No 27

(Obedience)

In the list of the virtues that a true Christian should possess, obedience is at the top of the list (See study #2) where we looked at it very breifly. It is not a fruit of the Spirit “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance” (Gal 5:22). Obedience, we could say, is the path towards the fruit of the spirit. God prefers someone who is obedient over someone who is, shall we say, “in His service”. In our daily walk with the Lord we tend to do things for the Lord rather than exercise obedience.

In 1 Samuel 15: 22, we read “And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.” Through the ages and even today, believers have always been service-orientated and have somewhat neglected the virtue of obedience. There are people who would rather look good on the outside by doing all sorts of works for the Lord; but as we read in verse 7 of 1 Samuel 16 “for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.”

Jeremiah penned the following words “But this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people: and walk ye in all the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well unto you.” (Jer 7:23).

Peter also echoed this virtue “Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.” (1 Peter 2:1) May we please God by our obedience to His Word.