Topical Bible: Obedience: Paul

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The Apostle Paul, a pivotal figure in the early Christian Church, exemplifies and teaches the principle of obedience throughout his epistles. His life and writings provide a profound insight into the nature of obedience to God, the law, and authority, as well as the transformative power of obedience in the life of a believer.

Paul's Personal Example of Obedience

Paul's own conversion and subsequent ministry are marked by a radical obedience to Christ. Formerly known as Saul, he was a zealous Pharisee who persecuted Christians. However, his encounter with the risen Christ on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:1-19) led to a dramatic transformation. Paul describes this moment as a divine calling, stating, "I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision" (Acts 26:19). His immediate response to Christ's command demonstrates his commitment to obedience, which became a hallmark of his apostolic mission.

Obedience to God and the Gospel

Paul emphasizes obedience to God as central to the Christian faith. In his letter to the Romans, he speaks of the "obedience of faith" (Romans 1:5), indicating that true faith manifests in obedience to God's will. He further elaborates on this in Romans 6:16-18, where he contrasts slavery to sin with obedience to righteousness, stating, "But thanks be to God that, though you once were slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were committed."

Paul's teachings underscore that obedience is not merely a legalistic adherence to rules but a response to the grace and love of God. In Philippians 2:12-13, he exhorts believers to "work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act on behalf of His good purpose." Here, Paul highlights the cooperative nature of obedience, where human effort aligns with divine enablement.

Obedience to Authority

Paul also addresses the believer's relationship to earthly authorities. In Romans 13:1-7, he instructs Christians to submit to governing authorities, asserting that "there is no authority except that which is from God." This passage reflects Paul's understanding that obedience to civil authorities is part of a broader obedience to God, who ordains such structures for order and justice.

Obedience in the Church

Within the church, Paul advocates for obedience to spiritual leaders and adherence to apostolic teaching. In 1 Corinthians 16:15-16, he urges the Corinthians to "submit to such as these and to every fellow worker and laborer." Similarly, in 2 Thessalonians 3:14, he advises the church to take note of those who do not obey his instructions and to disassociate from them, emphasizing the importance of maintaining doctrinal purity and unity through obedience.

Obedience and Suffering

Paul's own experiences of suffering for the sake of the Gospel illustrate the cost of obedience. In 2 Corinthians 11:23-28, he recounts his hardships, including imprisonments, beatings, and shipwrecks, endured for Christ's sake. His willingness to suffer underscores his obedience to God's call, as he writes in Philippians 3:8, "I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things."

Conclusion

Paul's life and teachings provide a comprehensive understanding of obedience as an integral aspect of the Christian life. His example and exhortations continue to inspire believers to live in faithful obedience to God, reflecting the transformative power of the Gospel in every aspect of life.

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Acts 23:1
And Paul, earnestly beholding the council, said, Men and brothers, I have lived in all good conscience before God until this day.
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Acts 26:4,5
My manner of life from my youth, which was at the first among my own nation at Jerusalem, know all the Jews;
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2 Timothy 1:3
I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience, that without ceasing I have remembrance of you in my prayers night and day;
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Library

Knowledge and Obedience.
... V. KNOWLEDGE AND OBEDIENCE. ... 1. THE REASON OF THE PRAYER. Colosse was one of
the Churches which Paul had neither founded nor visited (ch. ...
/.../thomas/the prayers of st paul/v knowledge and obedience.htm

'The Heavenly vision'
... people will look. For the obedience which Paul says that he rendered to
the vision was not rendered with his hands. He got up to ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture the acts/the heavenly vision.htm

Paul's Last Letter
... Obedience is the highest dictate of reason as well as of conscience. Paul continued
his charge: "Watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of ...
/.../white/the acts of the apostles/lesson 49 pauls last letter.htm

The Obedience of Christ.
... And then, His obedience"just as Adam's disobedience was the power that ruled my ... Then
I understand why Paul in this passage so closely links the righteousness ...
/.../murray/the school of obedience/ii the obedience of christ.htm

The Young Saul and the Aged Paul [Footnote: to the Young. ]
... The vision that changed Paul is as available for you and me ... What is wanted is not
revelation, but the bowed will"not the heavenly vision, but obedience to the ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture the acts/the young saul and the.htm

Caesar's Household
... The zeal and fidelity of Paul and his fellow workers, no less than the faith and
obedience of these converts to Christianity, under circumstances so forbidding ...
/.../white/the acts of the apostles/lesson 44 caesars household.htm

Divine Calls.
... Paul's in this particular,"that for our instruction the circumstance of his obedience
to it is brought out prominently even in the words put into his mouth ...
/.../newman/parochial and plain sermons vol viii/sermon ii divine calls.htm

Elucidations.
... from heathen use to that of the Church, to signify the training to which all the
faithful should subject themselves, in obedience to St. Paul (1 Corinthians 9 ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/clement/the stromata or miscellanies/elucidations 4.htm

The Future of Christ's Kingdom First Group of Epistles the First ...
... the current Jewish teaching (which was invading the churches) that men might be
saved by obedience to the Mosaic law. On the contrary Paul maintained that the ...
/.../sell/bible studies in the life of paul/study vii the future of 2.htm

Continuation of the Foregoing Argument Proofs from the Writings of ...
... day, according to the Scriptures." [3641] It is plain, then, that Paul knew no ... He
was man contending for the fathers, [3659] and through obedience doing away ...
/.../irenaeus/against heresies/chapter xviii continuation of the foregoing.htm