This concept is so refreshing and a blessing to me that I love thinking about it. God’s commands are NOT kept in order to be saved, but BECAUSE OF salvation. Consider what is written in the Old Testament about the Children of Israel and God’s Commands…
Ex 19:4 You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. 5 Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine; 6 and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.
Ex 20:1 And God spoke all these words, saying, 2 “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. 3 “You shall have no other gods before me…
Deut 5:6 “‘I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. 7 “‘You shall have no other gods before me.
Each time God declared that He delivered (Saved) the Children of Israel before He communicated His expectations. It was BECAUSE God delivered them that He expected obedience.
Let these truths go deep into your soul… Salvation precedes obedience. Because God has saved you, you now obey Him. Do not reverse those truths! And here is a real blessing about keeping God’s Commands from 1 John 5:3…
For this is the love of (for) God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are NOT burdensome.
If we truly understand what God has done for us and is still doing for us then we wouldn’t complain about what a Christ follower is supposed to do and be.