Fear of Commitment

From month-to-month apartment leases and free agency in sports to escape clauses in contracts and prenuptial agreements, our culture applauds a lack of commitment. We think freedom means not having to commit. Maybe if we don’t commit and we keep our options open, then we’ll find what we’re looking for. 

But the Bible says in Psalm 37:5, “Commit your way to the Lord. Trust also in him and he will do it.” Commitment means to pledge yourself to a stance regardless of the circumstances.

Commitment Began With God

Have you ever thought about how fully committed God is to you and me? Think about that for just a second. 

We, on the other hand, have totally blown our commitment to Him. In fact, if you go all the way back to the Garden, Adam and Eve understood that God was committed to them, just as they were committed to God. 

But then God said, “Now I’m going to test your commitment. There’s a tree in the middle of the Garden. Don’t eat the fruit on the tree.” So what happened? The sinister minister cruises in—that’s the enemy, the evil one, the devil himself—who always tests and attacks your commitment. 

Why? Because he knows what potential there is in your life and mine when we commit to something. That’s why he attacks it! That’s why our culture has a fear of commitment.

The devil said to Eve, “If you eat the fruit, you can be like God. God’s holding out on you! Don’t really commit! Do whatever you feel like doing!” Adam and Eve did eat, and from that day forward, we’ve been struggling with commitment. 

God’s Commitment to You

So here we blew our commitment, yet God—talk about fully committed—arranged this brilliant plan for the sins of the world, so your blown commitments and mine could be placed on the shoulders of his only Son, Jesus Christ, who died on the cross to pay for our sins.

God is fully committed to you. Have you ever thought about that? It doesn’t matter if we respond to God’s commitment or not. He’s totally and fully committed. Giving His best, total commitment, Jesus lived and died and rose again, totally committed. 

He’s given us the opportunity, the freedom of choice, to commit to Him. Have you committed your life to Him? 

Commitment starts with God. To pledge yourself to a stance no matter what the circumstance. 

It’s easy to explain—we simply commit ourselves to what God is committed to. So have you committed your life to God?

Commitment to the Church

Now, when we are committed to God, and we’ve made this Christ commitment, then we should be part of a church. 

The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 12:27, “Now, you are the body of Christ (because of commitment) and each one of you (because of the commitment) is a part of it.” We commit. We’re not born as a body part in the body of Christ. We have to say, “OK, I’m committed.” Then we’re part of the body of Christ. First universal, then local. 

• Romans 12:10, “Be devoted to one another in love! Honor one another above yourselves.”
• 2 Corinthians 13:11, “Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice. Strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind, and live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you.”
• Galatians 5:13, “But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love.”
• Galatians 6:2, “Bear one another’s burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ.”
• Ephesians 4:2, “Be completely humble and gentle. Be patient, bearing with one another in love.”
• Ephesians 4:32, “Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other just as in Christ God forgave you.”
• Hebrews 3:13, “Exhort one another daily while it’s called today.”
• Hebrews 10:24-25, “Let us now consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”  

Every person who has committed their life to Christ is now part of the church universal. The Bible says that the body of Christ has many parts with many members, and the members work together to form one body. 

So if someone is claiming they’re committed to Christ, but they’re not part of a local church, then you’ve got body parts scattered everywhere. And that’s not the way it’s supposed to go.

Here’s a question: what if every person had the same commitment quotient as you? What if every person committed to prayer like you? What if every person was committed to bringing their finances like you? What if every person served like you? What if every person witnessed like you? What if every person volunteered like you? What if every person read their Bible like you? What kind of church would we have? How committed would we be?

Commitment to Your Spouse

Think about your spouse. Are you committed to your spouse? Have you committed to marriage? Because when we commit, only in the soils of commitment will we experience intimacy and maturity and joy and happiness and trust and discipline and vision.

If you want greatness, you’ve got to commit. More people are living together now. Cohabitation—free sex, no commitment. It’s great, for guys especially. And the girls think they can lure him into marriage. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t.

It’s the fear of commitment that keeps us from committing to the marriage relationship.

Commitment to Your Family

If you want to bring up kids with integrity, creativity, and great self-esteem, you have to be committed to your family. Your kids won’t find it on the soccer field, the football field, the basketball court, or jumping around cheering or doing ballet. That stuff is good. But the best is about commitment—to God, to the house, to your spouse.

Commitment to Relationships

Commit to people who are committed to God. Look at the people you hang around with. Are they like leeches, sucking the emotional life out of you? If so, commit to letting them go and focus on relationships with people who share your commitment to God and to your local church.

Pause and Consider

Are you still on the edge, hesitant to jump in? Are you one of the ones who say they’re committed, but only attend church once every three or four weeks? Are you searching for a better spouse or partner?

It’s time to go all in.

Next Steps

Do you wonder what it would be like to live life fully committed to God? Pray and ask Him to help you make positive changes in your life. This shows that you place your trust and faith in God and His plan for your future.

Join us at Fellowship Church for worship and the Word, where your faith commitment can be strengthened and renewed alongside other believers who are growing spiritually just like you.