But “don’t complain” has been a blatant and shameless way to cause people to ignore reality, blindly accept the status quo (even when it is clearly declining, deteriorating and dying), and become unquestioning non-critical thinkers, which will invariably cause the demise of any organization, institution, nation and certainly church as well.

Ben, yes this is part of the reason obedience rubs me the wrong way. I acknowledge I am (and will be) still recovering from the ungodly way obedience was taught to me.

However, I long for a way to express the amazing transformation that is also taking place– my surrender to grace (the way to think) and love (the way to act)… and still discovering the third component, the way to feel.

In any case, I’m looking forward to “Catching Fire” tonight. It’s date night with my lovely wife!!

This quote from the link is another way to say the same thing: “It’s about the difference between a life of obedience and one of surrender, and it is about how surrender must be a decision of the heart, not simply the will.”

For instance, I would often cite that Abraham’s servant obeyed Abraham as though he was obeying God.

I hope to no longer ever teach obedience in such a narrow skewed and perhaps oppressive unhealthy way because it communicates obedience as something primarily done horizontally.

I do like obedience being “a surrender to God’s loving advances.”

In Hebrew (OT) the word for obedience is “shema,” which carry the following meanings: “hear” (785 times) (for eg. Dt 6:4), “hearken” (196 times), “obey” (81 times).

In Greek (NT) a word for obedience is “tēreō,” which is translated “keep” in the KJV and the 2011 NIV (Jn 14:15, 21, 23) and “obey” in the 1984 NIV.

I think that obedience is sadly often communicated as dry duty and unthinking “self-denying” responsibility (“just obey”), which surely sometimes needs to be done, such as when a Christian husband feels like committing adultery. But for the most part, I believe that the Bible conveys obedience as a joyful, loving, delightful act that is willingly and even wholeheartedly performed out of gratitude to the gospel in the NT (1 Cor 15:10), and to God’s grace of redemption in the OT (Ex 20:2-3ff; Dt 5:6-7ff).

Sharon and I recently read a good book about this very topic:

http://www.drdavidgbenner.ca/surrender-to-love/

Although the New Testament frequently urges us to obey Christ and his commands, the author contends that the word “obedience” doesn’t really capture what should be going on in the Christian life. He says it’s actually a surrender to God’s loving advances.

(The word “surrender” needs a lot of qualification too.)

The bottom line is that words like obedience carry certain connotations that might not accurately reflect what Jesus and the authors of the NT meant. We sometimes need to refine those terms in light of the gospel, rather than casting the gospel in light of those terms.

I am however, opposed to obeying the Ten Commandments. I am not saying they are bad but that they are a failed foreshadow of the amazing work our Messiah completed through His death and resurrection. I do not believe Scripture teaches believers new ways to obey any of the commandments, but instead teaches us new ways to love with God’s law written on our hearts and acts of goodness, kindness and generosity abounding. Our time should not be wasted trying to figure out if we or others are obeying the commandments, but better spent holding onto the promises of God. Believers are no longer servants who obey God but friends who participate in His business. This is only possible when Christ lives in you. If Jesus was not alive right now and living in me, I should be counted as a heretic. If not for the Risen Jesus, what I say would be ludicrous. To say we should not strive to obey the 10 commandments is foolishness to our minds. But I know it to be true because of who is inside me.

The only outstanding debt is love. Love is the fulfillment of the law. When Jesus comes alive in our hearts, His Spirit does amazing things to our soul, yielding love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

Now THAT I agree with! The Holy Scriptures and the Holy Spirit is also telling me to stay outside the gates of Christendom right now. I don’t see that changing any time soon.

Perhaps, it may be helpful to get away from the UBF paradigm in order to hear the words in the Bible and allowing the Spirit (not your shepherd) to instruct you.

Agreed. Obedience to what and to whom? I’m not against obedience, I’m challenging the object of that obedience as well as the purpose.

“The book of Hebrews also warns Christians of “drifting” because of nominalism, formalism and disobedience.”

I don’t buy this. Drifting from what/whom? Would going outside the gates be a form of “drifting”? I don’t think so because Hebrews speaks of doing just that.

Ultimately, the blessing is God himself, and not necessarily physical or material blessings. The fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22-23) all have to do with our relationship with God.

The problem with sinners in the OT, NT (and UBF and churches at large) is that we assume/diminish grace to impose law, obedience and work righteousness. I am totally opposed to that as I am to the debtor’s ethic. But I am not opposed to obeying the Ten Commandments, which Jesus trimmed down to Two Supreme Commands (again not perfectly and not for salvation and blessing, but because of gratitude joy for what God has done for me).

Yet the NT does call for obedience. Jesus says that our obedience comes from our love (Jn 14:15, 21, 23). Paul speaks of “the obedience of faith” (Rom 1:5; 16:26). Rom 10:16 speaks about “obeying” the gospel (ESV, KJV). God does expect his people, both in the OT and the NT to live lives of obedience (by faith, by love, NOT by works righteousness or guilt-tripping or by the law which Paul strongly opposed in Romans and Galations). Abraham was commended because his faith was expressed by works, i.e. by his obedience (Jas 2:21-24).

Because of the grace of God, we Christians are to obey the commands in the Bible beginning from loving God and loving our neighbor as ourselves (Mt 22:37-39; Mk 12:30-31). Yes, our obedience will be “bad obedience.” But because our hearts have been touched and transformed by the love and grace of God, we nonetheless want to obey God. Paul warns Christians in 1 Cor 10:1-13 by citing the disobedience, idolatry, and immorality of the Israelies in the OT to compel them to obedience and to take their Christian faith seriously, even if their salvation is entirely by grace. The book of Hebrews also warns Christians of “drifting” because of nominalism, formalism and disobedience.

I contend that we should neither observe the Law and the Prophets in order to be saved nor to be blessed in this life or the life to come. Attempting to observe the Law and the Prophets today is to build a debtor’s ethic that goes beyond the Holy Scriptures and circumvents the promises upon which salvation and blessed life are based.

I contend that Jesus did not come to give us a better way to obey a higher law, but Jesus came to be our righteousness. Faith, more than gratitude, is what matters in our relationships with each other and with God.

To learn to be content and give thanks in all circumstances has no relation to salvation nor to the quality of blessings we would receive in our life. The rain falls on both the righteous and the wicked.

A grateful attitude would relate to our personal happiness and outlook and inner character, but would not necessarily incur more blessings from God or from other people. In fact we may be very thankful and full of gratitude in our heart and then face tragedy upon tragedy, as Job is a witness.

I find no such distinction in purpose anywhere in Scripture (correct me if I’m wrong). There is no “good obedience” vs “bad obedience” dichotomy in Scripture. And how could we possibly obey the entire law out of “grateful joy and delight”? This is circular logic that I won’t follow.

And regarding doing what my wife says, Lord help me if I try to do what she said 20 years ago while ignoring what she tells me today :)

Yes, observing the law is a curse if you are doing so to be saved, which is only possible by grace.

According to Calvin and Luther, Christians in the NT observe the law (imperfectly of course) not to be saved, but out of grateful joy and delight. I think it is no different from doing what the wife tells me. I don’t want to do it, but I do (sometimes!) because of love.

Some UBF lovers seem to practically love UBF more than God, because they equate loving UBF with loving God. They may not (consciously) realize that loving UBF is blatant hideous idolatry, which is equivalent to worshiping the golden calf. UBF does it through instilling so-called “UBF core values.” But likely all churches do it to some degree. Some churches worship prosperity, some worship propositional truth, some worship sacrifice, mission and marriage by faith, etc.

Where there is (church or ministry) idolatry, then “debtor’s bondage” is just another way to worship the golden calf.

There are many reasons why I disagree, but the book of Galatians is a good summary:

Galatians 3:10 All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.”

Our life and blessings no longer depend on individual observance of the Law, now that the Christ has come. In fact, now that the Law and the Prophets have been fulfilled, observing the law is actually a curse. And that is the very reason Christendom in America is falling apart.

1) God saves and redeems us by his grace alone. (No human being–not even the best of human beings–deserves to be saved by God.)

2) One who truly realizes and remembers God’s costly redeeming grace through his Son will worship him and thank him continually.

3) Our future live and blessing as the people of God is nonetheless contingent on our obedience to God’s word and commands. Disobedience to God and idolatry (which is closely related to unthankfulness) will bring curses and wrath, as it did to the “chosen people” of Israel.

Thanksgiving time, at least in the usa, is another “prime time” for ubf directors to plant such false teachings that go beyond the biblical imperatives to give thanks.

One Korean director even told everyone he was born on Thanksgiving, to further guilt-trip and bind people’s consciences both to him and to the ubf heritage. I wonder how many people know that he lied and was not born on the American Thanksgiving day, but on the Korean equivalent day of giving thanks?

I say that during Thanksgiving time it is very relevant and helpful for ubfers to consider the dangers of “debtor’s ethic”, “debtor’s bondage” and “debtor’s destruction”.

Or you can just dismiss me as one of those unthankful unbelievers…

As many have previously commented, to those who dislike, it would be very helpful if they clearly articulate why they dislike it. Personally, I would love to hear why.

That said, I’m not sure if Wesley was trying to suggest a debtor’s ethic, or that one should be a debtor to UBF (even if some others in UBF do so).

The nine leper’s not returning to Christ is “typical” of fallen men, including myself, especially in the time of blessing, which causes me to fear God (even though I am no longer in bondage to UBF). Ingratitude and forgetting God’s grace seems to be a main theme through out Deuteronomy, which I am presently studying and preparing to preach next year.

For UBFers maybe they disliked the last two points about comfort/wealth and semi-retirement. For exubfers maybe SL. Anyway, let people dislike. They can get a feeling of gratification from it.

And in regard to the Luke debate – I am just thankful for the one leper who came back…

So my point is that to be faithful to the text, we need to point out that gratitude is good, but also be on guard against teaching a “debtors ethic” philosophy, which hinders people form seeing Jesus our High Priest and King. And we should certainly reject going further, and reject the “debtors bondage” teachings. The ubf heritage goes beyond the hindering “debtors ethic” teachings and enters the realm of spiritual abuse by teaching “debtors bondage”. To avoid such pitfalls, I contend that we should see Jesus our priest who welcomed a leper who was an “outsider to the Jewish religious system”.

In regard to your article Ben, I don’t quite understand the dislikes. I personally clicked “like”. Even though I am not thankful for ubf as you are, I am not offended by your thankfulness, mainly because you do not demand me to be thankful for the things you are thankful for.

But perhaps the dislikes are coming from people who sense the echoes of “debtors bondage” or “debtors ethic” in your thankfulness?

Luke 17:16b – Now he was a Samaritan. The noun “he” is emphasized in the Greek; placing this statement later in the story also serves to emphasize that the only grateful leper was a Samaritan (on Samaritans, see Lk 9:52; 10:33; and notes on John 4:4; 4:9).

Luke 17:19 The Samaritan’s faith has made him well (lit., “saved” him; cf. the same Gk. verb in Lk 7:50; 8:48; 18:42), so that the healing here was more than physical.

Luke 17:11–19: This story emphasizes that faith in Jesus (cf. Lk 17:5–6) results in powerful change and produces a humble, worshipful response to God. This is the difference between the one leper and the other nine. They all asked for God’s mercy (Lk 17:13) but only one was shown to have true understanding faith, as shown by his casting himself with thankfulness at Jesus’ feet. So too for us. Our worshipful response—or lack thereof—reflects the depth of our understanding of God’s mercy and goodness. The first and greatest response to the gospel of grace is thankful worship. This brings the greatest glory to God and brings wholeness to us as well.

We are also told, strikingly, that the one who returned to give thanks to Jesus was a Samaritan—a despised outsider. Here, as all through Luke, we see the upside-down reversal that the gospel brings. The kingdom of God inverts the world’s values and welcomes anyone, if they will simply repent and believe the good news, relying on Jesus alone for a new and eternal life.

But why read into the Holy Scriptures teachings that are not there? Why weave guilt-trips into your bible teaching?

Frankly we don’t know what the other 9 did exactly. Maybe they did visit the Jewish priests? We do know Jesus was near the border between Samaria and Galilee. We do know that Jesus instructed the 10 lepers to go and show themselves to the priests. We know that the 10 were healed on the way to the priests. And we know that one healed leper returned to thank Jesus, and we know that this one leper was a Samaritan. And finally we know that Jesus was not happy with the 9 and expressed blessing on the healed leper’s faith and giving glory to God. Note that Jesus did not accept the man’s repeated gratitude but his faith in God. Now stop right there. Don’t read other conjecture into the Scripture here.

What can we conclude? Well think about it. How would Jewish priests receive a healed Samaritan who claimed Jesus (i.e a rebel fanatic who was so full of himself that he thought he was God) had healed him? If the healed Samaritan actually did go to the priests with the other 9, surely the Jews would reject him and so in this case he would naturally go back to Jesus. Or if he didn’t actually go all the way but returned to Jesus before making it to the priests, what would we conclude? In that case he probably knew the bad reception waiting for him at the synagogue/temple and so he ran back to Jesus full of gratitude because he knew Jesus would accept him, making him well. The man was now “clean” as if he had visited the Jewish priests.

Either way the fact that he was an “outsider” or “foreigner” and Samaritan was primary in Jesus’ mind. Faith and the glory of God and healing had come to a non-Jew. So Jesus acted as priest for this Samaritan and told him his faith has both healed and saved him. Jesus pronounced the priestly blessing on this man who would have been (or perhaps was) rejected by the religious priests. Jesus pronounced this man as clean just as a priest would in Leviticus, such as in Leviticus 13:4-17.

So if the others did not return it is likely because they would have been quarantined for seven days or more days as the Law required so they would not have been allowed to return to Jesus no matter how thankful they were! So the healed Samaritan was logically either rejected by the priests or knew his fate of being held for days and did not want to wait that long to thank Jesus. So there is clearly a spirit of the law/grace and written code/Law issue here to explore further. Whether the healed Samaritan went to the Jewish priests after Jesus’ blessing, which is possible, is irrelevant to Luke’s point.

The point in Luke 17:11-19 is neither thankfulness nor ignoring Jesus to pursue “things”. The point is that a religious system rejected a healed Samaritan leper who praised God and Jesus became his High Priest. And now I really like this passage :)