Topical Bible: Obedience to God: A Characteristic of Saints

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Obedience to God is a fundamental characteristic of the saints, reflecting a life committed to following His commandments and living according to His will. This obedience is not merely a legalistic adherence to rules but a heartfelt response to God's love and grace. Throughout Scripture, obedience is portrayed as a vital aspect of a faithful relationship with God, demonstrating trust, reverence, and devotion.

Biblical Foundation

The call to obedience is woven throughout the Bible, beginning with the Old Testament. In Deuteronomy 6:4-5, the Shema, a central declaration of faith, commands, "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is One. And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength." This love for God is expressed through obedience to His commandments, as further emphasized in Deuteronomy 11:1: "You shall therefore love the LORD your God and always keep His charge, His statutes, His ordinances, and His commandments."

The prophets also underscored the importance of obedience. In 1 Samuel 15:22, Samuel rebukes King Saul, stating, "Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, obedience is better than sacrifice, and attentiveness is better than the fat of rams." This highlights that God values obedience over ritualistic practices.

New Testament Perspective

In the New Testament, Jesus Christ exemplifies perfect obedience to the Father. Philippians 2:8 describes Jesus' humility and obedience: "And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross." Jesus' obedience is the model for all believers, demonstrating that true discipleship involves surrendering one's will to God.

The apostles also taught the necessity of obedience. In John 14:15, Jesus declares, "If you love Me, you will keep My commandments." This connection between love and obedience is reiterated in 1 John 5:3: "For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome."

Characteristics of Obedient Saints

Obedient saints are characterized by several key attributes:

1. Faith and Trust: Obedience stems from a deep trust in God's wisdom and goodness. Hebrews 11, the "faith chapter," recounts numerous examples of saints who obeyed God by faith, such as Abraham, who "obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going" (Hebrews 11:8).

2. Humility: Obedience requires humility, recognizing God's authority and submitting to His will. James 4:7 instructs, "Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."

3. Perseverance: Obedience often involves enduring trials and challenges. Romans 5:3-4 speaks of the perseverance that develops character and hope: "Not only that, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope."

4. Love: Love for God and others motivates obedience. Galatians 5:14 summarizes the law: "The entire law is fulfilled in a single decree: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'"

The Role of the Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit plays a crucial role in enabling obedience. Ezekiel 36:27 promises, "And I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes and to carefully observe My ordinances." The Spirit empowers believers to live in accordance with God's will, transforming their hearts and minds.

Consequences of Obedience

Obedience to God brings blessings and spiritual growth. In John 15:10-11, Jesus assures, "If you keep My commandments, you will remain in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and remain in His love. I have told you these things so that My joy may be in you and your joy may be complete." Obedience leads to a deeper relationship with God, characterized by joy and peace.

In summary, obedience to God is a defining trait of the saints, rooted in faith, love, and the transformative work of the Holy Spirit. It reflects a life devoted to honoring God and fulfilling His purposes.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

1 Peter 1:14
As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance:
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Knowledge and Obedience.
... V. KNOWLEDGE AND OBEDIENCE. ... "Walking" is the characteristic Bible word ... The knowledge
of God's will gives point and purpose to the activities of life. ...
/.../thomas/the prayers of st paul/v knowledge and obedience.htm

Perseverance of Saints.
... at any time true saints of God, are preserved ... in the sense that subsequently to
regeneration, obedience is their ... is an attribute or characteristic of Christian ...
/.../finney/systematic theology/lecture xlvii perseverance of saints.htm

Elijah Come Again
... He came in a similar epoch. His characteristic, like Elijah's, was 'power,' not
gentleness. ... Real rectitude cannot live apart from obedience to God. ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture e/elijah come again.htm

That Christ, the Son of God, Created all Things, and Has Appointed ...
... proportion, each kind discovering some characteristic quality, the ... tame distinguished
by gentleness and obedience to man ... Christ' but...the supreme God."--Hein. ...
/.../pamphilius/the life of constantine/chapter v that christ the son.htm

What a Good Man Is, and How He Becomes So
... The loftiest perfection of conduct is obedience to God. ... Thank God! ... Very often
imperfections are the exaggerations of characteristic goodnesses, and warn us to ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture the acts/what a good man is.htm

Prayer and Humility
... for the joy of the angels lies only in obedience to God's ... It must be an attribute,
a characteristic of prayer ... that are more secret and which are prized by God. ...
/.../bounds/the essentials of prayer/ii prayer and humility.htm

Attributes of Selfishness.
... shameless unreasonableness, is the universal characteristic of every ... he had stolen
a horse in obedience to acquisitiveness ... God so tempers the constitution as to ...
/.../finney/systematic theology/lecture xvii attributes of selfishness.htm

God's Law Immutable.
... The special characteristic of the beast, and therefore of ... could the papacy exalt
itself above God; whoever should ... Such an act of obedience to papal laws would ...
/.../white/the great controversy between christ and satan /25 gods law immutable.htm

Attributes of Love.
... the perfection and glory of that love which constitutes obedience to the law of
God. ... Meekness is, and must be, a peculiar characteristic of the saints in ...
/.../finney/systematic theology/lecture xv attributes of love.htm

Still Another Triplet
... the chapter, but its occurrence here is characteristic of Paul's ... do with the degree
of our obedience; but this ... the assumption that the grace of God working on ...
/.../maclaren/romans corinthians to ii corinthians chap v/still another triplet.htm