Peter exhorts us with these words: “As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance.” — 1 Peter 1:14

Take careful note of what Peter says. He doesn’t command them to strive to become obedient, as if obedience were a trait to be achieved by their own willpower. No, he says as obedient children. That word as is powerful. It doesn’t suggest a goal to attain, but an identity to live out.

Obedience is not an external constraint we must impose on ourselves; it is an intrinsic characteristic of our new nature in Christ. Before, we were children of disobedience (Ephesians 2:2), slaves to lusts and ignorance. But now, we are children of God, heirs of His righteousness. Paul expresses this clearly in Romans 6:18:

“You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.”

Wow! Slaves to righteousness! This strong language reveals a profound truth: we were once under the power of sin, unable to obey God. Our nature inevitably pushed us toward disobedience. But in Christ, that bondage has been broken. We’ve been set free—not to wander aimlessly, but to belong to righteousness.

Thus, obedience is no longer a struggle against our nature, but the very expression of our new identity. We don’t force obedience; we live as obedient children. As Paul declares in 2 Corinthians 5:17:

“If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has gone, the new is here!”

Disobedience belonged to our old nature. Today, in Christ, obedience is our reality. It’s no longer a burden to bear but a freedom to experience.

Returning to the Awareness of Our Identity, Not Our Experiences

A common trap in the Christian life is allowing our experiences—especially our failures—to define us. We look at our falls and shortcomings and believe they determine who we are. Yet this perspective is contrary to the truth of the Gospel.

Don’t let past mistakes or failures define you! The enemy wants you to believe that your past dictates your future—but that’s a lie. God has incredible plans for you, plans for good, and nothing can stop them. On the contrary, every hardship has been used by God to prepare you for what is coming. Don’t let past disappointments limit you.

In truth, our identity is not based on our performance, but on what God has accomplished in us. Paul reminds us again in Ephesians 2:5:

“We were dead… but God, in His mercy, made us alive with Christ.”

Before, we were spiritually dead, unable to respond to God. But now, we are alive in Christ. This new life makes obedience a natural expression—not a burden.

A Gentle Yoke and a Light Burden

Far from being a crushing obligation, obedience is a source of rest and freedom for the child of God. Jesus affirms it: “My yoke is easy and my burden is light.” — Matthew 11:30

This yoke is easy because it isn’t imposed from the outside. It’s the expression of the new life we have in Christ. Paul explains in Romans 6:22:

“But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life.”

This “benefit” is obedience. What God requires, He makes possible through His Spirit. Thus, obedience is not external pressure, but an inward response to the work of the Spirit…

This text is an excerpt from the book “You Shall Not Let the Witch Live” written by Rachel MAHOUTI.

We invite you to read the following article: “Our Senses: The Channels of the Flesh.”

Nature Received. Nature Received. Nature Received.