Sounds like a simple statement. However, obedience to anyone has never been easy. Many times, growing up my parents and teachers would tell me to do something and immediately resistance would permeate my heart. Of course, it usually didn’t express itself because I feared the repercussions. Anytime we are instructed to do something we have a choice. Obey or disobey?
The two most important elements of obedience are the one giving the command and the one receiving the command. Both elements play an important role in the outcome. For a Christian, the ultimate authority is God. We are to obey him as our Lord. The word Lord means master. He is either our Master or he is not. We can not pick and chose what we will obey, that is not obedience at all. For obedience to occur it must be complete and immediate.
Jesus states in John 14:15 that those who love him will keep his commandments. We ought to love God supremely. We should be so grateful for what he did on Calvary, for the life he gave us here, and the life he has promised afterward that obedience would be an immediate response. When we feel this way toward God love is a natural response. Jesus says true love equals obedience.
John 14:15 “If ye love me, keep my commandments.”
If the one receiving the command truly understands the magnitude of God’s love for him it will make it easier to follow Him. Knowledge of the Word will help us know this Master. When we know Him, we will love Him, respect Him and want to follow.
Sometimes we don’t obey because we doubt God’s word. When we doubt we show that we don’t really know God. We doubt because we don’t comprehend that he is all knowing, all present, and all powerful. We doubt he can provide for us because we don’t really believe what his word says. Mathew 14:31 tells us we doubt because we lack faith. If you want your faith to increase, then your knowledge must increase. Both intellectual knowledge and experiential knowledge. Intellectual knowledge is the knowledge we gain from studying, experiential knowledge is the knowledge we gain from living the life of faith. If it sounds like we are making a circle we are! Romans 10:17 tells us that faith comes by hearing the word of God. This can be done by listening to teaching and preaching, but most of all by simple studying of God’s word, with you, your Bible and some good commentaries. These elements of hearing the word are important. I Corinthians 1:21 tells us that the preaching of the word, which some would call foolish, leads people to salvation. If you want to stop doubting increase your faith!
Romans 10:17 “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”
I Corinthians 1:21 “For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.”
Sometimes the receiver of the command has the desired outcome in mind. The receiver thinks they know better than God what is best for them, so they plunge in, and do it their way, expecting God to bless it. That is a recipe for failure! You are also robbing yourself of blessings that are given to those who put their faith in God and obey. I can only imagine the blessings I’ve missed because I chose to do things my way.
Sometimes we disobey because we fear what man may say or do. We fear the consequences of standing up for what is right. Because of our sin nature and physiological makeup, we obey the one we fear. To fear the right one, we need to look at the big picture. Man may kill the body, but this life is very short compared to eternity. Stop thinking about what others may say or do to us, trust God and obey!
Matthew 10:28 “And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.”
Obedience like everything else in life is a choice, but it is a choice that will affect everything in your life. Disobedience always has consequences. It may seem like you’ve disobeyed and done it your way, and everything is ok, but you are wrong! David was a man after God’s own heart, but he still paid the consequences of his sin with Bathsheba. The effects of that sin reached far more than David and Bathsheba. The effects could be seen for generations after the sin was committed. God forgave David, but the effects were still there. A person may commit a crime, repent and be forgiven, but he still must go to jail! God is a just God.
Galatians 6:7 “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.”
Let me wrap this up by giving you a simple way to remind yourself to make the correct decision when determining your obedience. Who will be pleased with the decision you are about to make? In years past my husband and I took kids to a camp in North Carolina each summer. They had a saying that was repeated all throughout the camp that has stuck with me for the last 31 years. It goes like this, “There are two choices on the shelf, pleasing God or pleasing self.” Pretty simple, but very profound! Who are you seeking to please with the decisions you are making every day?
