
The King’s True Servants Obey His Commands. This is point 5 in our 8-point study of what it means to be a true subject of the King.
If you’ve missed any of this series on Kingdom Life, you really need to go back and study this out. Part 1 can be found here: https://www.upstreamministries.com/post/kingdom-life and all the other parts are available for you to study in blog form with short video teaching snippets for each. It’d be well worth going back over this series if you haven’t already done so.
Let’s turn to Matthew 7:21-27 (also found in Luke 6:43-49).
Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that does the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. Therefore whosoever hears these sayings of mine, and does them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that hears these sayings of mine, and does them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.
This parable is telling us that ‘talk is cheap’. It’s obedience to God’s command that results in safety and blessing. James 2:18-20 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. Thou believe that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?
We aren’t saved by our works, but if you have true saving faith it will produce works. Works are not the root to saving faith, they are the fruit of saving faith! Luke 6:43-45; For a good tree brings not forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. For every tree is known by his own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.

You can tell what kind of fruit tree it is by the fruit that it bears. Sometimes that can take a season before you can tell, but it'll always produce the fruit that is true to its kind. A true member of God’s kingdom can be recognised by his or her life. "The treasure of his heart" - his new nature.
The true subjects of the King obey His Word. Their commitment is unconditional, complete and total. But where does that obedience come from? It comes from their love, trust and faith for and in their King. "So, is that something I have to work hard to get?", you might ask. Not really! If you're born again, you already have that nature on the inside of you. Like the apple tree who bears apples; it's not hard, it produces apples because it's an apple tree. You can tell a true subject of the King by his/her obedience.
Jesus said this in Matt. 21:28-32; But what think ye? A certain man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to day in my vineyard. He answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented, and went. And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not. Whether of them twain did the will of his father? They say unto him, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you. For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not: but the publicans and the harlots believed him: and ye, when ye had seen it, repented not afterward, that ye might believe him.
The obvious answer to Jesus’ question is the one who did what the father asked him to do. God is looking for those who actually do what He asks, not just claim to do it.
The Parable of the Unprofitable Servant is another good example of this. Luke 17:7-10; But which of you, having a servant plowing or feeding cattle, will say unto him by and by, when he is come from the field, Go and sit down to meat? And will not rather say unto him, Make ready wherewith I may sup, and gird thyself, and serve me, till I have eaten and drunken; and afterward thou shalt eat and drink? Doth he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I trow not. (This just means 'I don't think so' in old English!) So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable servants: we have done that which was our duty to do.

In Matthew 25, Jesus said he’d separate the sheep from the goats. In verse 40 he says: And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. Then he says to the goats: in verse 45; Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.
The point is this, the sheep are those who live out their new, true nature. And the goats from their old, true nature. The sheep don’t behave like sheep out of willpower. They are who they are. It comes from their nature. Similarly with the fruit tree; an apple tree doesn’t have to force out an apple, it grows apples because it’s an apple tree. The King’s true subjects obey the King’s Word because it’s their nature.
When you experience Jesus, when you encounter Christ and the cleansing of His blood in your life, you realise that everything good in your life is undeserved. And why he calls us to obey Him, we don’t see it as a burden or as something we need to be compensated for. Why? Because we know we owe Him our lives. It’s a labour of love and gratitude to God. We don’t need Him to say thank you! The King’s true servants are the ones obeying His Word.
Next week we’re going to look at the love that the King’s true subjects have for one another. Don’t miss that!
Until then, have a supernaturally blessed week. Don't forget to share this blog with a friend!
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