Teach them to obey?

In the great commission, Jesus commands his disciples to “teach them (new disciples) to obey everything I have commanded.”

Here is a question for you:

What is the first command that you would teach a new believer in Jesus to obey?

Teach them to obey?
  
If you’re like me - someone who grew up in an American evangelical church - then maybe that phrase sounds weird, legalistic or even a bit foolish.  

Shouldn’t the question rather state, “What is the first thing you would teach a new believer to know?”

It’s an interesting distinction but to be true to scripture, Jesus doesn’t command us to teach them to “know” what he has commanded.  Knowledge seems secondary - important, but secondary.

If we are to become a people who make disciples who make disciples then this is a distinction we must learn to make.  We must move toward teaching and modeling obedience to Jesus.

And if a push toward obedience sounds weird, legalistic or foolish then either Jesus got it wrong or we have gotten it wrong.

What do you think?

“If you love me, obey my commands.”      --Jesus

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*I've added this great video from Curtus Sergeant.