Fear and love

The entire universe is governed by laws—the laws of nature. No one can object as to why the laws operate in one way and not another.

When man submits to the laws, the laws become his own—his possession. That is, essentially, he himself gains profit and benefit, not the laws in themselves. For example: when I submit to the laws—rules—of hygiene, I maintain my body both healthy and vigorous.

The same applies on the spiritual level. Christ says: he who loves Me keeps My commandments. In other words, true obedience has its source in love and not in fear or compulsion.

Take a look and you will see it. Even the worst man in the world knows very well his duty and obligation toward himself, toward others, and toward God. Therefore, the fact that man today finds himself in a state of spiritual and internal disintegration is not due so much to ignorance of the good as it is to the lack of willingness to obey the good—to obey what is right, to obey the will of God.

Earthly rulers seek and demand from their subjects compliance with laws and decrees. They are not concerned with the inner man—the spiritual condition of the person. (This is why they sometimes issue laws contrary to morality, and even more so to the law of God.) And for this reason, any disobedience or violation results in penalty and punishment. For example: a simple daily offense—did you violate the traffic signals? Then take the fine!

The laws of the state say to you: if you fear me, you will obey me. In contrast, the law of God says to you: if you love Me, you will keep My commandments. Oh! What a difference!

Today, as we know, “freedom” has replaced obedience. Some “progressives” have made it their slogan that our civilization is in danger of losing its right to freedom for the sake of certain “fossilized” principles (of duty and obligation)! In reality, however, civilization is in danger when the two come into conflict. Because—tell me, please—how is it possible for a person who has never learned in his life what submission and obedience mean to be able tomorrow to govern others? What would you say about a general who has never served as a captain? What would such a man be for his country? A benefactor or a threat?

This is why, wanting to teach us the significance of submission and obedience, Christ—says the Gospel—when He went to Nazareth as a child, a youth, lived under the obedience of His mother and of Joseph. Later (being obedient to His heavenly Father), He became obedient even unto death—death on the Cross!

Obedience, then, is not a trait or mark of slaves and servants. For slaves and servants act against their will. He who was truly free—free from all and everything (even from death)—became (willingly) obedient to His parents, in order to show and teach us that the true path to real freedom is obedience.

True obedience—to commandments and laws—flows from the respect and love one has for the person who gives them.

The truly obedient one is he who obeys, not out of fear of being punished, but out of love, because he does not want to wound the one whom he loves.

 

Greek source: https://agiazoni.gr/fovos-kai-agapi/