Have you ever heard of a “contradiction in terms”? English language experts have a fancy word for it, but what they are talking about is the use of two words together that contradict each other. An example would be “cruel kindness,” or “brave coward.” Sometimes writers or speakers might use some such contradiction in terms to try to describe two conflicting emotions or events.

What about “natural obedience”? Does that sound to you like a contradiction in terms? When you think of obedience, do you think of hard work, effort, and struggle? Is it possible for obedience to be natural?

One reason why obedience might not be natural would be if that obedience were only external, and not internal. If you want to do one thing but force yourself to do something else, then obedience would not be spontaneous.

How much of our so-called obedience has been forcing ourselves to do something we don’t want to do? We do it as children. Our parents tell us to clean our rooms or take a bath or eat the spinach. But we like our rooms the way they are. We’re at the stage of being allergic to water. We hate spinach. And so we balk and complain and finally grudgingly do what we’re forced to do. And we come to think of that as obedience.

It can be tremendous good news to discover that God has a better plan for obedience than that!

The Acts of the Apostles, pages 482, 483, describes it:

“Of ourselves, we are not able to bring the purposes and desires and inclinations into harmony with the will of God; but if we are ‘willing to be made willing,’ the Saviour will accomplish this for us, ‘Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.’ 2 Corinthians 10:5.”

If your thoughts and desires are for the right, then won’t the natural and spontaneous thing be to follow through with the right actions?

God has promised some exciting changes in our thinking, which will result in genuine obedience instead of outward conformity. He has promised to bring our feelings, our thoughts, and our purposes into harmony with His will. See Steps to Christ, p. 61. He has promised to change the tastes and inclinations until they are pure and holy. See Gospel Workers, p. 127. He has promised to bring the thoughts and desires into obedience to the will of Christ. See The Desire of Ages, p. 176.

He has promised that by looking to Jesus, by beholding Him, we will become changed until goodness becomes our natural instinct. See Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 355. He promises to give us a new mind, new purposes, and new motives. See Messages to Young People, p. 72.

Think about it for a moment. If your feelings, thoughts, purposes, tastes, inclinations, desires, motives, and instincts are in harmony with the will and mind of God, then what will happen to your actions? Will you have to work hard to obey, or will you^ find obedience natural and spontaneous?

Notice these paragraphs.

“If we have the love of Christ in our souls, it will be a natural consequence for us to have all the other graces–joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance.” – My Life Today, p. 50.

“The children of God never forget to do good… . Good works are spontaneous with them, for God has transformed their natures by His grace.” – Ibid., p. 193.

To describe obedience as “natural” and “spontaneous” is not a contradiction in terms. It is good news! God’s plan for you is to change you from the inside out, so that obeying Him will bring you the greatest delight, because it is exactly what you feel like doing.