I heard a story of a teacher who wrote a phrase on the board at the beginning of class, which stated: “I know everything I teach; however I don’t know everything.” Now I’m not going to pretend to know everything on the subject, but I do know everything in this teaching to be true and in accordance with Scripture. I am writing on my findings as of now and hope to update it as my walk with the Lord continues. You see at first I thought I had to study every verse that contained the words: obedience, obeys, obey, obeyed, and would find the answer. Instead, I realized that in order to study obedience, I also had to study what it meant to disobey, and what disobedience meant. You can teach a child everything that is right, however if you never teach that child what is wrong they will never know what wrong really is. Children always ask that famous question, “why” and, as an adult and/or parent the answer should never be “because I say so”, (only the Lord is entitled to that response), but a real reason should be given, so the child can understand the wrong in it. The same in making a decision in a certain subject, you can never be narrow-minded, but study both views before making an opinion, and then ask the famous question, why. There is nothing wrong in exploring and being open minded to all views before making a decision. That is the only way to really teach. That is what I had to do before writing this.
At first I thought it was going to be easy, then after researching verse after verse, story after story, and after hours of research, I realized it wasn’t. You see there’s more then just the word in a verse, it’s also stories throughout the Bible dealing with obedience and disobedience. From Adam and Eve to Abraham to Moses to Noah to include the Apostles who all suffered for their disobedience, but were rewarded greatly for their obedience. Even today you hear stories of Christians who suffered the wrath of man for their faith and obedience to the Lord, even when faced with torture or even death they still obeyed the Lord. If we fear the consequences of man and not the wrath of God we are merely cowards walking endlessly in a desert, like Moses did for forty years. As stated in Isaiah 1:19-20, “If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the best from the land; but if you resist and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword.” “For the mouth of the Lord” has spoken. Suffering for Christ is not the worst thing that can happen to us as Christians, but being disobedient to God is the worst thing that could ever happen. For Jesus Christ is the way, the truth, and the life.
God wants us to mature in every area of life, but maturity doesn’t come easily. There can be no growth without challenge, and there can be no challenge without change. If circumstances never changed, everything would be predictable; and the more predictable life becomes, the less challenge it presents. As stated in 1 John 1:5-10,“This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.” You see as you grow in Christ and start to see the light, you realize that you were in the dark and that what you were doing was wrong and disobedient to the Lord. However in the dark everything looks alike, and so you need a light (the Lord) to see to right from wrong, obedience from disobedience. According to man’s law it may not be illegal, however it may morally wrong according to God’s people. When I first started this word study on obedience I really didn’t know where to begin. For I was still so much in the darkness. Once I started writing this essay I realized what the Lord wanted me to write, because he gave me the knowledge through the Holy Spirit. In the last few months I have accumulated dozens of books covering all sort of subjects on Christianity, but without realizing it, I was only reading the ones that I needed to write this report on obedience. He also showed me what verses to read and study. So I prayed about it, as the Lord says, Job 22:27 “You will pray to him, and he will hear you, and you will fulfill your vows.” And the Lord answered my prayers with what follows.
Following the Lord and being obedient isn’t usually easy and requires a lot of thought. Before each and every action we do in day-to-day activities, I pray that I will be obedient, as the Lord wants me to. I want to be a role model and lead as many people to Christ as humanly possible, because I think each and every one of us at least owes Christ that. He died on the cross for our sins and washed away our sins with His blood so that each and every one of us could have eternal life. In Titus 3:3-8 it is written, “At one time we too were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another. But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by his grace, we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.” In turn, we must be able to obey His every word as best we can. I interviewed some non-Christians and found one thing to be true, they are afraid of failing, One person I interviewed said it best. “There is ridiculous amount of temptation and I am too worldly and place worldly pleasures above God because over the years have become emotionless and know that is wrong but really don’t care.” Many people don’t see the truth, they still live in the darkness which plagues much of the world and is our duty to show them as Christians about believing and obeying in Christ, otherwise known as faith.
Webster’s Dictionary defines obedience as; “obeying or ready to obey or being submissive to another’s will.” The bible describes obedience in the Old Testament as specific commands of God as contained in the law and in the New Testament as a higher spiritual and moral relation is sustained than in the Old Testament.
In the Hebrew Bible “obedience” means hupakoe (hoop-ak-o-ay’); attentive hearkening, i.e. (by implication) compliance or submission. Obedience in the Old Testament (o-be’-di-ens), (o-ba) (shama`; hupakoe): In its simpler Old Testament meaning the word signifies "to hear," "to listen."
The relation expressed is twofold: first, human, as between master and servant, and particularly between parents and children. “If a man has a stubborn and rebellious son who does not obey his father and mother and will not listen to them when they discipline him, his father and mother shall take hold of him and bring him to the elders at the gate of his town.” (Deuteronomy 21:18-19) or between sovereign and subjects, “The foreigners shall submit themselves unto me: as soon as they hear of me, they shall obey me” (2 Samuel 22:45). The highest significance of its usage, however, is that of the relation of man to God. Obedience is the supreme test of faith in God and reverence for Him. The Old Testament conception of obedience was vital. It was the one important relationship that must not be broken. While sometimes this relation may have been formal and cold, it nevertheless was the one strong tie that held the people close to God. The significant spiritual relation is expressed by Samuel when he asks the question, “But Samuel replied: "Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the LORD? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.” (1 Samuel 15:22). It was the condition without which no right relation might be sustained to Yahweh. This is most clearly stated in the relation between Abraham and Yahweh when he is assured “ and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me” (Genesis 22:18).
In prophetic utterances, future blessing and prosperity were conditioned upon obedience: “If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land” (Isaiah 1:19). After surveying the glories of the Messianic kingdom, the prophet assures the people that “this shall come to pass, if ye will diligently obey the voice of Yahweh your God” (Zechariah 6:15). On the other hand misfortune, calamity, distress and famine are due to their disobedience and distrust of Yahweh. This obedience or disobedience was usually related to the specific commands of Yahweh as contained in the law, yet they conceived of God as giving commands by other means. Note especially the rebuke of Samuel to Saul: “Because thou obeyedst not the voice of Yahweh, .... Therefore hath Yahweh done this thing unto thee this day” (1 Samuel 28:18).
In the New Testament obedience is through Jesus Christ. The importance of obedience is just as greatly emphasized. Christ Himself is its one great illustration of obedience. Philippians 2:8 says, “ And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death-even death on a cross!” The Hebrew word for humble is tapeinoo (tap-i-no’-o); which means to depress; figuratively, to humiliate (in condition or heart). So Jesus humiliated himself in order to be obedient, even unto death of the cross. In Hebrews 5:9 it says, “ and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him.” This act is a supreme test of faith in Christ. Indeed, it is so vitally related that they are in some cases are almost identical. "Obedience of faith" is a combination used by Paul to express this idea Romans 1:5 says, “Through him and for his name’s sake, we received grace and apostleship to call people from among all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith.” Peter designates believers in Christ as "children of obedience" 1 Peter 1:14 says, “ As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance.” Thus it is seen that the test of fellowship with God in the Old Testament is obedience. The bond of union with Christ in the New Testament is obedience through faith, by which they become identified and the believer becomes a disciple.
So in order to be obedient to Jesus, you must have faith. Faith means pistis (pis’-tis); from persuasion, i.e. credence; moral conviction (of religious truth, or the truthfulness of God or a religious teacher), especially reliance upon Christ for salvation; abstractly, constancy in such profession; by extension, the system of religious (Gospel) truth itself. So in order to have faith one must be obedient, but to obedient you must then be faithful to the Lord, according to His Word. Faith without obedience is dead, and action without faith is sin. God wielded faith and obedience together like a coin, one side isn’t complete without the other. According to John 3:16 one must just believe, however believe in the Hebrew Bible is pisteuo (pist-yoo’-o); which means to have faith (in, upon, or with respect to, a person or thing), i.e. credit; by implication, to entrust (especially one’s spiritual well-being to Christ): to believe (-r), commit (to trust), put in trust with. If you believe you have trust in your faith.
Disobedience is defined in the Webster Dictionary as disobeying or rebellious, and
the Bible Especially in the New Testament there seem to be two rather clearly defined
uses of the word, one objective and practical, the other ethical and psychological. The first
refers more to conduct, the second to belief and one’s mental attitude toward the object of
disobedience. By far the greater emphasis, However, is placed upon the distinctly ethical
quality in which disobedience is really an attitude of the mind and finds its essence in a
heart of unbelief and unfaithfulness 1 Peter 2:7-8 says, “Unto you therefore, which
believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the
builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, And a stone of
stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being
disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.” Ephesians 2:2 says, “Wherein in
time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of
the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience”
Ephesians 5:6 says, “Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these
things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.” And Colossians
3:6 says, “For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of
disobedience.” The classic phrase of New Testament literature (in Acts 26:19 which says,
“Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision.”)
contains both the practical and the ethical aspects. Paul’s convictions were changed by the
vision and his conduct as made to conform immediately to it. Christians have been
obedient throughout history and some have paid the ultimate price for doing so by dying
painful deaths, non-the-less they were obedient even up to their last words. Singing praises
and praying for their jailers and even executioners. Asking Jesus to forgive them for they
do not know the truth. Same as Jesus did on the Cross-. Why? Because Jesus teaches us
about love, and loving one another as ourselves. Therefore we cannot love the Lord until
we our neighbors, and can’t love our neighbors unless we love ourselves. Then and only
then will we know what love really is.
Man has even been obedient to the Lord without realizing it. Take technology for example, God was the one to put the ideas into our heads. From the printing press to computers to DNA reading. The printing press was first used to mass produce bibles, the computer made it possible to write Christian literature and send to all parts of the world in less then seconds, and DNA was used to prove Creation, instead man has contaminated these ideas with disobedience, murder, deception, drunkenness, nudity, and rebellion, is the same as described in Genesis as today but is called legally right, state sanctioned executions, releasing stress, pornography, propaganda, power, politics, and pro-choice. Is the modern way or the justifiable way of straying from God. We replaced the Ten Commandments with the Supreme Court and later sanctioned it with the Constitution written for the people by the people. Now if you mention Jesus in public you have to be careful not offend anyone. However, they can talk and brag about adultery, drunkenness, pornography, and worse of all their pride. Where ever they can talk about everything and anything I feel I can talk about Jesus and I’ll call it following orders for Matthew 28:19-20 says, “Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." It’s your big chance to share something special with someone that is special beyond money, beyond pleasure, beyond selflessness, beyond gold, beyond your imagination. People are so use to things even it there bad they just accept it and won‘t change because they write it off as too good to be true and don’t want to change because society says that you are rich and content with their miserable worthless life. They are already comfortable in their pagan life. They think that’s the way life really is. Society says there is only two sure things in life, taxes and death. How sad is that. That’s not living or dying for! I sometimes get the impression that commitment is a vanishing commodity in today’s world. Many people don’t want to be committed to their jobs, their marriage vows, or to one another. “I’m going to do my thing my way!” is the essence of today’s philosophy, and this attitude has invaded the church. Many believers will not commit themselves to ministering in one church but move from church to church when pastors and music programs change. “Temporary” is a key word today: temporary Sunday School teachers and youth sponsors, temporary choir members, temporary church members, and even temporary pastors. However what if I were to tell you of a life full of riches, pleasure, and content, without paying one cent (Expect that of obedience). A life where only eternal life is a guarantee. A life that would fulfill your greatest fantasies, as well as your greatest achievement of all time. But when you put it into action and never look back you will realize you have something better, something worth living for, and something worth dying for once you grab onto it put it into action. And when you wake up till you go to bed for just the night or forever you will guiltless sleep and awake to a better day where your walk will be along the side of the Lord whether it be on earth or heaven.
Many people believe that faith and good works save them. They try to almost earn or buy their salvation through their good works, however if that is true all Boy Scouts are saved then. Boy Scouts believe in doing a “Good turn daily” and must believe in God, for it is one of their laws. Faith that saves is the faith that proves itself in God’s grace. Ephesians 2:8-10 says, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God- not by works.” But your faith is made evident by your obedience. Abraham showed his obedience to the Lord when he was going to sacrifice his son for God. But because God saw that he was going to go through with it, God stopped it. It was Abraham’s test of obedience and faith toward God. Like faith, obedience will give you trials, for that is how faith grows. For a faith that cannot be tested, cannot be trusted. Peter 1:7 says, “ These have come so that your faith-of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire-may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.”
God allows trials to occur to not only verify but also purify your faith. Like learning the “hard way in life.” God already knows what’s in our hearts, but sometimes we don’t, and He is there to guide and comfort us through. Job 23:10 says, “But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.” Once I became saved, a lot of my problems were solved, but also they became harder and more complicated, because now I must try to obey God’s Word. However, the difference is that I take comfort in knowing that Lord is there for me. To guide me no matter what may come my way and that sometimes can be a hard lesson to learn. The Lord will never let you be tempted beyond what you are capable of overcoming. 1 Corinthians 10:13 says, “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.” This is one particular lesson that a lot of people struggle in. I know that I am one, and through prayer and scripture I have overcome a lot of temptation. I know I still have a lot of work, which lies ahead of me, but I know I will overcome it. Because the Lord would not have allowed temptation if we couldn’t overcome it. It would not only contradict God’s Word but also be almost like setting you up for failure. He just wouldn’t allow it. Then why does God allow for evil to occur? There are human actions, situations, disasters, which are painful and potentially destructive for humankind, yet God allows for it to happen, why? When you investigate that question in the Bible, you will find that a lot of disasters occurred because of man’s disobedience, however bad things happen to good people why? The Bible doesn’t offer a full explanation for evil, however Paul says in Romans that evil is in all of us. (Romans 7:15-21) “For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good. Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.” When we desire to do good, we fail because of an inner tendency to do evil. For the world is evil. But through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, which shows that sin, death, and the devil can’t defeat Him. When bad things happen we must seek comfort in the Lord to guide us through.
Seeking comfort in the Lord is a lesson that we as Christians also have a hard time obeying. So many times we want the physical arm around us and not the spiritual because sometimes we have a hard time feeling God’s Arm. Not saying it’s not there, but we don’t look for it, instead we run off to our friends, which is good, however we must first seek comfort in the Lord. Ever notice that when you think you need someone around to comfort you, there usually isn’t anyone. But the Lord is there willing and waiting for you. First you must seek comfort in the Lord, before anyone else can comfort you, and then once that is achieved you will be able comfort others better, you not only were you there, but also your wiser in that particular situation. For you have learned the “hard way.” 2 Corinthians 1:3-7 says, “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort.”
I personally think 2 Corinthians 10:3-6 can sum it all up, “For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, once your obedience is complete.” We like Paul, are merely weak humans, but we don’t need to use human plans
and methods to win our battles. God’s mighty weapons are available to us as we fight against Satan’s “Strongholds.” The Christian must choose whose methods to use God’s or the world’s. Paul assures us that God’s mighty Weapons-prayer, faith, hope, love, God’s word, the Holy Spirit is powerful and effective. These weapons can break down the proud human arguments against God and the walls that Satan builds to keep people
from finding God. When dealing with the pride that keeps people from a relationship
with Christ, we may be tempted to use our own methods. But nothing can break down
these barriers like God’s weapons. This the best verse I have found so far talking so far on
obedience and strongholds. We live in a world torn between peace and war. Half the
world is crying peace, while the other half screams for war. Just like Satan screaming for
sin and Jesus crying for love.When that happens we can find comfort in Ephesians 6:10-
18, “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power Put on the full armor of
God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is
not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the
powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly
realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes,
you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.
Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate
of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from
the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you
can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and
the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all ccasions
with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on
praying for all the saints.”
Some people think just doing decent things or knowing right from wrong is all you need to being a Christian. I use to think so too. I ask my mother one time how come I wasn’t raised in a Christian home? She said, “I don’t think that’s entirely true, I tried to teach you right from wrong”. There’s a poem entitled, “A Soldier Reports to God” and talks about how a soldier wasn’t the perfect person but always tried to do the right thing in life and ends with; “Step forward now you soldier, you’ve borne your burdens well, walk peacefully on Heaven’s Streets, you’ve done your time in Hell.” Is that really the image we as Christians want to portray? A Christian doesn’t necessarily go to church every Sunday, have weekly Bible study, and pray everyday, though all these things are good. Christianity is not based on rules. It’s based on your obedience and faith to the Lord.
So what does obedience mean? Well if you must know close your eyes and pray that the Lord may burn it into your heart. I, nor, anyone can answer that question. As the famous saying goes, “I can’t sit here and tell you what to do or how.” However I will suggest first to read the Bible, then answer with whatever is in your heart. To me, obedience means faith.
Then I think of the Martyrs. I think of 17 year-old-girls who would rather be paralyzed or die before they would deny Christ and His teachings. It doesn’t matter how old you are rather how wise you are in the Word. For 1 Timothy 4:11-13 says, “These things command and teach. Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity. Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.” I think of the hundreds of Christians who were tortured and/or executed for their faith and obedience, and then only to respond with love toward their jailers and executioners. I think of parents who would rather have their 8 year-old child executed so they could continue spreading the Gospel. Finally, I think of how the Lord has blessed me, with the strength, wisdom, and guidance to complete and learn through this essay. Obedience has and will always be interrupted through you and Our Savior. It comes down to what you are willing to do to obey The Lord and His commands. So I leave you with this question, what does your heart say obedience is?
