Whether you've just become a Christian, recently renewed your promise to follow Christ or have practised your faith your entire life, it's always worth reacquainting yourself with the biblical version of commitment. So here's a simple breakdown of what it looks like and what it requires of us.
It's about trusting in God
The pledge that we make to God is in response to the many promises that He has made to us.But in order to truly commit to Him we have to believe that He will deliver on His promises.
Psalm 37:5 - Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this.
It requires us to love
Generally speaking, the more we love someone the more committed we tend to be them. Our openness to committing to God is encouraged by the deep love that we have for Him.
1 Kings 6:61 - And may your hearts be fully committed to the Lord our God, to live by his decrees and obey his commands, as at this time.
Deuteronomy 6:5 - Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.
Matthew 22:37-38 - Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment."
It means making sacrifices
Sometimes saying yes to God means that we have to say no to a lot of other things which appeal to us. People can make the mistake of thinking that our faith restricts our freedom, when it actually fosters it. Jesus' sacrifice frees us to pursue a relationship with God.
Matthew 16:24-25 - Then Jesus said to his disciples, "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it."
Matthew 10:37 - Anyone who loves their father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves their son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
Doing certain things on a regular basis
We can recognise how dedicated someone is to another person or thing by how much prominence they give them in their lives. Our commitment to God can't be fleeting, it has to be sustained - in other words, lifelong. Our deeds are an essential way of demonstrating our dedication to Him.
Hebrews 10:25 - Not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
Matthew 18:21-22 - Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, "Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?" Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times."
It involves giving everything we have
When we commit to God we have to truly surrender. This doesn't just involve giving up our time and turning away from temptation, it also means actively submitting ourselves to Him.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20 - Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honour God with your bodies.
