God's Commandments Are Not Burdensome

For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome (1 John 5:3)

Ever thought that God's commands might a little too much to bear? You are not alone. There have been times in my Christian walk that God expects too much. Praise God I have come the realization through the Scriptures that God does not expect too much for those who are His. That does not mean I live however I want because my life is His.

The verse above tells us that loving God means keeping His commandments and they are not burdensome. When I think of God's commandments being burdensome, what comes to mind is a legalist telling me if I don't obey God, He will strike me dead. If don't obey then God will withhold blessings and provisions from me. The Prosperity Gospel teaches such things especially when you're obedient.

Obeying God's commandments is not to show God how much we love Him so He can smile on us. Obeying God is a response of what He has done for us. God gave His only Son to die in our place for our sins, which is more than what we can bear. Imagine yourself on the cross dying for your sins. Not a pleasant thought.

God's commandments are not burdensome to those who are His children because they delight in obeying their Father. When we don't obey, we still can turn to God and ask for forgiveness and we will be forgiven. Why do we obey God? Because we have been given a new nature in Christ. God will not cast us out of the family when we don't obey. God still receives us because of His Son.

Christian, when someone says you are not a good Christian because you are not obeying God in a certain way, it could be a man-made rule used for manipulation and control. Yes, we still struggle with Sin while still in the body yet God still gives us grace and does not withhold it from us. He gives us grace that enables us to obey:

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age (Titus 2:11-12).