There is some effort of obedience. And it is necessary to apply yourself so that even as you began the Christian life well, you may continue to: show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end: That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises. (Hebrews 6:11,12) Effort is required, not only to overcome laziness and obey God, but also to resist the temptations of the devil.
The Scriptures teach us to seek perfection. The Psalmist prays: Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently. (Psalm 119:4) Abraham, our example of faith, not only believed God, but also obeyed him, God saying of him: Abraham obeyed my voice, and kept my charge, my commandments, my statutes, and my laws. (Genesis 26:5)
Jesus commanded all his followers, saying: Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. (Matthew 5:48) Although none of us will ever attain complete perfection while on earth, too many are not even trying. But perhaps, even more than that we should be intolerant of any fault, Christ’s message is that we must obey the spirit of the commandment, not just the letter. Then our lives will be full of goodness, and then only may we have fellowship with God the Father, who Himself and His Son only, are truly good.
But the rewards for perfection in the next world are far greater than those obtained in this world, and this should be a source of motivation. It is written: Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. (1 John 3:2,3)
Paul had such a hope, and his hope motivated him to persevere diligently. He said: Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Such diligent effort is the duty of all, if God and the rewards of heaven are worthy. Paul said: Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you. (Philippians 3:12-15) And so we can continue to become more perfect.
Effort rather than struggle best characterises the mindset of those who will follow Christ, according to his words: If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it. For what is a man advantaged if he gain the whole world, and lose himself? (Luke 9:23-25) While Christ promised freedom from guilt and fear, this does not mean that no effort is required. Effort is required, for example, to spend sufficient time in prayer.
Effort is also required to resist temptation. James says: Resist the devil. But thankfully God does not allow the devil to tempt us forever. God promises that after a time of resistance: he (the devil) will flee from you. (James 4:7) It is even written of Christ, that after he had resisted the devil’s temptations, the devil: departed from him for a season. (Luke 4:13) And Paul writes: There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. (1 Corinthians 10:13)
Of obedience to God’s way it is written: The way of life is above to the wise, that he may depart from hell beneath. (Proverbs 15:24) The word for hell here is Sheol, which is not to be cofused with Gehenna or the fire. Sheol may be at the bottom of the sea, where those who are not worthy of eternal life are separated from the reward of inheriting the earth. But few are punished. To be conscious that the way of evil leads to death, and to avoid it, is what is meant by the fear of the Lord. It does not mean that our lives should be filled with terror. It is more like the fear of smoking at a petrol station. We simply do not smoke. Similarly, we should not sin. But if we do sin occasionally, we should not despair as it is written: if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. (1 John 2:1)
That God works in our hearts to produce: the fruit of the Spirit of love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance, (Galatians 5:22) should not induce carelessness. Rather it should induce awareness of our awesome privilege and responsibility. And so Paul writes: my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. (Philippians 2:12.13)
Although we can resist some temptations in our own strength, there are forces of darkness that may only be resisted by the power of the Spirit of God. When Jesus told his disciples that they would all forsake him, Peter replied: Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended. (Matthew 26:33) The only way of victory, which none of them took, Jesus told them, was to: Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. (Matthew 26:41)
Prayer strengthens us to overcome, and gives us understanding of the will of God. Through prayer Jesus understood that there was no way other than the cross (Mark 14:36, Matthew 26:42); and through prayer: there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him. (Luke 22:43)
But our prayers should not normally be focussed on ourselves, but rather on the purposes of God. When we pray and labour for God’s purposes, God grants us, as to those: that have used the office of a deacon well . . . great boldness in the faith. (1 Timothy 3:13)
Fellowship with godly Christians should also help to strengthen and keep us. It is written: exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. (Hebrews 3:13) And more positively it is written: let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together. (Hebrews 10:24,25)
As God was faithful to Moses, Abraham, Jacob, Joseph, Daniel and the prophets, so will He be faithful to us, if we follow their example: Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of God. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. (Hebrews 12:1-3)