Our Commitment to Jesus: Chapter 4. In our previous chapter, we saw that the conflict ahead of every believer is the conflict of faith, where Satan seeks to make us deny our faith, wants us to curse God under pressure and tension, to see God in a bad light, and to question the very faith on which we stand.
In this chapter, we will examine the side of our commitment to Jesus and how it it is important to our salvation.
Apostle Paul gave a statement of purpose that shows his commitment to Jesus is unnegotiable in Galatians 2:20:“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.”
This statement shows us that after we have confessed and accepted Jesus as our Lord and Saviour, we ought to be committed to His life.
His instructions have been the standard for our daily living amid modernity, the exposure of civilization, and our minds being transformed by His knowledge.
Our Commitment to Jesus: A Prerequisite After Salvation
Our commitment to Jesus stands as a prerequisite after salvation. It is not an optional matter or a matter of personal choice. We who have received Jesus have received His life, and we must be committed to His life by resisting compromise in the midst of modern civilization.
When you look around the world today, you will realize that the word commitment is neither taught nor practiced as it should be.
Many Christians are caught up in the wheel of modernity and struggle to balance their commitment to Christ with the desire to live freely in the present age.
In response to this dilemma, Jesus said in John 14:15, “If you love Me, keep My commandments.” This shows that love is a matter of the heart. When the heart is involved, it produces total and complete commitment.
T.B. Joshua said, “If we say we love God, we should have no hesitation in keeping His Word.” He went on to say “Commitment means meaning it with all your heart.”
This proves that if, after salvation, we are found in the patterns and customs of this world, we need to examine our commitment. We need to mean our conversion and truly submit to the lordship of Christ.
What separates believers from unbelievers is not merely the faith they confess, but the life of Jesus to which they are committed.
Why Our Commitment to Jesus Is Necessary
In this section, we will reflect on the true importance of our commitment to Jesus. In a time when commitment is rarely taught or practiced, it becomes essential for us to understand how vital it is to our salvation and our walk with God.
Commitment Approves Acceptance
This is one of the key reasons our commitment to Jesus is so important. It is often presumed that the moment we are emotionally moved by the message of salvation, feel remorseful about our wrongdoings, and profess Jesus, we are automatically accepted. However, this is not always the case.
In the light of this perception, TB Joshua made it clear in his message Commitment Enhances Faith that acceptance does not come merely through emotion or confession alone.
One important truth we must understand about acceptance is this: before acceptance is realized, commitment asks Jesus to accept us. Commitment stands as a bridge – a link, a go-between, an intermediary – between us and Jesus.
Scripture affirms this when Jesus said, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me” (Luke 9:23).
The moment we make a commitment, it will be tested and tried. The Bible tells us, “Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you” (1 Peter 4:12).
When we stand firm in our commitment through trials, Jesus gives us more and more faith as we continue. Growth in faith is impossible without commitment.
Forgiveness Often Requires Commitment
Understanding this truth is absolutely vital in the Christian walk. Many believers today are guilty of praying prayers of forgiveness without truly meaning their repentance. They ask for forgiveness, yet make little or no effort to turn away from their wrongdoings.
The Bible reminds us, “He who covers his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy” (Proverbs 28:13). Forgiveness is not complete without forsaking sin.
Caught in a cycle of misconception, many confuse the availability of grace with permission to continue in sin. Scripture clearly addresses this error: “Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not!” (Romans 6:1–2).
T.B. Joshua taught that we cannot receive Jesus’ forgiveness without making a total commitment to Him. After pleading for forgiveness, we must make a conscious effort to repent and change our ways.
It is not enough to feel remorse for our sins or to come to Jesus only when we fail. Scripture calls us to transformation: “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17).
We must not leave His presence the same way we came. True forgiveness leads to repentance, and true commitment sustains a transformed life.
Conclusion
Our commitment to Jesus is an evidence and expression of salvation. Salvation introduces us to Christ, but commitment keeps us walking with Him.
In a world that promotes convenience over conviction and grace without transformation, believers are called to live lives that truly reflect the lordship of Jesus.
Commitment approves acceptance, strengthens faith, and gives meaning to forgiveness. It is tested through trials, refined through obedience, and sustained by love for Christ. Without commitment, faith remains shallow; with commitment, faith grows strong and resilient.
As followers of Jesus, we must examine ourselves daily by the lives we live.