Bible Question:
How does God challenge us in so many ways? What are they?
Bible Answer:
God has challenged us in many ways. The most important challenge is to believe in Jesus Christ.
This is His commandment, that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as He commanded us. (NASB) 1 John 3:23
Once a person believes in Jesus Christ, the challenges continue. Then God asks us to demonstrate our obedience to Him by being baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.
Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, (NASB) Matthew 28:19
But when they believed Philip preaching the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were being baptized, men and women alike. (NASB) Acts 8:12
He also asks us to submit to His will. Here are some passages to ponder. They reveal God’s will for us.
For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is, that you abstain from sexual immorality . . . (NASB) 1 Thess. 4:3
Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit. Eph. 5:17-18
Therefore, those also who suffer according to the will of God shall entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing what is right. (NASB) 1 Peter 4:19
Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. (NIV) 1 Thess 5:18
Submit yourselves for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether to a king as the one in authority, or to governors as sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and the praise of those who do right. For such is the will of God that by doing right you may silence the ignorance of foolish men. (NASB) 1 Pet. 2:13-15
God wants us to be sexually pure, to be filled with the Spirit, to willingly suffer for Him, to give thanks for everything, and submit to authority, except when it violates God’s standards (Acts 5:29). After believing in Jesus Christ and after being baptized, God wants us to willingly submit to His will.
Conclusion:
Actually, God expects us to obey all of scripture. The entire Bible has been given to help us understand how God wants us to live. It helps us understand how to live godly lives, and it prepares us to minister for Him to others. The following verse captures this truth,
All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work. (NASB) 2 Timothy 3:16-17
The only way to understand the “many ways” in which “God challenges us” is to read the entire Bible. At this web site we offer a Bible reading program that allows you to read the Bible in the order in which the books were written. It is called “Read The Bible In One Year.”