul Tibbets was asked to obey his commanding officers, so too were Christ’s disciples asked to obey Him.

In Nik Ripken’s book, The Insanity of Obedience, he tells the story of a man named Brother Andrew. Brother Andrew recounted the story of two Muslim men named S and Q. Both came to Christ. S worked secretly for Christ in a place with fierce fundamental Muslims in leadership. Eventually, he was captured and killed. Q was not dissuaded by this and took over the care of the house churches in the area. After a few years, Q was also captured and killed.

Brother Andrew writes, “I look every day at that photo and grieve the loss of those two dear brothers. But I also marvel at their example. I am free to share Jesus with my neighbors. I can cross the street and knock on their doors. They may slam the door in my face, but I won’t be kidnapped or killed for talking about Jesus. Yet, how often do I go and talk to my neighbors about Jesus?”

Think about this: Were our grandparents freer to live for Christ and His glory in their day than we are in ours? Are we freer to live boldly for Jesus in our democratic republic than our brothers and sisters immersed in radical Islam and living under Sharia law?

Understand this: every single follower of Christ has the freedom to share the good news of the gospel. Every follower of Christ has the freedom to choose what is right and shun what is evil. Every follower of Christ has the freedom to walk in good works. In every setting and in every country.

There may be different consequences for our obedience to Christ, but we are always free to obey.

Bob Greene asked Paul Tibbets, “Does the United States feel like a place you hardly recognize?” Tibbets’s response was, “It’s really not the same country, in many ways. Talk to a bunch of kids in school – try to teach them something. There are times when you get the impression that they don’t like to pay attention to anyone or anything but themselves. I know I sound like an old person when I say this, but there is a certain price to be paid – a certain peril – that comes with the lack of being raised in a disciplined environment.” There is a price that will be paid when Christians are not disciplined enough to answer the call of Christ.

There is a lot of important and emotionally charged STUFF going on right now. There is uncertainty and unrest in the air. You may find yourself spending more time on social media trying to keep up with it all and coming away more depressed. You are probably even reading this because of social media. Hopefully, though, this post energizes and emboldens you.

Beneath all the noise, remember this: We are always free to obey Christ, and we have the privilege of answering Jesus’ call.

References & Further Reading:

Andrew, B., Sherrill, J., & Sherrill, E. (2015). God’s Smuggler. Chosen Books.

Greene, B. (2000). Duty: A Father, His Son, And The Man Who Won The War. William Morrow.

Ripken, N., & Stricker, B. (2014). The Insanity of Obedience: Walking with Jesus in Tough Places. B&H Publishing Group.