If you read the bible everyday ,you must have come across some seemingly difficult commandments from God. I want this blog post to help you in some way to know GODS DIFFICULT INSTRUCTIONS FOR LIVING AND HOW TO KEEP THEM
I use the word “difficult”because the commandments sound almost impossible to keep.
For instance Math 5 vs 38-39
38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’[h]
39 But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also.
40 And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well. 41 If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles.
42 Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you..
27 “But to you who are listening I say:
Love your enemies,
do good to those who hate you,
28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.
29 If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also.
If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them.
30 Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back.
If we look at all the instructions above,I would plainly and honestly tell you that there is nothing in this list that I can do normally.I mean, How is it possible to love somebody that is my enemy?Or to be able to bless someone that is cursing me to my face?
What about this idea of turning the other cheek when somebody slaps you.
First of all
.
WHAT IS THE BILICAL MEANING OF TURNING THE OTHER CHEEK
According to gotquestions.org
“A word about the “slap” that Jesus says we should endure. Jesus here speaks of personal slights of any kind. The slap (or the “smiting,” as the KJV has it) does not have to involve literal, physical violence. Even in our day, a “slap in the face” is a metaphor for an unexpected insult or offense.
Did someone insult you? Let him, Jesus says. Are you shocked and offended? Don’t be. And don’t return insult for insult. Turn the other cheek.
Turning the other cheek does not imply pacifism, nor does it mean we place ourselves or others in danger. Jesus’ command to turn the other cheek is simply a command to forgo retaliation for personal offenses.”
MORE BIBLE QUOTES OF GODS “DIFFICULT” INSTRUCTIONS
There are a lot of other quotes of Gods Difficult instructions in the bible .I will not be able to mention all of these here .But in addition to the scriptures I have mentioned above, Proverbs 24vs 17-18 says
Do not gloat when your enemy falls .When they stumble,do not let your heart rejoice or the Lord will see and disapprove and turn his wrath away from them”
Are you kidding me!Somebody hurt me terribly enough to be called my enemy and then I hear that they were in some sort of problem .And my Lord says that I should not be happy when I hear that or even say in my mind “it saves them right!
The strange part about this is that; that is exactly what we will want to say or do when faced with such a situation.
Are you beginning to see why I called these Gods difficult instructions!
The question in most minds is:
WHY SHOULD WE KEEP THESE GODS DIFFICULT INSTRUCTIONS
There is a higher benefit to us as christians when we decide to do things Gods way.Even though most times God s instructions do not sound reasonable to our human minds. Most times God’s instructions are contrary to our normal human inclinations.
But if we could follow these instructions ,the long term benefits are unbelievable.
For instance when I eventually decided to pray for somebody that hurt me in my place of work.It was very difficult initially.
But with each day, it became less difficult.
After some weeks,I discovered that the anger and irritation I used to feel towards her was gradually disappearing! I was actually surprised to feel genuinely concerned when I heard that her car was stolen!
That is how far obeying God’s difficult instructions can heal.
MRE REASONS TO KEEP GODS INSTRUCTIONS
17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone.
18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.
19 Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord.
20 On the contrary:
“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;
if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.
In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”[e
21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good
When we repay good to somebody that did us evil, we sort of “give room for God’s wrath” That means we let go and let God deal with or judge the person according to his special way.
Now to the greatest question of all:
HOW CAN WE KEEP THESE GODS DIFFICULT INSTRUCTIONS
The simple answer to this is that you cannot.It is practically humanly impossible to do all those instructions from God I have listed above. But hold on that should not give you much concern .Because you are not the only person struggling with it.
All of us are struggling with it.
Even the apostle Paul in Romans 7vs 15-25 says;
“ I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. 16 And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good.
17 As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me.
18 For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature.
For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out.
19 For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing.
20 Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it.
21 So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22 For in my inner being I delight in God’s law;
23 but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. 24 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? 25
Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!
Its a long one but I believe you get the picture of what I mean, The Lord Jesus said that he has not come to abolish the law. He came so that he himself might keep the law in us.
HOW DOES GOD HELP US TO KEEP HIS LAWS
The only way God can keep his law in us is by allowing the Holyspirit in us to keep it.When we acknowledge our inability to keep God’s laws, we give room for God’s spirit to take over and do it for us.
A practical example is whenever somebody offends me,I go to God and tell Him exactly how I feel about that person.I tell him how I do not feel like talking to the person .Not to talk of praying for the person.
I then ask him to help me and do what he has instructed us to do in such a situation.Since I was not in the least willing or ready to behave the way he said we should.
And guess what?
It always works .
After a few days of this prayer, the anger starts disappearing and I find myself actually praying for the person in question.
Give this a trial and see.
BENEFITS OF KEEPING GOD’S DIFFICULT INSTRUCTIONS
The greatest benefit I have enjoyed over the years is a peace that surpasses all understanding.
Apart from this,when we repay good for evil,we give room for God’s wrath.
Finally keeping God’s instructions makes us become more like Christ everyday .For God himself wants us to be perfect just like Christ his son is perfect
CONCLUSION
That is my take on God’s difficult instructions for living and how to keep them. Humanly it sounds impossible to achieve. But that is only when you want to keep them by your power.
Just allow the holy spirit that lives inside of you to help you keep it.And you will be amazed at the benefits that will flow into your life.
If you have any problems or challenges, do not hesitate to reach out to me through my contact page. Or to drop your contributions or comments. Thank you for reading to the end. Remain blessed
