Introduction: The Lost Virtue of Obedience
The modern church talks much about grace, favor, and blessing—but seldom about obedience. Notwithstanding, from Genesis to Revelation, the Word of God presents obedience as the foundation of faith, the evidence of love, and the mark of true discipleship. To cultivate obedience in our daily lives, we can start by reading and meditating on God’s Word, praying for the strength to obey, and seeking the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
In the Great Commission, Jesus did not merely say, “Go and preach.” He commanded:
“All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20, NKJV)
The Great Commission begins and ends with obedience—obeying Christ’s authority and teaching others to follow His commandments. Yet this has become the most neglected aspect of Christian faith. Many profess Christ, but few walk in submission to His Word.
Throughout Scripture, obedience is never optional; it is the proof of love and the evidence of faith. Jesus said plainly:
“If you love Me, keep My commandments.” (John 14:15, NKJV)
Disobedience is rebellion. It is the sin that turned angels into demons and paradise into wilderness.
This article explores the power, beauty, and necessity of obedience, drawing from Old Testament examples that reveal both the blessings and the curse of rebellion.
1. Obedience: The True Measure of Faith
Faith without obedience is dead. The Bible defines faith not merely as belief, but as action upon God’s Word. Hebrews 11—the “Hall of Faith”—is also a “Hall of Obedience.”
Abraham: Obedience of Faith
“By faith, Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place that he would receive as an inheritance.” And he went out, not knowing where he was going.” (Hebrews 11:8, NKJV)
Abraham’s greatness was not in his wealth or title, but in his obedience. When God told him to leave his homeland, he departed without question. When God commanded him to offer Isaac, he rose early in the morning and went. (Genesis 22:1–3)
The angel of the Lord declared:
“Because you have done this thing, and have not withheld your son, your only son—blessing I will bless you…” (Genesis 22:16-17, NKJV)
Abraham’s obedience unlocked the covenant of blessing that continues to affect nations today. Faithful obedience has a generational impact, underscoring the importance of preserving our actions for future generations.
2. Moses: The Cost of Partial Obedience
Moses was one of the most outstanding leaders in Scripture, yet even he learned that disobedience—however small—has consequences.
God asked Moses to speak to the rock so that water might come forth. Instead, Moses struck the rock in anger. Numbers 20:7–12 (NKJV) records:
“Then the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, ‘Because you did not believe Me, to hallow Me in the eyes of the children of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them.'”
Partial obedience is disobedience. Moses’s action seemed minor compared to his years of service, but God’s holiness demands complete obedience.
The lesson: serving God faithfully for years cannot excuse one act of rebellion. God delights not in performance but in submission.
3. Saul: “Obedience Is Better Than Sacrifice”
No verse summarizes God’s view of obedience more than 1 Samuel 15:22-23 (NKJV):
“So Samuel said, ‘Has the Lord as much delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, obedience is better than sacrifice, and heed is better than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry.'”
King Saul had been commanded to destroy the Amalekites and all they possessed utterly. Yet he spared their king and the best livestock, claiming it was for sacrifice. God rejected his excuse—and his kingship.
Saul’s tragedy reveals that religious activity cannot substitute for obedience. The modern church often repeats Saul’s error—singing, giving, and serving, yet ignoring the plain commandments of Christ.
4. Noah: Obedience in a World of Disobedience
When the entire world rebelled against God, one man obeyed.
“Thus Noah did; according to all that God commanded him, so he did.” (Genesis 6:22, NKJV)
Noah’s obedience saved his family and preserved the human race. God gave specific instructions for building the ark, and Noah followed them precisely—no adjustments, no shortcuts. His obedience was total, detailed, and enduring.
Obedience often looks foolish to the world but is wisdom in God’s sight. The same is true today. As society mocks righteousness, God still searches for men and women who will “do according to all that He commands.”
5. Joshua: Obedience Leads to Victory
When Moses died, God charged Joshua to lead Israel into the Promised Land with one condition—obedience to the Word.
“This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then, you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success.” (Joshua 1:8, NKJV)
Joshua’s victories—Jericho, Ai, and beyond—were rooted in obedience. He did not rely on military strategy but divine instruction. When Israel disobeyed, as in the case of Achan’s sin (Joshua 7), defeat followed swiftly.
Every fall of the modern church mirrors this: victory comes through obedience; defeat comes through rebellion. We can ensure success and victory in our spiritual journey by obeying.
6. Daniel: Obedience in Exile
When the decree was signed forbidding prayer to anyone except the king, Daniel chose obedience to God over compliance with men.
“Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home… and he knelt on his knees three times that day and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as had been his custom since early days.” (Daniel 6:10, NKJV)
Daniel’s obedience landed him in the lions’ den—but also in God’s miraculous protection. The lions could not devour an obedient man.
God still honors those who stand firm in obedience even when culture, politics, or law demands compromise.
7. Elijah: Obedience That Calls Down Fire
Elijah’s ministry was marked by precise obedience. Each time, the Word of the Lord came, and he acted without hesitation.
“And the word of the Lord came to him, saying, ‘Get away from here and turn eastward…’ So he went and did according to the Word of the Lord.” (1 Kings 17:2–5, NKJV)
When Elijah confronted the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel, his confidence came not from pride but from obedience. After soaking the altar with water, he prayed:
“Hear me, O Lord, hear me, that this people may know that You are the Lord God, and that You have turned their hearts back to You again.” (1 Kings 18:37, NKJV)
Fire fell. Revival came. Obedience always precedes the power of God.
8. The Blessing of Obedience
God never demands obedience without promising a reward. Deuteronomy 28:1–2 (NKJV) declares:
“Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe all His commandments… that the Lord your God will set you high above all nations of the earth. And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the Lord your God.”
The entire chapter lists blessings—prosperity, protection, victory, abundance—but all rest on one condition: obedience.
By contrast, the rest of Deuteronomy 28 warns of curses that result from disobedience—poverty, disease, defeat, and despair. The choice has never changed: “See, I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life.” (Deuteronomy 30:19)
9. The Example of Christ: Perfect Obedience
Even the Son of God submitted Himself to the Father’s will.
“And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.” (Philippians 2:8, NKJV)
Jesus’ obedience purchased our redemption. Through His submission, He reversed Adam’s rebellion. In Romans 5:19 (NKJV), Paul explains:
“By one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one man’s obedience many will be made righteous.”
The Cross was not a display of power alone—it was the ultimate act of obedience. Every disciple of Jesus is called to follow that same path:
“If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow Me.” (Luke 9:23, NKJV)
10. Disobedience: The Root of Modern Rebellion
The tragedy of our generation is that many claim Christ as Savior but reject Him as Lord. They want His forgiveness without His authority, His promises without His precepts.
The same rebellious spirit that ousted Saul from power in Israel is present here. It is disobedience in a church that hears the Word but does not do it.
“But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” (James 1:22, NKJV)
Every rebellion begins with a small compromise. Eve listened to another voice. Saul spared what God condemned. Moses spoke about what he was asked to talk about. Minor acts of disobedience become significant departures from the truth.
When obedience fades, worship becomes noise, and holiness becomes mockery.
11. The Reward of the Obedient
Scripture repeatedly declares that obedience leads to divine favor:
- Isaiah 1:19: “If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the fruits of the land.”
- Psalm 119:60: “I made haste, and did not delay keeping Your commandments.”
- John 15:10: “If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.”
Those who obey walk in continual fellowship with God. Obedience is not bondage—it is freedom from sin’s dominion.
12. The Church’s Call Back to Obedience
The revival this generation needs will not come through music, programs, or emotion—it will come through repentance and obedience. God is calling His people to return to the simplicity of “doing all that He has commanded.”
Jesus said, “Why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things that I say?” (Luke 6:46, NKJV).
Obedience is not optional—it is the proof of discipleship. A church that prays but does not obey cannot move heaven.
As in the days of Noah, obedience will separate the faithful from the perishing. As in the days of Elijah, obedience will call down fire once more. Just as it did in the days of the apostles, obedience will once again transform the world.
Conclusion: The Command Still Stands
The Great Commission remains Christ’s final command and the church’s most significant omission—“teaching them to obey all things I have commanded you.”
True revival begins when believers rediscover the power of obedience. It is the missing ingredient of holiness, the forgotten key to authority, and the actual evidence of love.
Let every believer echo the words of the prophet Isaiah:
“Here am I! Send me.” (Isaiah 6:8)
Let every church return to the cry of Samuel:
“Speak, Lord, for Your servant hears.” (1 Samuel 3:10)
And may the modern church awaken to the truth that obedience is not old-fashioned—it is eternal.
“If you love Me, keep My commandments.” (John 14:15)