How Can We Obey God’s Commandments? - United Church of God

Speaker: Daniel Deininger
Date: January 31, 2026

Summary

This sermon addressed a common and deeply rooted misunderstanding among sincere believers: the idea that keeping God’s Ten Commandments is an impossible standard. The message clarified that while many view the commandments as unattainable, God never intended them to be beyond reach. In fact, the outward letter of the law can be obeyed by ordinary people even before receiving God’s Holy Spirit. Ancient Israel was expected to live at this level of obedience, and today God expects the same foundational obedience as part of genuine repentance prior to baptism.

However, the sermon emphasized that God’s ultimate purpose goes far beyond mere external compliance. From the beginning, God has desired a higher level of righteousness—one that originates in the heart and is enthusiastically expressed through action. This is the spiritual intent of the law, the level where God writes His commandments into the mind and heart of His people. Jesus Christ pointed to this higher standard in Luke 17, showing that simply doing what is commanded is only the starting point. True righteousness is not reluctant duty but willing, wholehearted devotion.

This higher righteousness is summarized in the two great commandments: loving God with all one’s heart, soul, and mind, and loving one’s neighbor as oneself. Such love exceeds human capability without divine help. Our natural, selfish tendencies—described in James as the source of sin and conflict—prevent us from reaching this level on our own. Therefore, God does not want lukewarm obedience but a zealous commitment that can only be produced through the power of His Holy Spirit.

The sermon then outlined the basic steps to real repentance required before receiving the Holy Spirit. First, we must acknowledge that God’s law is holy, just, good, and spiritual. We must recognize that sin separates us from God and that He will not maintain an eternal relationship with someone who willfully continues in transgression. We must come to value His commandments as wonderful, enduring truth, and willingly choose obedience as the foundation for a right relationship with Him. As Jesus taught, calling Him “Lord” is meaningless unless we do what He says. Hearing the Word without acting on it is like building a house without a foundation.

A key warning highlighted was the “sin of doing nothing.” Failure to act on what God commands is itself a serious sin that will eventually be exposed. Obedience is not optional for those seeking a relationship with God.

From there, the next essential step is accepting Jesus Christ’s sacrifice through repentance and baptism, as described in Acts 2. This is more than simply “accepting Christ”—it involves a complete surrender of one’s life to God’s authority and a commitment to turn away from sin. When this occurs with sincerity, God grants His Holy Spirit, and a new level of righteous development begins.

With the Holy Spirit, God works within us “to will and to do” His good pleasure (Philippians 2). This is how obedience moves from the letter of the law to the spirit of the law—from external compliance to genuine, selfless love. Humanity has never been able to reach this standard by effort alone, but through repentance, surrender, and God’s Spirit, we can begin to participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption caused by evil desires (2 Peter 1).

Ultimately, the sermon showed that there is far more to receiving God’s Spirit than simply professing belief in Christ. It requires repentance, obedience, surrender, and an ongoing willingness to be led by God’s Spirit. Through this process, God transforms His people from merely commandment-keepers into individuals who love His way of life from the heart and reflect His righteousness in their actions.