The Delight of Obedience
His commandments are not burdensome—obedience is the path of life."
Passage: 1 John 5:3
"For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome." (ESV)
John’s words in this passage challenge a common misconception about obedience. Many see God’s commands as heavy, as though following Christ is a constant uphill battle against the desires of the flesh. But John declares the opposite: obedience to God is not burdensome. Why? Because it flows from love. The believer, as a new creation in Christ, is no longer bound to sin as their natural response. Instead, obedience is their new disposition—because of their union with Christ.
The broader context of 1 John 5:1-5 reinforces this reality. Faith in Christ is the victory that overcomes the world (v. 4). Those born of God not only love Him but also love His children, demonstrating that love through obedience. This is not a burdensome duty but the natural outflow of a transformed life. The lie that it is "easier" for a believer to sin than to obey is built on the false assumption that the flesh is still the dominant force in our lives. But Scripture declares that in Christ, we have a new nature—one that delights in righteousness.
John Van Gelderen, in The Gospel to the Saints, makes a crucial point: if a believer assumes that it is harder to obey than to sin, then their actions will follow that belief. We act according to who we believe we are. If we see ourselves as still primarily sinful, struggling against our "default" nature, then we will live in that struggle. But if we embrace the truth of who we are in Christ—new creations, alive to God, and dead to sin—then obedience is the easier path. It aligns with our true nature, while sin is now the unnatural choice.
Personal Journal Reflection
Father, this truth struck me so deeply when I first read it in Bill Gillham’s Lifetime Guarantee five years ago. For so long, I had been told that following You was hard, that obedience was a constant struggle, and that sin was my natural way. I was taught that I was a dirty, rotten sinner who would sin in thought, word, and deed every single day—that this was my lot in life and that any hope of real victory was nothing more than a fantasy. But Your Word tells a different story. You say that Your commandments are not burdensome. You say that my faith overcomes the world. You say that I am a new creation—not just in theory, not just in "position" as I was once told, but in reality.
You opened the eyes of my understanding. I spent years believing a lie—that sin was easier for me than righteousness. But when I finally stepped back and looked at my life through the lens of truth, I saw it clearly. My greatest peace, my deepest joy, my truest sense of identity have always been found in walking in Your ways. When I obey, it does not feel forced or unnatural. It feels right—because it is right. Not just in the sense of moral correctness, but in the sense of alignment—of being who I actually am.
Sin, on the other hand, has always brought tension. Even when it appeared appealing, even when temptation whispered its false promises, the moment I gave in, I felt the disconnect. It was like wearing shoes that didn’t fit—awkward, painful, wrong. Why? Because I was acting against my nature—against the very life You placed within me.
To say that obedience is "harder" than sin is to deny who I am in Christ. It is to say that the old man still has dominion, when in truth, he was crucified with Christ. It is to believe I am still enslaved when You have already set me free. And strangely enough, I was free from the moment I believed in 1995—I just didn’t know it. Your commandments are not burdensome because they flow from who I am now. They are not external pressures but internal desires. And as I trust You moment by moment, I see that righteousness is not a burden but a delight.
So I reject the lie that sin is easier. I reject the false identity that would keep me bound to a struggle that You have already won. And I embrace the truth: that in You, obedience is the natural outflow of my life. Not by effort, not by striving, but by resting in who You have made me to be.
Prayer of Confidence
Father, thank You for the truth that Your commands are not burdensome. Thank You that in Christ, I am no longer a slave to sin but alive to righteousness. I reject the lie that obedience is harder than sin, and I embrace the reality that Your Spirit within me leads me into life. As I trust You, I walk in the joy of obedience, not as a duty, but as the natural expression of who I am in You. Thank You for this freedom. Thank You for this joy. Amen.
Intent of Image: A winding path through a beautiful forest, bathed in sunlight, symbolizing the joy and ease of walking in God’s ways.