S.S.S. Study Christian Character Traits Week 5

S.S.S. Study Christian Character Traits

Family School at Faith Baptist Church

Week 5: Obedience

Obedience Defined: Compliance with a command, prohibition or known law and rule of duty prescribed; the performance of what is required or enjoined by authority, or the abstaining from what is prohibited, in compliance with the command or prohibition. 

As Christians hopefully when we think of being obedient we think of obedience to God first and foremost.

Obedience to God is not possible without obedience to His word, seems simple right? Today however many so called Christians claim to "love The Lord" who drink, fornicate, and justify sin often. Today's culture says that we can "love" God while spitting on His word and His law, but if you love someone you do not ignore everything they ask of you! Jesus Christ said, John 14:15, God said in Deuteronomy 5:29.

 Obedience to God and His word is paramount for the Christian, without obedience to God we have no standard of righteousness, no moral purity, no rule of law. Without obedience to God and His word we are subject only to other men, how better it is to be subject to a righteous God, than sinful man.

While obedience to God is first and foremost, we find that in order to obey God we must often be in obedience to others.

Masters/bosses: Colossians 3:22-25  

Parents: Ephesians 6:1, Colossians 3:20, obedience to parents applies until Ephesians 5:31, then it is, 

Husbands: Titus 2:4-5, Ephesians 5:24-25, if the husband loves the way this verse describes it will be much easier for the wife to submit in the way vs 24 describes.

What about when mom or dad, husband, or boss demands something from you that is contrary to Gods word? First of all most Christians do not live a life sold out for God enough to make ungodly people uncomfortable in the first place, but if you do, and your met with pressure from a person with authority over you, then read Acts 5:29.

Often we see this as happening only against our will, but when a loved one, or good friend wants advice from us and we know that Gods word might offend them, which will we obey? When your friend messes up in sin and wants you to look past it, what do you do? Example: fornication (real life/watching on TV) 1st Corinthians 5:9-13 "I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators:[10]    Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world.[11] But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat.[12]    For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within?[13]    But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person." 

Part of obeying God is standing opposed to sin, no matter who stands with it. 

Why is obeying God in absolutely every aspect of our lives so incredibly important? Romans 6:16-18.

Obedience to God is one of the best ways that you can show the world through action, that you really do believe, that you really do love God, but obedience takes action, you cannot obey in some ways but not in others, ex: "drugs are bad so is getting drunk, but a little wine is ok". James 2:10. 

The happy truth: Romans 3:23 shows us that we have all been disobedient, and Romans 6:23 tells us the penalty for that disobedience is death, but the gift of God is through the obedience of one, Jesus Christ Philippians 2:8-10. The obedience of Christ has won us salvation from our disobedience!

Homework: describe 2 Bible examples of obedience and 2 of disobedience, include the results of each.