The Conditional Nature of Worldly Obedience
Our blog is focused on obedience to God, but its important for us as believers to understand the world view of obedience.The world we live in often values success, efficiency and visible outcomes. Let’s try to understand briefly this perspective of obedience that we face in our daily lives.
The World’s View of Obedience
This form of obedience operates like a business deal; it’s transactional and driven by the principle of cause and effect. In this system, your actions are directly linked to a promised or expected reward. Obedience is less about a moral principle and more about a calculated step toward a specific, visible goal.
- Motivation is External:
The motivation for obedience comes from outside of the individual. You follow a manager’s orders to get a promotion, not because it’s inherently good. You obey traffic laws to avoid a fine, not necessarily out of a civic duty. The primary question is always, “What will I gain?” or “What will I avoid?” This makes obedience a practical, self-serving choice.
- Success is Measurable:
The value of this obedience is defined by the outcome. Success isn’t a feeling of moral satisfaction; it’s a tangible, visible result. A higher grade, a larger paycheck, a title, or public recognition are all proof that your obedience was effective. This creates a system where an action is only good if the desired outcome is achieved. If the result doesn’t match the expectation, the obedience is considered a failure.
- The Focus is on the Self:
Ultimately, this kind of obedience centers on personal gain. While the systems themselves might be necessary for a functioning society, the underlying human motivation is often rooted in self-interest. You obey to get ahead, to be comfortable, or to secure a better position for yourself. This stands in sharp contrast to a model of obedience driven by love and surrender to a higher purpose.
By understanding this worldly view, believers can better grasp why the Bible’s call to obedience is so radical and counter-cultural. It challenges us to move beyond a transactional mindset and embrace a faith built on trust and love, not on a guaranteed reward.
The Unconditional Nature of Christian Obedience
The Bible presents a challenging form of obedience that fundamentally differs from the world’s model. True obedience, as demonstrated throughout Scripture, is not a means to an end; it is an end in itself. Below are some of the factors that will help us understand the nature of Christian obedience.
- Self-Sufficiency of Obedience:
The act of Christian obedience is its own reward. Its righteousness comes from a pure desire to honor God’s command, not from the outcome that may follow. This is a radical departure from the world’s transactional mindset, which always seeks a return on investment.
- The Requisite of Unwavering Surrender:
The most important requirement of this obedience is that it is free from the expectation of a specific outcome. It calls for total submission to a sovereign God. We completely surrender our own agenda and follow His commands, even when the path is unclear.
- A Declaration of Radical Trust:
When we obey without knowing the results, our actions become a powerful declaration. We are essentially saying to God, “I trust You.” This is a profound statement of faith that moves our relationship with God beyond a simple transaction and into the realm of absolute confidence.
Ultimately, while the world offers a path of transactional obedience, the Christian faith calls us to a higher, more fulfilling way. It invites us to move beyond the pursuit of a prize and into a profound purpose found only in a relationship built on trust and love. This is the radical difference that transforms our lives from the inside out.
So, the question for us as believers is simple: Are we obeying for a paycheck or for a relationship? When we choose to follow God’s call out of love and not for a reward, we discover a deeper purpose and a freedom that the world can never offer.
We will continue with this discussion. Thanks for being visiting us. We appreciate your support. Be blessed.
