Faith and obedience are closely connected concepts in Christianity. Obedience is the evidence of our faith, and faith without obedience is dead. The Bible teaches that obedience to God's word is the only way to restore our relationship with Him after the sin of disobedience committed by Adam and Eve. Jesus Christ set an example of perfect obedience to God, and it is only through obedience that we can follow in His footsteps and enter the kingdom of heaven.
Characteristics | Values |
---|---|
Faith is an essential part of our religious life | Without faith, it is impossible to please God and any spiritual change cannot occur |
Obedience is the evidence of our faith | Without obedience, faith cannot be saved |
Faith becomes perfect through obedience | Obedience is the visible expression of invisible faith |
Obedience is a command | We have two choices: to obey or to disobey |
Faith demands commitment at the level of your heart | Obedience demands commitment at the level of your feet |
What You'll Learn
Obedience is the expression of faith
Faith and obedience are closely linked. Faith without obedience is meaningless. Obedience is the expression of faith, and the way to prove our faith is through obedience.
Faith and obedience are inseparable
Faith is an essential part of our religious life. Without faith, it is impossible to please God, and spiritual change cannot occur. Faith is a very important factor in our life of faith.
The Bible defines perfect faith as "faith accompanied by action," not just the verbal expression of one's belief (Jas 2:14–26). Here, action means obedience to God's word. Faith can be measured through obedience.
Obedience is the expression of invisible faith
Obedience is the visible expression of invisible faith. The fundamental factor that broke the relationship between God and mankind was disobedience. God commanded Adam and Eve not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, but they disobeyed God and ate the forbidden fruit. As a result, their relationship with God was broken, and they were expelled from the Garden of Eden (Genesis 2–3).
Faith becomes perfect through obedience
Jesus set the example of obedience when He came to earth to save mankind. Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered, and once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him (Heb 5:8–10).
Jesus is God Himself—Everlasting Father—but He came to earth as the Son of God and lived a life of faith in perfect obedience to God (Isa 9:6; Php 2:5). He taught that obedience is the most important factor in the relationship between Heavenly Parents and Their children.
Obedience leads to salvation
The Bible says that Jesus learned obedience from what He suffered and was made perfect. Without obedience, our faith cannot be made perfect. The book of Romans also emphasizes that obedience leads mankind to salvation (Ro 5:18–19).
Jesus fulfilled all the Old Testament prophecies about Himself, and His words—“It is finished!”—imply that He fulfilled everything the Father had told Him to do. Jesus lived in perfect obedience to the Father; He said and did everything according to the Father’s will.
Obedience brings blessings
How did Abraham and Noah, who had strong faith, demonstrate their faith? How did the Apostle Paul, who had great faith, show his faith? They all proved their faith through their obedience. Christ also obeyed God, even to the point of death, and He was made perfect and exalted above all creation.
The results of obedience are blessings, and the results of disobedience are curses. The consequences of obedience and disobedience are definitely different, just as the Bible says: "A man reaps what he sows."
Faith demands commitment
Faith demands commitment at the level of the heart, but obedience demands commitment at the level of our feet. There are two parts to the issue of faith: the first is intellectual, concerning what we believe; the second is trust, which involves actions.
For the child of God, obedience is not an option; it is a command. When confronted with a command, we have two choices: to obey or disobey. There is no third choice.
Obedience is not always easy
Never forget that the prayer of faith includes a willingness to obey, and this is not always easy. It is a lesson hard to learn but one we must not evade.
Even our Lord, we are told, divested himself of his inherent rights as the Son and "learned ... obedience by the things which he suffered" (Heb. 5:8). Paul tells us that the judgment of God will fall on those who "obey not the gospel of our Lord" (2 Thess. 1:8).
Obedience is required by God
If earthly rulers and parents have the right to require submission to authority, how much more does God have the right to require obedience! This in no way detracts from the reality of God’s love; it merely demonstrates the orderliness of his rule. If there is disobedience, disorder results.
God does not exact obedience as a tyrant; he calls for it as evidence of the reality of our faith. On the one hand, this is his rightful due; on the other, it is a demonstration for all to see that our faith is the "assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen" (Heb. 11:1, RSV).
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Faith without obedience is not valid
Faith and obedience are closely connected, and it is impossible to please God without faith. However, faith without obedience is not valid.
The Bible defines perfect faith as "faith accompanied by action," where action means obedience to God's word. Faith can be measured through obedience, and it is the fundamental factor that broke the relationship between God and mankind. The Bible teaches that God commanded Adam and Eve not to eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil, but they disobeyed, and as a result, their relationship with God was broken.
Jesus Christ set an example of obedience when he came to earth to save mankind. He taught that obedience is the most important factor in the relationship between God and humans. The Bible says that Jesus "learned obedience from what He suffered and was made perfect." Through his obedience, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him.
Faith produces obedience, and it is through personal obedience that we take each step on the way of life. We cannot make any progress on the path of life by merely relying on Christ's substitutional obedience. It is crucial to exercise personal obedience, as stated in Hebrews 5:9.
The book of James emphasizes that faith without works (or obedience) is dead. It is useless and cannot bring salvation or further progress on the path of life. Obedience is what counts, and it is the evidence of our faith.
Our ancestors, such as Abraham, Noah, and the Israelites, demonstrated their faith through obedience to God's commands. Their obedience brought them blessings and victory.
In conclusion, faith without obedience is not valid. Obedience is the visible expression of invisible faith, and it is through obedience that we can restore our relationship with God and receive His blessings.
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Obedience is the path to salvation
The story of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden illustrates the fundamental role of obedience in our relationship with God. God commanded them not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, but they disobeyed, and as a result, their relationship with God was broken. This act of disobedience led to their expulsion from the Garden of Eden and the loss of their immortal state.
Jesus Christ, on the other hand, set an example of perfect obedience to God during his time on earth. He taught that obedience is the most important factor in our relationship with God, our Heavenly Parent. Jesus fulfilled all the prophecies about himself and always did God's will, even when it led to his suffering and death on the cross. Through his obedience, Jesus became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him (Hebrews 5:8-10).
The Bible is clear that obedience is necessary for our salvation. Those who obey God's commandments and do His will shall enter the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 7:21). This is further emphasised by the story of Abraham, who demonstrated his faith through his obedience to God. When God commanded Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac, Abraham obeyed without question, and as a result, his faith was strengthened, and he received God's blessings.
Obedience brings all blessings, while disobedience brings curses. This is evident in the lives of the Israelites, who experienced God's blessings when they obeyed His commands, such as during their exodus from Egypt when God parted the Red Sea for them.
Therefore, we must follow in the footsteps of Jesus and our faithful ancestors like Abraham. We must obey God's commandments and have faith in His plan, even when we cannot see the end result. By doing so, we will be walking on the path of salvation and will receive eternal life.
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Faith and obedience are inseparable
Faith and obedience are two sides of the same coin. Faith is an essential part of our spiritual life, and without it, it is impossible to please God and bring about spiritual change. However, faith is not just a verbal expression of belief; it is accompanied by action, and that action is obedience to God's word.
The Bible defines perfect faith as "faith accompanied by action" (Jas 2:14–26). This action is obedience, and it is the yardstick by which faith is measured. The fundamental factor that broke the relationship between God and mankind was disobedience, as seen in the story of Adam and Eve. Their disobedience led to their expulsion from the Garden of Eden (Genesis 2–3).
Jesus Christ, the Son of God, set the ultimate example of obedience during his time on earth. He lived a life of perfect obedience to God, doing God's will in everything, even enduring the pain of the cross (Jn 19:28–30). Jesus taught that obedience is the most important factor in our relationship with God.
The Bible emphasizes that faith without works is dead (James 2:26). Obedience is the evidence of our faith. Faith that saves obeys, and without obedience, our faith is not valid. Our obedience demonstrates our faith and brings us closer to God.
The stories of Abraham, Noah, and the Israelites showcase how faith and obedience are inseparable. Abraham's obedience to God's command to sacrifice his son, Isaac, demonstrated his unwavering faith. Noah built an ark as commanded by God, an act of obedience that saved him and his family. The Israelites' obedience to God's commands led them through the Red Sea and to the conquest of Canaan.
Obedience brings blessings, while disobedience brings curses. As stated in Deuteronomy 28:1–19, obeying the Lord and following His commands brings blessings, while disobedience leads to negative consequences.
In conclusion, faith and obedience are indeed inseparable. Our faith is proven and perfected through our obedience to God's commands. By obeying, we demonstrate our love for God and bring glory to His name.
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Obedience is a command, not an option
The Bible teaches that the command to "love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind" is the greatest commandment. The Bible also teaches that we should honour and serve our spiritual parents, God, as well as our physical parents.
What do parents want most from their children? They are most pleased when their children obey their will. Likewise, God wants us to obey Him.
Faith Becomes Perfect Through Obedience
Faith is an essential part of our religious life. Without faith, it is impossible to please God and no spiritual change can occur. The Bible defines perfect faith as "faith accompanied by action", not just the verbal expression of one's belief. Here, action means obedience to God's word.
Obedience is the visible expression of invisible faith. The fundamental factor that broke the relationship between God and mankind was disobedience. God commanded Adam and Eve not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, but they disobeyed God and ate its fruit. As a result, their relationship with God was broken and they were expelled from the Garden of Eden.
Jesus set the example of obedience when He came to earth to save mankind. He lived a life of faith in perfect obedience to God. He taught us that obedience is the most important factor in the relationship between God and His children.
Obedience Brings All Blessings
The Bible says that the results of obedience are blessings, and the results of disobedience are curses. Abraham, Noah, and the Apostle Paul demonstrated their faith through their obedience to God.
Christ also obeyed God, even to the point of death, and He was made perfect and exalted above all creation. If you fully obey the Lord your God and carefully follow all His commands, you will be blessed in the city and the country. Your children, crops, and livestock will be blessed, and you will be blessed when you come and go.
Obedience is Necessary for Salvation
Jesus said that only those who do the will of God will enter heaven. Doing God's will is obedience. Only those who obey God's will can enter the kingdom of heaven.
The redeemed are those who follow the Lamb wherever He leads them. God has said He is ready to punish every act of disobedience when our obedience is complete.
Our Ancestors Demonstrated their Faith Through Obedience
Faith and obedience are inseparable, and faith can be proven through obedience. If someone claims to have faith but disobeys God's word, they cannot be said to have faith.
Our ancestors, such as Abraham, Noah, and Moses, proved their faith through their obedience to God. When they obeyed God's word, amazing things happened. There is no faith where there is no obedience, and God's work cannot occur where there is no faith.
Obedience is not an option for the child of God; it is a command. When confronted with a command, you have two choices: to obey or to disobey. There is no third choice.
The way of obedience is the way of life. Jesus became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him. Faith produces obedience, and by our obedience, we walk on the way, step by step. God has given the Holy Spirit to those who obey Him, and only by this Spirit do we receive light and power to walk on the way of life.
Obedience leads to salvation and brings all blessings. Our ancestors demonstrated their faith through obedience, and we must do the same. Let us obey and follow God wherever He leads us, believing firmly that His teachings will lead us to eternal life and the kingdom of heaven.
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Frequently asked questions
Faith is an essential part of our religious life. However, obedience is the evidence of our faith. Faith becomes perfect through obedience. The Bible defines perfect faith as "faith accompanied by action", where action means obedience to God's word.
There is no salvation without obedience. Jesus became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey him. The way of obedience is the way of life.
Faith demands commitment at the level of your heart, but obedience demands commitment at the level of your feet. Obedience requires you to walk on the way of life, step by step, and it is not possible to take a single step without personal obedience.
God commanded Adam and Eve not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, but they disobeyed God and their relationship with God was broken. Our disobedience has alienated us from God, and we can only be close to God through our obedience to Him.