To Do What You’re Told

As Paul greets Timothy in his first letter to his spiritual son, he calls himself an “apostle of Jesus Christ by the commandment of God our Saviour.” I got hung up a bit on the word “commandment,” and more-so the idea that Paul positively accepts that he is doing what God commands him. There is not an ounce of regret or an attempt to hide that he has surrendered his own will and is doing what he is told to do.

I’ve never heard somebody positively say, “I’m just doing what I’m told.” I’ve only ever heard it used as a way to shirk responsibility or mock authority, and to me that makes Paul’s example striking. He makes no apologies for being a “yes-man” for God. What did unwavering obedience to God bring to Paul’s life? It brought much hardship, but much fruit. Paul summarizes his hardships in 2 Corinthians 11:23-33, noting beatings, stonings, and perils upon perils. As he went without sleep, food, and clothing, he also remained concerned with the welfare of “all the churches,” (v28). While he endured suffering, he also enjoyed much fruit. His writings are filled with names of people that he led to Christ, discipled, and loved. We read letters written to churches that existed and shape our doctrine today because Paul followed orders. His friends were friends by faith because entered the doors that God opened. His two “sons in the faith,” Timothy and Titus, were so because he did what God told him to do.

What is our heart toward God in this matter? Is our obedience framed by convenience or preference? Do we try to fit obedience to God into our plans, or attach God’s will to our own? Is that actually obedience? Doing what you’re told is hard to do; it goes against the grain of our independent nature. Yet, if we know and love God, we’ll be consistently obedient to his commands through suffering and success. As the elder apostle John tells us:

“For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.”

1 John 5:3

C.R.