<\/p>\n
\n\u201cYou were running well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth?\u201d (Galatians 5:7).<\/p>\n
PAUL\u2019S QUESTION \u201cWHO HINDERED YOU FROM OBEYING THE TRUTH?\u201d WAS ADDRESSED TO A GROUP OF CHRISTIANS. He was concerned about some in Galatia who, having been baptized into Christ, were turning away from the truth. They were no longer obeying the gospel, and Paul was worried about their salvation.<\/p>\n
Beginning with the initial response to the gospel that brings one into a forgiven relationship with God, the Christian embarks on a lifetime of obedience. It is not too much to say that \u201cobeying the gospel\u201d defines everything the Christian does. Every obedient thought, word, and deed is a grateful response to the good news of what God has done in Christ to save us.<\/p>\n
But if it is possible to obey the gospel, it is also possible to quit<\/em> obeying it. Faithfulness to God and gratitude for His grace are not automatic; we have to choose to live this way. And the Scriptures are clear: if we quit living in obedience to the gospel, we will go back to being under condemnation for our sins.<\/em> The Letter to the Hebrews, for example, is a powerful warning against apostasy and a plea to remain true to Christ. It was written to some in the first century who were becoming unfaithful and were in danger of losing their hope of heaven, just as many in Israel left Egypt in the Exodus but failed to reach Canaan because of unfaithfulness (Hebrews 3:12-4:11).<\/p>\n So becoming a Christian involves making a commitment.<\/em> To \u201cconfess\u201d Christ is not merely a statement that we believe the truth of the gospel \u2014 it is a promise of obedience to His will for the rest of our lives. That is a serious commitment, obviously, and Jesus urged us to \u201ccount the cost\u201d (Luke 14:25-33) before we make it.<\/p>\n Reading the New Testament even briefly, we can see there are two phases or stages in obeying the gospel: first, we accept God\u2019s forgiveness on His terms, and second, we live the rest of our lives under the lordship of Christ. To do the first but not the second is to deny Christ. Paul put it succinctly: \u201cAs you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him\u201d (Colossians 2:6). So the question is not just whether we\u2019ve accepted Christ at some point in the past \u2014 it\u2019s also whether the gospel is what we\u2019re obeying right now.<\/p>\n \u201cThere are two things to do about the gospel \u2014 believe it and behave it\u201d (Susanna Wesley).<\/p>\n Gary Henry \u2013 WordPoints.com + AreYouaChristian.com<\/p>\n