Lately, an on-going topic of conversation between myself and a good friend has been, 'How does one adjust to the lifestyle changes associated with conversion to the gospel of Jesus Christ?' Although we'll never be able to work our way to heaven, the Lord has asked that we keep his commandments to the best of our abilities to show our love and commitment to Him (John 14:15). As Christ taught, in Matthew 7:14: 'strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.'

Adapting our lives to the lifestyle that Christ would have us live can be difficult. And at a surface glance the process can sometimes seem binding and restrictive -- like we're giving up some of our freedom. But nothing could be further from the truth. The truth is, as we keep the Lord's commandments, we actually experience an increased level of freedom and joy in our lives. James taught this principle, 'But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed' (James 1:25). God's laws are liberating and bless our lives.

To understand this principle, let's discuss four important reasons why God gives us commandments: for our protection, to bring order and peace, to train us, and to test and purify us.

Protection

As a mother, I'm continually telling my children, 'Don't climb on that chair, you're going to fall!' 'Don't touch that hot stove, it'll burn you.' 'Watch both ways before you cross the street.' or 'Don't talk to strangers.' Why do we have to tell children things like this? Because they have limited knowledge and understanding, but we know the dangers. We know the laws of this world. We know the laws of gravity, heat and inertia. We also know we live in a dangerous world where there are bad people who may harm us. Even though a child might not fall every time they climb on a chair or get hit by a car every time they don't look before crossing the street, if they do it enough, it's just a matter of time before a disaster happens. God is our Heavenly Father. He knows better than anyone the laws of the universe, the nature of our world and of the people who live in it. Just as my 3-year-old may not understand or believe that she's going to fall when she climbs, we often don't believe we'll fall if we break the Lord's commandments. Just as she thinks, 'No, I know what I'm doing, I won't fall' we think, 'I'm strong. I'm not weak like other people. I can do this and it won't hurt me.' But God knows... it's just a matter of time.

Peace and Order

Have you ever thought about how restrictive traffic laws are? We drive on little narrow lanes. There are a lot of rules and regulations. It's very restrictive. Why can't I go over into an oncoming lane? I should have the freedom to drive my car wherever I want to. Why do I have to only stay in the lanes that are going in this one direction? Maybe I'd rather go into the oncoming lane or maybe I'd like to drive completely off the road. But where would that get me? I'd tear up my car eventually if I drove completely off the road, and if I drove into the oncoming lane, I'd inevitably be killed. Traffic laws are there to bring peace and order. We all trust each other to obey those laws, and when we do, we have peace, order and safety. God's laws are the same way. Sure Christ taught that the way is 'strait and narrow.'

But the straightness and the narrowness of the way gives us peace, order and safety. When we veer off the strait and narrow way, we risk spiritual and even physical damage or death.

Training

My sister had a boyfriend one time who was in the army in Texas. He told how a sergeant made him do an inordinate number of pushups in the sweltering heat because he had gum in his mouth. What's the big deal about chewing gum? Is there anything morally wrong with chewing gum? Of course not. The military is full of rules and regulations that seem ridiculous and illogical in the real world. But, they teach recruits that they must follow orders without question -- set aside their own logic and do as directed. In the heat of battle, the commander sees the big picture while those under him may not. So they must learn to trust and follow their commanding officer.

The Law of Moses was much like the military. All those do's and don'ts found in Leviticus about what you could or couldn't eat, how many steps you could walk on the Sabbath day, etc aren't going to save your soul. But the Israelites were hard headed, stiff-necked and had to be brought under control and trained to do what the Lord required of them. All of this pointed forward to a time when Christ would come and give them a higher law -- the laws of 'love the Lord thy God with all they heart' and 'love thy neighbor as thyself.' Christ's commandments of the New Testament encompassed the spirit of all the previous commandments. Christ taught them the 'why's' of the strict commandments. If we love our neighbor will we steal from him? kill him? lie to him? No! We still have commandments that are schooling us - training us to follow God no matter what. They teach us to be humble and to know that Father knows best. We may not reap immediate consequences for breaking these commandments, but there are eternal consequences for thinking we know better than our Father in Heaven about what is good for us.

Testing and Purification

Life is a proving ground. God gives us commandments to test our devotion to him. The Lord says in Zechariah 13:9, 'I will bring [them] through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The Lord is my God.' Malachi 3:3 also uses the silver refining analogy and says that the Lord sits, 'as a refiner and purifer of silver.' Will we pass the test of love and devotion to the Lord by keeping His commandments? Will we allow Him to purify our lives?

The Lord's commandments are there to bring safety, peace and order to our lives. And they are also there to test us and mold us into the people that God knows we can be. Will we set aside our mortal perspective and understanding to follow Him no matter what he asks of us? Will we put ourselves into submission to His will or will we seek to counsel the Lord and say, 'I'm stronger than that. I won't succumb. I won't fall, Father.' It's your choice, but He says, 'If ye love me, keep my commandments.' (John 14:15)

Marnie Pehrson, a mother of 6, has been highlighting truth and talent for 15 years. Whether it's writing a novel that spotlights individuals who've made a difference in the world or helping a talented entrepreneur create a platform for his life's work, Marnie underscores truth and talent in innovative and compelling ways. She is the creator of www.IdeaMarketers.com and helps experts promote their products and services online. For more information on her various projects and books, visit http://www.pwgroup.com. Contact the author, Marnie Pehrson , at marnie@pwgroup.com
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