The Obedience Of Faith

And we can be sure that we know him if we obey his commandments. If someone claims, “I know God,” but doesn’t obey God’s commandments, that person is a liar and is not living in the truth. But those who obey God’s word truly show how completely they love him. That is how we know we are living in him. Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Jesus did.” – 1 John 2:3-6. 

God has always been at work in our world. He is at work today. But how is He working today? The answer to that question is clear, from the Bible and from history: God has always chosen to work through people. In fact, there is so much about this in the Bible that it is difficult to know where to begin. 

God always will take the initiative to come to people and reveal what He is doing, or what He is about to do. That is His invitation for you to join Him. After God has taken the initiative to involve you in His work, you need to adjust your life to Him in obedience. You must obey Him first. Then, He will accomplish His work through you.

When you come to a moment of decision when you must choose whether to obey God, you cannot obey Him unless you believe and trust Him. You cannot believe and trust Him unless you love Him. You cannot love Him unless you know Him. Each “new” command of Jesus will require new knowledge and understanding of Him. The Holy Spirit will teach you about Jesus, so you can trust Him and obey Him. This is how you grow in Him. 

1 John 2:3-6 says “we can be sure that we know him if we obey his commandments.” Obedience can be difficult. We tend to argue, push back, and fight a lot when God asks us to do something we don’t really want to do. We want our way. Yet the interesting thing is that in hindsight, we wonder why we fight so much because it always works out better than we imagined in the end. Do we trust God enough to obey when we are skeptical, hesitant, or even defiant when God asks us to do something? Are we willing to obey God when He speaks into our lives? The bottom line is that obedience to God proves that we love Him and demonstrates our trust.  

A lot of people think obedience is about fearing God, but God wants us to see obedience to Him as a relationship of love. And out of love comes trust and obedience. If you trust what God is saying to you, and you believe that He loves you, then that will lead to obedience. Obeying God as when He speaks to us is our responsibility and choice.  

“God is God. Because he is God, He is worthy of my trust and obedience. I will find rest nowhere but in His holy will that is unspeakably beyond my largest notions of what He is up to.” ― Elisabeth Elliot.

Discussion Questions:

1. In many ways, obedience is your moment of truth. What you do will: 1. reveal what you believe about Him. 2. determine whether you will experience His mighty work in and through you. 3. determine whether you will come to know Him more intimately. Agree or disagree and why?