1 Peter 1:14-16 As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy." (Leviticus 11:44-45; 19:2; 20:7).
When we accept Christ Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we become members of a new
family, the family of God. Our obedience is a signal and sign of our faith and
trust in God. God once told King Saul to go and attack Amalek, destroy all
there, not spare any living beings, human or animal. Saul spared the life of King Agag of the
Amalekites and took the best of the animals as plunder. When Samuel confronted
Saul about sparing the King and some of the animals, Saul responded, "they
spared the best of the sheep and cattle to sacrifice to the LORD your God, but
we destroyed the rest" (1 Samuel 15:15). Samuel told Saul, "Does the
LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the LORD?
To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams"
(1 Samuel 15:22). Saul's mission was partial obedience, which is no obedience
at all.
Saul did not surrender his heart to God; he was more concerned with what would be more beneficial to him rather than total obedience to God. God is not interested in formal compliance or ritual; He desires that His children obey Him out of our love towards Him. Our Lord and Savior, Christ Jesus, is not concerned with religion; he wants to have a close personal relationship with all His children. We must ask ourselves: Is our relationship with God mechanical, or do we have a genuine, vital relationship with our creator? Saul did not focus on God's will; he was more concerned with what was best for himself.
Many out there today say, "I will minister in a church, as long as I get something out of it." Then some say that "I will teach a class or Shepard a small group since no one else will do it." God is not seeking that self-centered form of sacrifice. Doing something based on our love for God pleases God much more than a feeling of duty to a ministry.
Peter uses an illustration of an obedient child, which most often looks to their parents to know what to do next. On our own, we might manage to keep our focus on the job at hand, but an obedient child depends on their parents to take the next step. Thus, having the faith of a child will keep us in the center of God's will, much easier than depending on our best efforts.
Matthew 18:2-4 He called a little child to him and placed the child among them. And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
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