Every time we fall short, the punishment that we deserve finds its satisfaction in Him, and we are declared righteous in Jesus. True knowledge of this never moves us to belittle his commands; it always moves us to love them and rejoice in them. His yoke is easy and his burden is light.
It is an absolute joy to follow our Savior, even when it is difficult. Many people caricature Christianity as a crushing list of dos and don’ts. As if God’s commands are overbearing and debilitating. When they speak this way, it is obvious they speak as outsiders, or they have been confusing onerous human traditions as the commands of God. Scripture is clear that his commandments are not burdensome (1 John 5:3), and the Christian experience confirms this as well. Here are three reasons why this is the case.
1. We Are Motivated by Our Love for Him
For the Christian, our love for God is the driving force behind our desire to do his will. Just think about someone you love dearly in this life. Is it taxing to do something for them when you know it is a reasonable request? No, you long to do it. He is not a burden, he is your brother, and she is not a strain, she is your sister. How much more, then, does this apply to Jesus who loved us so much he gave his life for us? All his commands are for our good and his glory. To be agitated by his commandments is to deny at least one of these truths.
