Obedience: It protects us

As for the person who hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge him. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save it. There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; that very word which I spoke will condemn him at the last day. -John 12:47-48

 While obedience may not be a popular concept in modern culture, Jesus reminds us that it is essential that we obey his teaching. God longs to save us through Jesus. He is not looking to trip us up on some fine point of Jesus' teaching that we missed. But, our hearts need to be willing to do all that Jesus says because obedience is a blessing -- it protects us from some things that we should never have to face and leads us to blessings that are found only when we do things God's way. Jesus' words are important! We should listen to them as if eternity depends on what we do with them -- because it does!