Obedience
John 14:15 “If ye love Me, keep My commandments.”
Obedience is more than simply receiving guidance and instruction; and doing it.
(In the Greek, it means willingly doing what we have been told. Obedience is always a matter of the heart’s actions.)
It is a recognition that we are the creature….and He is the Creator, Who has the right to do what He will with His own. (Matthew 20:15)
It is the act of acknowledgement: We acknowledge we have heard His Voice to us….and yield to that Voice.
It is the act of a learner to His Master-Teacher: learning discipline, and seeing what God is showing me, in this obedience.
Obedience is the act of submission. We may not see the logic of the command, but we believe and trust in the God of the command.
And obedience is worship…..counting the Lord Jesus Christ worthy of our all.
(It is interesting to note, that Jesus, Himself, only used the word “obey”, once, and then He was speaking about our faith, and the removal of hinderances:
Luke 17:6 “And the Lord said, If ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye might say unto the sycamine tree, be thou plucked up by the root, and be thou planted in the sea, and it should obey you.”)
He used the word believe, in it’s forms ( believed, believest, believeth, believing) eighty-four times.
Jesus came to save His people from their sins (Matthew 1:21), and He presented Himself, and His call was….come unto Me:
John 6:40 “And this is the Will of Him that sent Me, that every man that seeth the Son and believeth on Him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him at the last day.”
Only after His resurrection, in power, did He command His disciples “Go ye…and teach all nations,…..teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen”. (Matthew 28:19-20)
They were to teach all men to “observe” His commandments and Word.
“Observe” means to guard with the eye upon, so as not to lose it.
They were to teach this reverence of Christ’s Word, so that the believers would guard them; in their hearts and lives.
It was only after the Holy Spirit was given…..the power of God within us to do; that Peter, at the beginning of his ministry, boldly said:
Acts 5:30-32 “The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, Whom ye slew and hanged on a tree.
Him hath God exalted with His right hand to be a Prince and a Savior, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.
And we are His witnesses of these things: and so is also the Holy Ghost, Whom God hath given to them that obey Him.”
And then they went out from Jerusalem, to preach the gospel throughout the world.
And at the end:
1 Peter 1:13-15 “Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;
As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:
But as He which hath called you is Holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;”
Paul at the beginning of Romans (the most comprehensive declaration of what God has done, and purposed since the beginning, for those that would believe on Him.)
Romans 1:1, 5 “Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God.
By Whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience of the faith unto all nations, for His name:”
The grace and the apostleship authority, was given to Paul, to preach “obedience to the faith” of Christ,…..wherever he went.
And at the end of Romans, Paul prays:
Romans 16:25-27 “Now to Him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began,
But now is made manifest, by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the Everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith:
To God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ forever. Amen.”
Paul preached Jesus Christ, and Him crucified, risen, and sitting at the right hand of God……and that those who have faith in Him, should obey Him, as Lord and Savior.
We believe on the Lord Jesus Christ…..and then, by the Holy Spirit and the gift of faith,….we obey His Word to us…..and live to please Him, Who gave so much for us.
“If ye love Me, keep My commandments.”
Preaching, Teaching, and Notes 