The Power of Obedience

Humans have been shown to be obedient in the presence of perceived legitimate authority figures, and obedience to authority was the norm, not the exception. Regarding obedience, "Obedience is as basic an element in the structure of social life as one can point to. Some system of authority is a requirement of all communal living, and it is only the man dwelling in isolation.

What does OBEDIENCE mean? In simple terms, it means hearing the word of God and acting on it. It implies aligning our will with God's will; doing what God has asked us to do. It is when we completely surrender to His authority and base our decisions and our actions on His Word.

Have you ever met someone who had traits you thought should mark a Christian but then found that the person had never met the Savior? It’s not all that unusual. Sometimes people who do not know Jesus keep their own moral standards more consistently than some Christians keep God’s standards.

Obedience is when we completely surrender to His authority and base our decisions and our actions on His Word

The prophet Jeremiah ran into a group like that—and he passed along to us a valuable lesson from observing them. They were nomadic people called the Rechabites, and Jeremiah used them as an example of obedience. Although they were not among God’s chosen people, God commended them for their obedience.

For example, their forefathers had taught them that they should not drink wine. So when Jeremiah offered it to them, they refused it (Jeremiah 35:5-6). He wanted to show the people of Judah what obedience looked like. God wanted the Jews to be as obedient to Him as the Rechabites were to their leaders.

Even today we see unsaved people follow the morals they’ve set, while some Christians are not obedient to their Lord’s commands. God hates our disobedience. Let it not be said of us that the “Rechabites” of our day is more compliant than we are.

(#obedience #morals #truth #commands #obedient)

"If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land;" - Isaiah 1:19

A lot of people use this scripture for physical gains but all scripture is spiritual

Why Obedience to God Is Important

1. Jesus Calls Us to Obey

In Jesus Christ, we find the perfect model of obedience. As his disciples, we follow Christ's example as well as his commands. Our motivation for obedience is love:

2. Obedience Is an Act of Worship

True Christian obedience flows from a heart of gratitude for the grace we have received from the Lord:

3. God Rewards Obedience

And through your descendants, all the nations of the earth will be blessed—all because you have obeyed me." (Genesis 22:18)

Obedience involves an order; conformity involves a request. Obedience is obeying someone of a higher status; conformity is going along with people of equal status. Obedience relies on social power; conformity relies on the need to be socially accepted.

True obedience is not an act, but an attitude.

You hear me refer to "true obedience." You may ask, "But is there such a thing then as false obedience?" Not really, but the word obedience is often used rather loosely. The fact is, a person is either obedient in God's eyes or he is disobedient. You see, God does not measure obedience as we do. We look at the outward appearance; God looks at the heart.

For this reason, we need to understand that obedience is, first and foremost, something that comes from the heart. Obedience is an attitude. I say that because a person can appear to be obedient on the outside and actually be hating every minute of it.

Many of us have been somewhat confused with respect to obedience. We have thought that obedience was somehow our part in salvation. We have thought salvation had two parts: God's part and our part. The fact is that all of salvation is God's part. He not only forgives my sins, but He, in a miraculous way, gives me an attitude that actually wants to obey whatever He asks. The whole plan of salvation has as its primary purpose to create in us a new heart that is, a new attitude which says, "I delight to do your will, O my God. You have written Your commandments in my heart."

If there is anyone here today who doesn't enjoy obeying God or feels that God's will--His commandments--are not fair or is asking too much, do not pass "Go," do not "collect two hundred dollars," but go directly to your knees and acknowledge to God that you have not let Him give you the greatest gift of all--the gift of obedience.

Jesus said, "He that has my commandments and keeps them is the one who loves me." (John 14:21). And in another place He said, "If a person loves me they will keep my words." (John 14:23).

Written by: Michelle Ash