I recently received a great question from a friend. He did not necessarily word it this way, but “What place does obedience play in the believer’s life?” Is it like a bartering relationship where I do X and God gives Y? Is it out of fear? I am sure we can come up with numerous thoughts on the subject, but what does the Bible say?
First, we can’t earn salvation through works, and we don’t remain saved due to works. Paul writes in Ephesians 2:8-9, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.” By faith, we are saved from sin and made holy. Therefore, we can’t ever earn salvation by works (good actions).
Jesus, speaking to Nicodemus, explained, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). This is the gospel in a nutshell. God gave His son by sending Him into the world and by giving Him over to death on a cross. Christians receive eternal life through faith (believing) in Christ and accepting Him as Savior and Lord. Such a full and abundant life starts now and extends into the never-ending future.
Paul writes in Romans 4:25 that “Jesus was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.” Jesus paid the price for our sins on the cross. It was a debt we owed but had no personal resources (i.e., good works) to pay. Jesus did not owe it but paid it for us out of love, being the only one who could. His resurrection demonstrates that His finished work on the cross was indeed acceptable to God the Father and that those who place their faith in Him for salvation will also experience resurrection. We can’t earn salvation. We receive it by faith in Christ.
Second, not only is salvation not something we can earn, we don’t remain saved due to works or obedience. The Bible has much to say about obedience. In fact, obedience is an essential part of the Christian life. For the believer, the act of taking up the cross and following Jesus means obedience (Matthew 16:24). We obey God, in part, out of duty. God deserves our obedience. But, it is crucial to remember that our obedience to God is not only a matter of obligation but because we love Him (John 14:23). Therefore, the spirit of obedience is as important as obedient acts. Hence we are to serve the Lord in humility and love.
It would be mistaken to believe we come to salvation in Christ by faith and not continue in Christ by faith. We read in Romans, “For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, ‘The righteous shall live by faith’” (Romans 1:17). God is righteous and always acts in accord with His holy character and promises to people. Because God is righteous, He condemns sin and judges sinners. The good news is that He has provided through Christ forgiveness to all who believe as well as power for living a holy life in a right relationship with Him.
The Christian life begins with faith and continues through faith. Simply stated, faith is the only way we can be in a right relationship with God. So, what place does obedience play in a Christian’s life? First, obedience demonstrates our love for God (1 John 5:2-3). It also is a practical exercise of our faithfulness to Him (1 John 2:3-6). Further, it glorifies the Lord in the world (1 Peter 2:12). Lastly, obedience opens the resources of heaven or avenues of blessing for us (John 13:17.)
Faith is what God requires of us to be saved. Genuine faith is exemplified through a life characterized by being transformed more and more into the image of Christ. Therefore, Paul writes, “We all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit” (2 Cor 3:18). When we turn in repentance and faith to look at Christ through the mirror of God’s word, we are gloriously transformed more and more fully into His image by the Holy Spirit. This reality is why I commonly explain that I know I am not what I ought to be. But, I am thankful I am not what I used to be. I am a work in progress.
Obedience allows us to express our love for God as well as enables us to reap the benefits of right living. For instance, when we tell God our needs, thanking Him for past blessings, and trusting in His workings, the peace of God will guard our hearts and minds (Philippians 4:6-7). We obediently trust, and He fills us with peace. Another example is love. When we love as Christ loves, our relationships tend to be much healthier, and even if not, we are healthier in the midst of them. We can go on and on with examples of how obedience allows us to glorify God, be blessed, and be used by Him to bless others.
We can even respond obediently when we are disobedient. We discover in 1 John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” When we divert our attention from Christ and walk contrary to His path for us, we sin. How do we get back on the right track? We confess our sins, asking for forgiveness, and God faithfully forgives us. He cleanses us, enabling the Holy Spirit to lead and work in and through us again.
Obedience is an essential aspect of the Christian life. However, works don’t save us, but those saved work for God’s glory. God’s love for us has provided us with this opportunity to enter into such a wonderful life with Him, and love ought to be our motivation to serve Him in obedience. We do this while keeping in mind that faith, not works save us, and continue in Christ, not by works, but by faith. Soli Deo Gloria (Glory to God Alone)!