Introduction
For a person to be free from Adam’s nature and disobedience, he needs to be born again by receiving the righteousness which God freely offers through Christ. His righteousness is borne out of obedience to His Father’s perfect will.
The reign of sin
Sin reigns in every child of the first Adam, but righteousness ought to reign in the children of the second. For this to happen we must submit ourselves to the Lord, “Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God” (Romans 6:12-13).
The believer has been delivered from disobedience by faith in Christ’s finished work on Calvary, but righteousness in everyday life must be maintained through obedience to God. A true child of God is no longer the slave of sin and the flesh, “Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?” (Romans 6:16). The blood of Christ removes the mark that had been branded on us as the offspring of Adam. Jesus obeyed His Father’s will to the death, “Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father” (John 10:17-18). Should we not accept that He knows that it is through obedience that His followers can enjoy the Father’s love too? “He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him … If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him” (John 14:21, 23). As we submit to Him we will understand why obedience is so important.
What obedience meant to Jesus
Christ’s obedience was not a single act but rather a lifelong commitment to His Father’s will, “For I came down from Heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of Him that sent me” (John 6:38) … “Lo, I come to do thy will, O God” (Hebrews 10:9). The supreme purpose of His coming, which takes in the cross, was to obey God. Through the Holy Spirit He teaches His church the joy of obedience too, “For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother” (Matthew 12:50). Obedience shows that we have Jesus’ family likeness.
To Jesus obedience was a joy rather than a burden, “I delight to do thy will, O my God” (Psalm 40:8) … “My meat is to do the will of Him that sent me, and to finish His work” (John 4:34). Just as food and happiness makes for a healthy body, so obedience will refresh and strengthen the soul of those who delight in God’s word and will, “More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb” (Psalm 19:10).
Christ waited on the Father’s will. Jesus, though perfect God, was a perfect man, and as a man He needed to submit to God. This is why He prayed and sought His Father’s guidance. We too must live day by day according to God’s will. Our ears need to be attuned to hearing His voice, “Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened: burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required … I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart” (Psalm 40:6, 8). Only then will we want nothing less that His guidance each day. This cannot happen unless we fully surrender to God. Anything short of this is not obedience.
Disobedience produces nothing but failure and disappointment. Through continued disobedience the believer will lose faith, trust and confidence in God and His word. Disobedience is another form of pride, but obedience is humility in action, “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: but made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: and being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross” (Philippians 2:5-8). He lived a selfless life in service to God, never seeking to exalt Himself, but always living in accordance to the Father’s revealed will. Obedience and pride cannot coexist, “Submit yourselves therefore to God … Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up” (James 4:7, 10).
Conclusion
Like Jesus, we must have unreserved obedience towards God, even if it costs our lives in the process. Obedience is one area in which we can come into unity with Christ and be conformed to His will, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God” (Romans 12:1-2). Christ’s obedience is the model that we fashion our lives on, for it is through faithful obedience that we have certain proof that God dwells in us and we in Him.
Page created 30 June 2006