Topical Bible: Obedience to God: The Wicked Refuse

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Obedience to God is a central theme throughout the Bible, emphasizing the importance of aligning one's actions and heart with God's will. The Scriptures consistently highlight the blessings of obedience and the consequences of disobedience. The wicked, characterized by their refusal to obey God, serve as a cautionary example of the perils of rejecting divine authority.

Biblical Foundation of Obedience

Obedience to God is rooted in the covenant relationship between God and His people. In the Old Testament, the Israelites were commanded to follow God's laws as a demonstration of their faithfulness. Deuteronomy 11:1 states, "You shall therefore love the LORD your God and always keep His charge, His statutes, His ordinances, and His commandments." This call to obedience is not merely about external compliance but involves a heartfelt commitment to God's ways.

The Nature of the Wicked

The wicked are often depicted in Scripture as those who consciously choose to reject God's commands. Their refusal to obey is not due to ignorance but a deliberate decision to follow their own desires. Proverbs 28:9 warns, "Whoever turns his ear away from hearing the law, even his prayer is detestable." This verse underscores the gravity of ignoring God's instructions, as it affects one's relationship with Him.

Consequences of Refusal

The Bible is replete with examples of the consequences faced by those who refuse to obey God. In the account of King Saul, his disobedience led to the loss of his kingdom. 1 Samuel 15:23 declares, "For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance is like the wickedness of idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, He has rejected you as king." Saul's refusal to fully carry out God's command resulted in divine rejection, illustrating the severe repercussions of disobedience.

The Heart of Disobedience

At the core of the wicked's refusal to obey is a hardened heart. Hebrews 3:12-13 cautions, "See to it, brothers, that none of you has a wicked heart of unbelief that turns away from the living God. But exhort one another daily, as long as it is called today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness." This passage highlights the deceitful nature of sin, which can lead to a gradual hardening of the heart, making it resistant to God's voice.

The Call to Repentance

Despite the stubbornness of the wicked, the Bible extends a call to repentance. Ezekiel 18:30-31 urges, "Therefore, house of Israel, I will judge each of you according to your ways, declares the Lord GOD. Repent and turn from all your transgressions, so that your iniquity will not become your downfall. Cast away from yourselves all the transgressions you have committed, and fashion for yourselves a new heart and a new spirit." This invitation to repentance reflects God's desire for all to turn from disobedience and embrace His ways.

Conclusion

The refusal of the wicked to obey God serves as a sobering reminder of the importance of aligning one's life with divine commands. The Bible consistently portrays obedience as a pathway to blessing and disobedience as a route to destruction. Through the examples of the wicked, believers are encouraged to examine their own hearts and remain steadfast in their commitment to God's will.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Exodus 5:2
And Pharaoh said, Who is the LORD, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the LORD, neither will I let Israel go.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Nehemiah 9:17
And refused to obey, neither were mindful of your wonders that you did among them; but hardened their necks, and in their rebellion appointed a captain to return to their bondage: but you are a God ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and forsook them not.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Moses' Prayer to be Blotted Out of God's Book.
... which will occasion eternal sufferings, but not out of obedience to God ... "As I live,
saith the Lord God. I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that ...
/.../lee/sermons on various important subjects/sermon vii moses prayer to.htm

The Instrumentality of the Wicked Employed by God, While He ...
... as if that petulant dog had been yielding obedience to a ... in his tongue the scourge
of God, he submits ... hold, that while by means of the wicked God performs what ...
/.../the institutes of the christian religion/chapter 18 the instrumentality of.htm

The Final Warning.
... Spirit of God came upon them as it came upon Elijah, moving him to rebuke the sins
of a wicked king and ... Conscientious obedience to the word of God will be ...
/.../white/the great controversy between christ and satan /38 the final warning.htm

The Final Warning
... Spirit of God came upon them as it came upon Elijah, moving him to rebuke the sins
of a wicked king and ... Conscientious obedience to the word of God will be ...
/.../white/the great controversy/chapter 38 the final warning.htm

Whether the Fire that came Down Out of Heaven and Devoured them ...
... of the saints, wherewith they refuse to yield obedience to those ... is "from God;" for
it is by God's grace the ... is not the last judgment of the wicked; but the ...
/.../augustine/city of god/chapter 12 whether the fire that.htm

Sanctions of Moral Law, Natural and Governmental.
... Natural justice demands that God should exhibit as high motives to secure obedience
as the ... inference, that the sinfulness and misery of the wicked will be ...
/.../finney/systematic theology/lecture xix sanctions of moral.htm

Confession of the Free-Will Baptists. AD 1834, 1868.
... is pledged for their support; but their future obedience and final ... and sits at the
right hand of God, will come ... enter into eternal life, and the wicked will go ...
/.../confession of the free-will baptists.htm

Where Sin Occurs God Cannot Wisely Prevent It.
... has gone far away from the paths of obedience and virtue ... 9. What infinite consolation
will remain to God after He ... He has banished the wicked and taken home the ...
/.../finney/sermons on gospel themes/xiii where sin occurs god.htm

Knox -- the First Temptation of Christ
... He Himself requires no such obedience of His true followers, but saith to the ... to
be satisfied, has never been sin, nor yet a wicked opinion of God. ...
/.../various/the worlds great sermons volume i/knox the first temptation.htm

The Spirit of the Law
... towards recompensing in the world the righteous and the wicked. ... The love of God and
consequent union with Him ... or to death, and by choosing obedience we choose ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture f/the spirit of the law.htm