OBEDIENCE TO GOD
Albert Farley
The New Testament of Christ is very clear about the importance of obedience in our being made free from sin. “But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.” Romans 6:17, 18. They obeyed from a heart of faith.
What is this “form of doctrine” that was delivered to them? Paul had just presented it to them in the first 15 verses of Romans 6. The word form refers to a shape or resemblance; a pattern. Consider the form of the doctrine of Christ. Note His death, burial, and resurrection. This is the core – the heart – of the gospel of Christ. Read 1 Corinthians 15:1-4. Jesus had charged His apostles to preach the gospel to every creature. The gospel is, of course, the good news that Jesus bore our sins in His own body on the tree, was buried, and, on the third day, was resurrected to life by the power of God! By the grace of God, He paid the price for the guilt of the sins of the world. The preaching and teaching of this good news produces faith in the hearts of all who will receive it. Mark 16:15-16; Romans 10:17.
In the Book of Acts, God’s divinely inspired history book containing accounts of many men and women who obeyed the gospel and the establishment of the church, we learn that sinners heard the gospel, believed it with all their hearts, died to sin in repentance from their sins, were buried in baptism for the remission of their sins, and arose to walk in newness of life! Note the form or resemblance: Through faith, they were crucified with Christ when they died to sin in repentance. Then, they were buried with Christ in baptism. They, then, arose with Christ to walk in newness of life. Paul describes this whole process in Romans 6. Please read it. This is God’s picture of the new birth taught by Christ to Nicodemus in John 3. In our burial with Christ, through faith in the operation or working of God, His precious blood washes our sins away. Acts 2:36-47; 22:16; Colossians 2:11-13; Revelation 1:5.
In His Word, the grace of God that brings salvation teaches us, as His children, to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts and to live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age. Titus 2:11-15. It is true that, even after we have been born again of water and the Spirit, we will sin. If we say we have no sin we deceive ourselves and make God a liar. However, as children of God, we have the promise that, if we repent and confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:5-2:5. See Acts 8:22.
Is obedience essential to our eternal salvation? The Bible says, “… though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered. And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him,” Hebrews 5:8, 9. Jesus Christ, the author of eternal salvation, said He will give us eternal salvation if we obey Him.
James said if we receive with meekness the engrafted Word (the Word inspired by God’s Holy Spirit), it is able to save our souls – if we will be doers of the word and not hearers only. James 1:21-22. This requires obedience.
We must obey God! He warns us that, when Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, He will, with flaming fire, take vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Thessalonians 1:8, 9. Are you doing your very best to obey Him according to His holy Word?