Faith and Obedience

Faith is not obedience. Obedience is not faith. But faith and obedience always go together.

Obedience is a NT teaching. In the NT, the word translated "obedience" (ὑπακοή) occurs 15 times (Rom 1:5; 5:19; 6:16; 15:18; 16:19, 26; 2 Cor 10:6; Phm 1:21; Heb 5:8; 1 Pet 1:2, 14, 22). So, like it or not, it is a teaching of Paul and Peter. Interestingly, Jesus did not use this Pauline word, but he used the word translated "keep" (τηρέω), which means to observe, guard and attend carefully to his word and teaching (Jn 8:51; 14:15, 21, 23; 15:10, 20; 17:6).

Obedience and faith are linked together. Check out Romans 1:5 in five common English translations. The NIV says, "the obedience that comes from faith." The ESV, NASB and HCSB says, "the obedience of faith." The NLT says, "believe and obey." The Message says, "obedient trust." N.T. Wright's The Kingdom New Testament: A Contemporary Translation says, "believing obedience."

Obedience (Dt 4:1-15)

Deuteronomy 4:1-15; Key Verse: Dt 4:1

"Now, Israel, hear the decrees and laws I am about to teach you. Follow them so that you may live..."

Theme: A key to obedience is to hear (Hebrew: shamar).

In Dt 4:1-15, the two parts of this sermon will consider (1) how the people of God are to obey God, and (2) why the people of God should and even want to obey God:

1. How to obey God
2. Why we obey God

Obedience (Deuteronomy 4)

Deuteronomy 4:1-49; Key Verse: Dt 4:1

"Now, Israel, hear the decrees and laws I am about to teach you. Follow them so that you may live and may go in and take possession of the land the Lord, the God of your ancestors, is giving you."

Obedience. The themes covered so far are Sin (Dt 1), Leadership (Dt 1a) and Faith (Dt 2-3). The theme of Dt 4 is on obedience to the law (Torah). Generally, people think or act as though obedience is needed for their salvation. But biblical obedience is the fruit of salvation, not the means of salvation. Biblical obedience is not commanded of non-believers or non-Christians, but of the people of God--those who have experienced God's saving grace (Dt 1:30-31; 4:37; 5:6, 15; 15:15; 24:18). This is similar to Jesus saying to his disciples that their obedience should be because of their love (Jn 14:15, 21, 23; 15:10).

Jesus Obeyed First, We Obey Next (Heb. 5:8,9)

Draw Near the Throne of Grace with Confidence (Heb. 4:16-5:10). Nobody likes to feel that he has to prove something to others, or prove anything to anyone. But Jesus, though He is God, subjected himself to all the limitations of the flesh as our high priest (Heb. 4:14,15; 5:4-6). He willingly choose to "prove" by his tearful prayers (Heb. 5:7), sufferings and obedience in human flesh culminating in the cross, in order to pave the way for our salvation (Heb. 5:8,9). Only because of what Jesus has done, are we able to come to him with confidence (Heb. 4:16). Only because Jesus obeyed unto death, are we able to obey (Heb. 5:9).

Spiritual Immaturity (5:11-14). The Christians were weak and in danger of apostasy because they were immature. The maturity needed to understand Jesus' priestly sacrifice is not intellectual sophistication, but spiritual discernment arising from consistent obedience to God's will (Phil. 1:9-11).

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