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| If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9 |
Eternal rewards
We can earn eternal rewards by obeying God, this is affirmed in multiple biblical texts such as Matthew 6:19-20, which says:
Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.
Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.
It is also explicitly mentioned in 1 Corinthians 3, which says:
9 For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are God’s building. 10 According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. 11 For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, 13 each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. 14 If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. 15 If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.
Thankfulness
We cannot obey God unless we love him, when we are thankful to God about the things he has done, it naturally should lead into love for God.
James says that every good gift is from God (James 1:17), by remembering that every good thing, including our daily things such as food, housing, nature, beauty and many other things are gifts of God that we in no wise deserve, we naturally become thankful. However, by remembering what Christ did for us in the cross, we can also learn great thankfulness. Seeing Christ suffer in the cross for your sins, should motivate you to obey.
Titus 2:11-12 King James Version
For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world
Divine chastisement
We may get temporary judgements upon ourselves if we disobey, as Hebrews 12:7 says:
If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten?
This is why we should have a fear for the Lord, and be afraid to sin, as we may bring harsh temporal judgements upon ourselves.
Fellowship
Close fellowship with God requires obedience, and as God is our only joy, we will feel great gladness when we are close to the Lord, David noted this when he sinned greatly against the Lord, stating: "Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.". When David fell, he lost the JOY of his salvation (not his salvation) but the joy thereof.
Christ is the greatest joy, no sin can provide us better joy or fulfillment.
Being also distant from God, we may have our prayers hindered:
1 Peter 3:7
7 Husbands, likewise, dwell with them with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life, that your prayers may not be hindered.
The rapture
The rapture may come at any moment, and being caught in sin while it happens would be a great shame, we can never know when the rapture happens so we should be ready:
Titus 2:13:
Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
Natural consequences for sin
Even the unbeliever experiences natural consequences for sin, even many unbelievers try to avoid sins such as drug addiction, due to their adverse effects. If we choose to disobey, we may destroy our own lives through sin,
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