Malachi 3:7 Even from the days of your fathers you are gone away from mine ordinances, and have not kept them. Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith the Lord of hosts. But you said, Wherein shall we return? 8 Will a man rob God? Yet you have robbed me. But you say, Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.
The second erroneous concept on obedience that has crept into Christianity, and one that has soured the relationship between God and many Christian is: [2] The prohibitory perspective to obeying God in which His laws, and instructions are viewed as a restriction to a person’s liberty rather than beneficial to your overall well-being, but you will obey anyway, because you are scared of the consequences.
This particular perspective has wreaked havoc on so many people that it must now be disclosed for what it really is. God does not desire anyone to obey Him because of a fear of consequences. Whenever this is the case, the Christian experience will become one of gloom, instead of joy, and gladness. This particular perspective took very deep root in the hearts and minds of many persons in ages past and today the dirty work still continues. Just for the record, there are two confirmed results to obeying God.
[1] If obeying God is done the wrong way, your focus will always be on the darker side of things, and you would have great difficulty praising God in times of adversity. In addition, it would almost be impossible to recognize the good purposes of God when He may allow trials to come.
Malachi 3:13 Your words have been stout against me saith the Lord, yet you say what have we spoken so much against thee? 14 You have said, it is vain to serve God: and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the Lord of hosts?
May God add His blessing to the study of His word. “Good night” and God bless!