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or (Gr.) obedience of faith: —

I. OBEDIENCE. The gospels thing to be obeyed (Romans 6:17; 1 Peter 1:22; Acts 6:7). In it God commands as well as invites and offers (1 John 3:23). Men are commanded to believe the gospel (Mark 1:15); in Christ (1 John 3:23). Unbelief and rejection of Christ rebellion against God.

II. FAITH viewed —

1. Subjectively is —

(1)  Credit given to the gospel as God's message.

(2)  Trust reposed in Christ and His finished work as God's plan.

2. Objectively — the doctrine of the gospel to be received in faith (Galatians 1:23; Galatians 3:23-25). Gospel truth is only to be known and learned by a Divine revelation.

III. OBEDIENCE TO THE FAITH.

1. Obedience, in which faith consists. Faith is itself obedience. When God speaks men are not to reason, but to believe and accept. The Jews asked for a sign, Greeks for wisdom; God demands faith, and faith cordially submits to His method of salvation by Christ.

2. Obedience as the fruit of faith. Faith in Christ is the mother of all true and acceptable obedience (Romans 15:18; Romans 16:19; 2 Corinthians 7:15; 2 Corinthians 10:5, 6; 1 Peter 1:8). Works without faith, faith without works, both alike dead (James 2:26). God seeks evangelical, not legal obedience, because the gospel, not the law, produces the love that alone fulfils it. Faith in Christ proved by obedience to Him as a tree by its fruit (James 2:18-26). Faith is the obedience of the understanding to God revealing its effect, the obedience of the will to God commanding.

(T. Robinson, D. D.)

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KJV: By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name:

WEB: through whom we received grace and apostleship, for obedience of faith among all the nations, for his name's sake;