Read the Word to Obey—Not to Integrate
God didn’t speak so you could fit His commands into your life. He spoke so you would lay your life down and follow.
Most modern Christians don’t outright reject the Bible.
They just reinterpret it. Reframe it. Tame it.
They read it not as divine command, but as spiritual suggestion. Not as covenantal truth, but as customizable guidance. They search the Scriptures looking for what they can fit into their lives—not what they must surrender their lives to.
This is the difference between obedience and integration.
“How can I fit this into my life?”
That’s the question many bring to their quiet time. It sounds spiritual. Even noble. But it’s deeply flawed. Why?
Because it begins with you. Your life. Your priorities. Your schedule. Your identity. It assumes that God’s Word is a kind of spiritual seasoning, something you sprinkle over your already chosen path to enhance the flavor.
But God doesn’t speak to accessorize your life. He speaks to upend it. To correct it. To rule over it.
“How must I obey?”
That’s the question of the true disciple. The one who trembles at God’s Word. The one who doesn’t flinch when Scripture confronts deeply held assumptions. The one who doesn’t ask, “How does this verse apply to my truth?” but rather, “What truth must I submit to today?” For in the end, there is no “my truth,” there is only His truth, right?
This is the heart posture God honors:
“This is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word.”
—Isaiah 66:2
God isn’t looking for smart readers or cultural filters. He’s looking for humble, obedient servants.
The Danger of Disobedient Reading
Reading the Bible without the intent to obey is not neutral—it’s dangerous. It hardens the heart. It inoculates the mind. It builds a theology of self over a kingdom of surrender.
As James writes:
“Be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.”
—James 1:22
The danger isn’t that you’ll forget what you read. The danger is that you’ll believe you’re following Jesus while actively ignoring Him.
So to put it another way, “don’t be just readers of His Word, be doers of His Word.”
After all, as I was reminded last night at our weekly gathering in my living room by a dear sister in the Lord:
If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.
If I have all knowledge but do not have love…I am nothing.
Scripture Isn’t Meant to Be Relevant. It’s Meant to Be Authoritative. It is meant to be obeyed.
Modern evangelicals often fall into the trap of trying to “make the Bible relevant.” But the Word of God doesn’t need marketing help. It doesn’t need therapy language. It doesn’t need a seat at the table of postmodern discourse.
It needs to be heard. And obeyed.
“Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?”
—Luke 6:46
If we won’t obey Him, we don’t truly believe Him.
Real Reading Starts with Submission
Next time you open your Bible, don’t ask:
“How does this make me feel?”
“How can I use this verse today?”
“How does this fit into my worldview?”
Ask instead:
“Where do I need to repent?” Am I the husband God commands me to be? Am I the wife God commands me to be? Am I obeying Jesus and making disciples?
“What must I change today?”
“What is God commanding of me right now?”
The Bible doesn’t exist to conform to our lives. We exist to conform to it.
Because it is not just a book. It is the revealed will of the Living God. And He is not asking for our input.
He is demanding our allegiance.
Finally, here is the main point God expects us to understand from the story of Saul’s disobedience:
1 Samuel 15:22 (NIV):
"But Samuel replied: 'Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.
God values heartfelt obedience over ritualistic acts. In its original context, God rebukes Saul’s failure to fully submit to God’s command, revealing that true worship flows from a heart aligned with God’s will. For today, for us, it serves as a reminder to prioritize genuine faith and obedience in all aspects of life, ensuring that external actions reflect an inward commitment to God’s purposes.
Otherwise, why call the Lord, Lord?
This is excellent, Mark!! Straight to the point! Thank you!
Spot on. I'm convicted. The problem is one of thinking we've obeyed when we've only read about others obeying. It's like watching your football team where you think you've won and you've only watched. It's like reading books and thinking your an author or listening to your favorite band and thinking you're a musician. Been there done that. Thanks for the chattering reminder. Also. The house on a firm fountain is the one that hears and does.