OBEDIENCE
A Virtue that is a Divine
Gift
In both the Old and New Testaments the
word obey is related to the idea of hearing. Obedience is a positive, active
response to what a person hears. God summons people to active obedience to His
revelation. Man's failure to obey God results in judgment. In the Old Testament
covenant between God and man, obedience was the basis for knowing God's
blessing and favor (Ex 19:5; 24:1-8).
Samuel emphasized that God's pleasure
was not in sacrifice but in obedience.
And
Samuel said, Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices,
as in obeying the Voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice,
and to hearken than the fat of rams.
1
Sam 15:22 KJV
Even the promise of a new covenant
emphasized obedience as God's gift.
"This
is the Covenant I will make with the house of Israel
after
that time," declares The Lord.
"I
will put My Law in their minds
and
write it on their hearts.
I
will be their God,
and
they will be My people.
Jer
31:33 NIV
The Scripture tells us that by
obedience, Hezekiah prospered.
This
is what Hezekiah did throughout Judah, doing what was good and right and
faithful before the Lord his God. In everything that he undertook in the
service of God's temple and in obedience to the law and the commands, he sought
his God and worked wholeheartedly. And so he prospered.
2
Chron 31:20-21 NIV
Just as the Hebrews rested on the
Sabbath in obedience to God's Command, so all the flocks of sheep ingrafted in
Christ, who follow Him, shall rest in Him, for He is the Lord of the Sabbath.
In Him we have Rest.
We are called to the obedience of
Christ, not obedience to the law. Also, ‘the obedience of the nations’ is His.
Through the obedience of one man—Jesus
Christ, we are made righteous.
For
as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one
shall many be made righteous.
Rom
5:19 KJV
You are slaves to the one whom you
obey.
Don't
you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you
are slaves to the one whom you obey — whether you are slaves to sin, which
leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be to
God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the
form of teaching to which you were entrusted. You have been set free from sin
and have become slaves to righteousness.
Rom
6:16-18 NIV
We are to offer our bodies, daily, in
slavery to Righteousness leading to Holiness.
Men praise God when our obedience
accompanies our confession of the Gospel of Christ. Though He is God's Son, He
learned obedience through suffering (see Heb 5:8).
Apostle Paul wrote Philemon, and
commended his obedience (Philemon 21).
When the obedience and submission of
the Church to Christ is complete, then her security will be fully established,
and she becomes in fully readiness to approach every insubordinations.
And
we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, once your obedience is
complete.
2
Cor 10:6 NIV
With the weapons of Righteousness which
we are given by the Father, we will exercise divine authority against every
rebel.
Our obedience to Christ is made
possible through the sanctifying work of the Spirit Who foreknew, predestined,
called and chose us to the Glory of God the Father. And, the Blood of the Lamb
has made this work of Sanctification released in our lives (1 Peter 1:2).
“The fruit of Spirit” which is the work
which His presence within us accomplishes is Love, Joy (gladness), Peace,
Patience (an even temper, forbearance), Kindness, Goodness (benevolence),
Faithfulness, Gentleness (meekness, humility), Self-Control (self-restraint,
continence). Against such things there is no law [that can bring a charge] Read
Galatians 5:23.
And
this is love: that we walk in obedience to His Commands. As you have heard from
the beginning,
His
Command is that you walk in love.
2
John 6 NIV