That wonderful day has arrived. The planning and preparing have all been done and today you are giving the hand of your precious daughter in marriage. And when the groom is asked if he promises to love, care for, provide for and will remain faithful to your daughter and the marriage, he replies, “Well I’ll TRY!” “I’ll sure give it my best shot!”
As the father of the bride, how are you going to feel about that? No matter how sincere the good intentions of the groom may be, those responses are certainly not a commitment. Your spouse, your employer, your pastor and even God – is NOT INTERESTED in your good intentions! However, they are ALL wanting, desiring and needing your voluntary commitment. Why is commitment so important?
Romans 14:23 says whatever is not of faith, is sin. That is to say, whatever is not done or said in good faith is, or will lead to, a breach of contract, a breach of promise or a breach of relationship. Therefore, attempting to enter into a contract, promise or relationship, without committing to it, is an act of bad faith. A letter of intent or a proposal is in no way equivalent to a signed contract. It never has been and never will be.
James 2:17, 20, 26 says that faith without works is dead. That is to say, a good faith contract, promise or relationship will not work without commitment, or a good faith contract is worthless without your signature.
Good faith, based on love, is the primary foundation of every relationship of every kind. But in order for those relationships to be mutually beneficial, commitment is required. All of the want to, hope to and best good intentions in the world will not produce or fulfill a mutually beneficial relationship.
Matthew 7:13-14 says, Enter through the narrow gate, because broad is the gate and wide is the road which leads to loss, ruin and destruction and yet many still choose that path. But narrow is the gate and narrow is the path which leads to life, which few seem to find.
To explain this passage, let me ask you a question. Is it ok with you for others to treat you in just any old way? Is it ok to lie to you, cheat you, steal from you and deceive you? No, of course not! You want others to treat you with respect, tell you the truth, and to keep their word when they tell you they are going to do something. That’s pretty narrow, isn’t it? Plus that broad, non-committal way of treating you just any old way may cause you loss, ruin or destruction, no matter how good their intentions may have been.
What Jesus is saying here, that despite what the majority seem to be doing, He wants you to commit to treating others in this same narrow way that you want to be treated.
God, throughout the Bible, has made you thousands of good faith promises and offers which are designed to benefit you. But in order to receive any of these benefits, these promises and offers must be converted into signed contracts through your verbal good faith commitment. All of the good intentions in the world are not enough to receive anything from God.