How Does God Make Me Obedient to All He Has Commanded?

Christ Jesus fulfilled the entirety of the Law, on our behalf, and in our stead, in His active (perfect) obedience (Mt 5:17). Thus, we are free from the Law’s demands, as a means to righteousness (right standing before God), having received Christ’s (perfect) righteousness by imputation (Rom 3:22, 28; 5:17, 21; 8:12; 1 Cor 1:30; Phil 3:9). Thus, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Rom 8:1).

Christ’s successful fulfillment of every requirement of the entire Law (Mt 5:17), however, does not allow us to be Antinomians, who abrogate the Law (see Jude).

At the same time, we must be warned that God does not merely make us willing to obey, nor simply enable us to keep the Law in the power of our flesh. The flesh is always weak, and it incessantly wars against the Spirit (Rom 7–8).

So how does Christian obedience to the standard of God’s holiness come about?

The Spirit-filled believer in Jesus is the place of prophetic fulfillment, “Moreover, I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances (Ezek 36:27).”

It is the Spirit in us who is the willing party to obedience. Paul encouraged the Galatians, “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh (Gal 5:16).”

It is God/Christ/the Spirit in us, willing and doing His good pleasure (Gal 2:20; Phil 2:13; Col 1:27) that meets the requirement He has set before us. In this, we echo the sentiments of the apostle Paul, “For I will not presume to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me (Rom 15:18a).”

This is the grace of our salvation (Eph 2:8–9), more precisely, our sanctification (Rom 15:16; 1 Thess 4:3, 7; 5:23; 2 Thess 2:13; 1 Pet 1:2), and for this reason, He is glorious in our sight for He accomplishes what concerns us (Ps 57:2; 138:8), performing all our works for us (Is 26:12). This is why we boast in Jesus Christ and not ourselves (1 Cor 1:31).

David Norczyk

Hillsboro, Oregon

February 12, 2022