The Joy of Obligations

This past March I had the privilege of attending the Coram Deo conference with several other pastors from Heritage. While the trip down to North Carolina included the excitement of a minivan breakdown, roadside bbq, and pastor Dave in a tiny truck, the remainder of the trip was filled with several challenging teachings which have lingered with me weeks later.

One of the speakers at the conference was Carl Trueman who wrote the book, Strange New World. In his address to a sanctuary full of pastors, Carl spoke on ministry in an age of identity confusion. He spoke with great compassion towards those captive to this confusion while also providing some helpful language for understanding the age we live in.

Trueman mentioned “3 Key Pathologies” that are causing much of what we see in culture. As I sat listening to his detailed analysis, I couldn’t help but wonder if the church is beginning to absorb some of these pathologies. Whether that is the case for Heritage or not, I think it would benefit us to understand the concerns and therefore be on guard against these pathologies.

We all have a worldview. This worldview becomes the framework by which we view our very existence. If that framework is constructed on lies then it acts as a disease that slowly destroys one’s perception of life and reality. This appears to be the reason for Trueman using the term “pathologies” to describe these three worldly beliefs.

Much of western culture, from our movies to the latest TikTok trends, promotes the idea that in order to truly be your “happiest self” you must cast off every burdensome expectation, whether it be family responsibilities, your role in society, or even biology itself.

So what are the “3 Key Pathologies?”

• Reject Limitation
• Reject Teleology (Purpose/Design)
• Reject Obligations

Immediately we see that a worldview constructed on these pathologies is a worldview constructed on rebellion. This rebellion stems from a pursuit of self that has become the idol of our day. Much of western culture, from our movies to the latest TikTok trends, promotes the idea that in order to truly be your “happiest self” you must cast off every burdensome expectation, whether it be family responsibilities, your role in society, or even biology itself.

If we’re honest, there is an element of this concept that’s appealing. After all, responsibilities can be heavy and obligations are endless but what if God has placed those things in our lives for our good. What if God has ordained limits on us for a reason. What if there is true peace and contentment found in submitting to his purpose for our life rather than our own. What if embracing obligations as a way of stewarding God’s good gifts is actually a means of joy?

If God has set our limits and has provided a clear purpose for our existence, then living in accordance with those realities may be hard but they are also a pathway to great joy. After all, in John 15 Jesus tells us to obey his commandments (obligation) while at the same time saying, “These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full (Jn 15:11).”

If God has set our limits and has provided a clear purpose for our existence, then living in accordance with those realities may be hard but they are also a pathway to great joy.

Therefore, if obedience leads to joy then what does this joy-filled obligation look like in the church? The apostle provides a beautiful picture of this in his letter to the church in Thessalonica when he writes:

“And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all. 15 See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone. 16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” 1 Thessalonians 5:14–18.

Notice all of the joy-giving obligations we have the pleasure to live out among the body of Christ. We are commanded to admonish, encourage, help, be patient, be peacemakers, do good, rejoice, give thanks, and pray without ceasing. All these things take time and effort. This may mean there are limitations placed on our own pursuits so that we can care for others; but within that sacrifice, we’ll find the joy of Christ.

Brothers and sisters, these things are not easy but they are Christ-like. Was it not Jesus who “emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross (Php 2:7-8).” If our King did that for us and for the “joy set before him (Heb 12:2)” then we can do the same for others.

One final clarification. We do not obey because we are trying to earn our Lord’s love; that was given freely on the cross. We obey because He is worthy of our sacrifice and he has given us something far more profound to pursue than our own comforts, His glory.