Selective Obedience?
Nearly everyone has heard of (been accused of) selective hearing. The husband is frequently suspected of having this malady when he ‘conveniently’ fails to hear the desires, requests and questions of the wife. Husbands (& wives), be careful before feigning this syndrome. The real definition of Selective hearing—formally known as selective auditory attention—is the brain's ability to focus on one specific sound or voice while filtering out background noise. If the husband claims to have this disorder upon not hearing their wife, aren’t they in effect claiming the words of their spouse are background noise? Hmmm, Interesting!
I bring up the above because some Christians seem to want to participate in selective obedience. Is any “Word” from our Lord “background noise”? If we don’t hear the Lord (through His Holy Word), are we not admitting to having our focus elsewhere rather than first and foremost on God and His Word? Can we afford to NOT hear the Lord? Did not God, at the Mount of Transfiguration as recorded in (Matt 17:5) tell Peter, James and John, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.”? God was telling these apostles that Christ was given ALL AUTHORITY. Yes, the Words of Moses and the Words of the prophets are important as they too were given by inspiration. But the Words of Moses and the prophets were to fade into the background as the Words of Christ – His New Testament – were to be fully obeyed following the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ to die no more, beginning when they were issued at that first Pentecost following the death of Christ.
Selective obedience has never been accepted of God. Did not God expect Adam and Eve to fully keep His Commandments in the Garden (Gen chap 3)? Wasn’t Noah expected to entirely follow Gods directives in the building of the Ark (Gen chap 6)? Was Abraham allowed to pick and choose which of God’s Commandments he should keep and still be the friend of God (Gen chap 12-23)? Could Naaman have dipped five times in the river Jordan and still be relieved of his leprosy (2Kngs chap 5)? Was Saul pleasing to God when he “selectively” obeyed and did not utterly destroy all of the Amalekites (1Sam chap 15)? Did not Uzza participate in selective obedience when he put his hand to the ark when he feared it would fall (1Chron chap 13)? – He died! Many other O.T. examples and Scriptures could be offered, but these will suffice.
As we examine New Testament times, we find that some still try to participate in selective obedience. The church was established in Acts chap 2. The inspired Word of Salvation was delivered by the apostles at Pentecost. All in attendance had been told to “repent and be baptized” in the name of (by the authority) of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins. (Acts 2:38). Acts 2:41 reports that some gladly received the Word and were “fully obedient” to it. However, as the gospel continued to be spread, some who had been obedient did not remain fully obedient. This is selective obedience. For instance, the case of Ananias and Sapphira (Acts chap 5) – they conspired together to lie to the Holy Spirit. Lying in any form is disobedience. In partially obeying, they were selective as to what degree they would obey God. They wanted to take away from (minimize) their service to God and lie about it.
Simon in (Acts chap 8) is another example. In his case, he wanted to select a part of God’s scheme that wasn’t given to him. He wanted to possess the power to lay hands on others to pass on the Holy Ghost. This was only for the apostles in the infancy of the church in the absence of the Written Word. He was told in verse 21 because of his request and intent, that his heart was not right with God. In verse 22, because God continually extends His mercy while we are alive, the Spirit had Peter direct Simon, an erring child of God, to “Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.” Simon, in essence, wanted to select obedience beyond that which God had Commanded.
This is the reason that God has Commanded that man not “add to” nor “take away” from His Word. God’s Written Word to His O.T. people Israel had been given to them as the Lord had delivered it to Moses. In Deut 4:2, they were told, “Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you.” This was telling them they could not be selective in their obedience to God and His Word. In Rev 22:18-19 the ones to whom the apocalypse was written were warned not to add to nor take away from the “words of the prophecy of this book”. Those that “added to” could expect the plagues that were written in the book to be applied to them. Those that “took away” had their part taken out of the book of life. Again, selective obedience was not going to be tolerated. These should have been all the warnings needed so that all would avoid selective obedience.
Today, long after the O.T. Law was nailed to the cross (Col 2:14), and long after the events that were foretold in the apocalypse have been fulfilled (Rev 1:1), this eternal principle of God continues – Selective Obedience is not allowed! The gospel plan of Salvation has been “once delivered” (Jude 3) and will not change. Neither can one be a child of God through selective obedience. To fully obey the gospel, ONE MUST – Hear the Word of God (Rom 10:17); Believe that Christ is the Son of God (Acts 16:31); Repent of past sins (Acts 17:30); Confess Christ as the Son of God (Rom 10:9-10), Be Baptized into Christ for the Remission of those past sins (1Pet 3:21). Then, and only then, does one become a child of God. Following this, according to (Rev 2:10) the Christian is to Remain faithful until death, that they might receive that crown of life.
Those who profess to love God & are “selective” regarding God’s Commandments whether in initial obedience or continued obedience don’t really love Him do they? Are some selective because they think God’s Commandments to be too burdensome? We are told in 1John 5:3 – “For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.” While Jesus was on earth preparing His apostles for continuing His Work of spreading the gospel, in John 14:15 He said, “If ye love me, keep my commandments.” The only selective obedience God will accept is if we select ALL of His N.T. Commandments, rightly divide them and fully follow them.
Dennis Strickland – Mooresville church of Christ
