Obedience

 

Thesis: To demonstrate the necessity of obeying the Lord.

 

Introduction:

1. Great need in religious world today is to recognize the importance of obeying God.

2. Obedience is: submission to law; obedience to God is willing submission to God's law.

3. Jesus saves those who obey Him. Not those who:

A. Think they have obeyed Him, by "faith alone."  James 2:24

B. Have joined some church.

C. Feel like they have religion.  Matt. 7:22

 

Body:

I. Obedience In Old Testament Perspective.

A. "Every disobedience received a just recompense of reward." (Heb. 2:1, 2)

B. The man who disobeyed Moses' law had to suffer the consequences of disobedience. (Heb. 10: 26-31)

C. Some specific cases:

a. Saul's disobedience. (1 Sam. I5: 22)

b. Achan's sin at Jericho. (Joshua 7: 1, 20-26)

c. Noah's obedience was rewarded. (Heb. 11:7; I Peter 3:20, 21)

d. Moses erected the tabernacle according to God's pattern. (Heb. 8:5)

 

II. Obedience In New Testament Context.

A. The Lord saves those who obey Him. (Heb. 5:8, 9)

B. Obedience to Christ must be from the heart. (Rom.6:16, 17)

a. There must be a willing submission to the Lord's will.

b. One may "obey" the Lord from the pressure of the circumstance:

( 1) A man must be baptized before he can marry a certain girl.

(2) Or, parents put pressure on a son or daughter to be baptized.

(3) Or, preacher puts undue pressure on a person to get him "down the aisle."    text

c. One might "obey" strictly because reason says that it is proper to do so.

C. Obedience must come from the right motive. (1Pet. 1:22)

D. Obedience must be directed by correct information.

(Matt. 7:21-26. In this passage the matter is stated, and illustrated)

E. One must respond to God's word, there must be action in obedience. (James 1:22)

F. Obedience must be complete.

2 Cor. 2:9 For to this end also did I write, that I might know the proof of you, whether ye be obedient in all things.

III. Obedience To God Is Not:

A. Mere promise to obey. (Matt. 21:30)

2 Thess. 1:7-8 And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels,  8 In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:

B. A pious profession of obedience. (Num. 22:18)

Rom. 2:7-9 To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life: 8 But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, 9 Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile,

C. Responding to the traditions and commandments of men. (Matt. 15:8, 9)

D. Taking the liberty to substitute human wisdom for God's ways. (Lev. 10:1, 2; Gen. 4:3)

E. Doing only a part of what God requires. (1 Sam.15:22)

 

Conclusion:

1. Men must obey Christ in order to be saved from sin. (Heb. 5:8, 9)

A. Faith is a command of God. (John 8:24; Mk. 16:15)

B. Repentance is demanded by the Lord. (Luke 13:3)

C. Baptism is required by the Lord. (Acts 2:38)

2. Men must live a life of obedience.

A. They must have the "mind of Christ" - a spirit of obedience. (Phil. 2: 5-8)

B. Then they must work out their salvation. (Phil. 2: 12)

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