OceanSide church of Christ

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THE RELATIONSHIPS OF OBEDIENCE

Victor M. Eskew

 

            If you mention the word “obedience,” some people are immediately turned off by the term.  Some will label you if you teach the need for obedience.  They will call you a “legalist” or a “right-winger” or a “staunch conservative.”  It doesn’t seem to matter to these individuals that eternal life is predicated on one’s obedience.  It was the Hebrew writer who declared:  “And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him” (Heb. 5:9).

            Those who ridicule the need for obedience have not done their homework.  If they had, they would have learned that there are some very important relationships that are connected to obedience.  First, they do seem to realize that obedience shares a close relationship with one’s love for God.  Several times in John 14, Jesus noted this relationship.  “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15).  “He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me…” (John 14:21).  “Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words…” (John 14:23).  In John 15, Jesus continues to teach about the relationship between obedience and love.  “If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love” (John 15:10).  One of Jesus’ apostles who heard these words of his Master, repeated them in one of his epistles.  John, the apostle of love, declared:  “For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments:  and his commandments are not grievous” (1 John 5:3).  Is loving God important?  Is loving God something all of us should desire to do?  Absolutely!  Dear reader, our love for God can only be proven if we obey the commands of God.  If a person will not obey Jesus, he does not truly love Him.  Jesus Himself said:  “He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings…” (John 14:24).

            Second, those who are not fond of obedience do not seem to realize that that there is a relationship that exists between obedience and friendship with Jesus Christ.  In John 15:14, these words of our Lord are recorded:  “Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.”  Most religious individuals want to be Jesus’ friend.  They will often sing the song:  “I’ll be a friend to Jesus.”  They long for the Lord’s comradery.  They long to boast that Jesus is their best friend.  They yearn to lay their head on their pillows knowing that their friend, Jesus Christ, is close to their side.  But, they reject the teaching that their friendship with Jesus is based on their obedience to Him.  Jesus was clear.  You are not His friend if you will not keep His words.

            Third, our Lord also teaches that being a member of the family of God is based upon obedience.  This lesson was taught by our Lord during His earthly ministry when His mother and brethren desired to speak with Him while He was talking to the people.  The incident is recorded in Matthew 12:46-50.

 

“While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his

brethren, stood without, desiring to speak with him.  Then one

said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand with-

out, desiring to speak with thee.  But he answered and said unto

him that told him, Who is my mother?  and who are my brethren. 

And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said,

Behold my mother and my brethren!  For whosoever shall do the

will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother,

and sister, and mother.” 

 

Verse 50 proves there is a relationship between obedience and being part of the Lord’s family.  “For who-

soever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.” 

Again, all religious people want to be numbered among the family of God.  It is an honor to be called a child of God.  This honor, however, is only bestowed upon those who are obedient to the Father’s will.  It is not something that is bestowed indiscriminately.

            Dear reader, are you a person who loves God?  If you are, then you are obedient to Him.  Are you a friend of God?  If you are, it is because you do the will of God.  Are you a member of God’s family?  If you are, it is because you are obeying God’s Word.  It is intriguing that the concept that man thinks is so negative is the basis for so many positive spiritual things.  Only flawed man would ridicule something that expresses love for God, makes one a friend of God, and puts one into the family of God.

            If you ever hear of someone “bad-mouthing” obedience, you need to flee from him.  He is a false teacher.  The Bible NEVER refers to obedience as something evil.  At the outset of this article, we looked at Hebrews 5:9 that teaches obedience is essential for eternal life.  As we close this article, let’s note that obedience is also essential for entrance into our heavenly abode.  In Revelation 22:14, John writes:   “Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter into the gates into the city.”