A Scriptural Foundation
In one of my previous posts I have quoted some of our Christian scholars view on Obedience to God. But in this post, we are purely focused on the Word of God and what it teaches us about obedience. I have compiled a brief list of verses that highlights the importance of obedience in various aspects. This brief list will augment our understanding of the Bible’s emphasis on obedience. Each verse reflects the crucial role that obedience plays in cultivating a steadfast relationship with God.
Obedience: Love & Relationship
John 14:15
“If ye love me, keep my commandments”.
John 14:21
He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.
Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.”
1 John 5:3
“For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome.”
2 John 1:6
“And this is love that we walk according to his commandments; this is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, so that you should walk in it.”
Obedience: As Action, Not Just Words
James 2:17:
“So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.”
James 1:22:
“But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.”
Luke 6:46:
“Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?”
Matthew 7:21
“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.”
Luke 11:28
“But he said, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!”
James 2:24
“You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.”
Obedience: As God’s Law & Commandment
Exodus 19:5:
“Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine.”
Deuteronomy 28:1:
“And if you faithfully obey the voice of the Lord your God, being careful to do all his commandments that I command you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth.”
Deuteronomy 5:33:
“You shall walk in all the way that the Lord your God has commanded you, that you may live, and that it may go well with you, and that you may live long in the land that you shall possess.”
Deuteronomy 11:1
“You shall therefore love the Lord your God and keep his charge, his statutes, his rules, and his commandments always.”
Exodus 23:22
“But if you carefully obey his voice and do all that I say, then I will be an enemy to your enemies and an adversary to your adversaries.”
In conclusion, our obedience is not a set of tasks to earn God’s approval. It is a heartfelt response to the boundless love He has already shown us. The commands of Scripture are not designed to be a burden but a pathway to a deeper relationship with our Creator. When we choose to follow His will, we are not just performing a duty. We are actively expressing our trust and our affection. This genuine obedience reveals the authenticity of our love for God and opens the door for a more profound, joyful intimacy with Him. It is in this dynamic exchange of love and obedience that our faith finds its truest and most meaningful expression
Keeping God’s commandments demonstrates the genuineness of our love and allows for deeper intimacy with Him.
Let’s be faithful to HIM.
