Faith Is Displayed through Obedience!
God’s goal and purpose for our lives is a life of faith, which is demonstrated through obedience. It is the act of obedience that gives a tangible testimony of our faith in God’s Preeminence and His dominion over all things.
It is in obedience to God’s word in the face of adversity, danger or misfortune that verifies, confirms and proves that we trust in God’s ability to see us through all situations and circumstances. It is our faith that pleases God and it is through our trust and obedience to Him that our faith is revealed.
Hebrews 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. NIV
It was in disobedience to God’s purpose for his life that Satan allowed pride to rise in him, birthing sin into existence in heaven. The one command God gave Adam was to obey Him, and to not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
Satan then led Adam and Eve into the acts of disobedience causing sin to be born into this world and ushering in this fallen world system. They had more faith in the words of Satan, their own desire and pride, desiring to have the same knowledge as God, rather than being obedience to God’s word.
This is why God says obedience is better than sacrifice. Peoplemay give and sacrifice things that they possess as an expression of their wealth, position or conscience but it is obedience that isa true reflection and evidence of a heart of faith in God.
1 Samuel 15:22 So Samuel said: “Has 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 heed than the fat of rams. NKJ
The one command God gave Adam is the same one He has given us and that is to obey Him. For obedience is more important to God than any service we can offer. It is in obedience to God’s will for our life that we may suffer hardships and may have to sacrifice those things that areimportant to us, at the cost of friendship, family or life itself.
It is in the humbleness of mind and self that we are able to give up our things, our rights and our way of living so we can submit to God’s will for our lives. It is when we humble ourselves before God and release the reins of our lives to Him and trustHim, that we able to operate in faith through obedience to God’s will, His word and His way.
Philippians 2:8 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. NKJ
Jesus came and showed us how to live a life of obedience to God through humility and humbleness of spirit, He beingwilling to suffer personally for the ultimate will and glory of God. Jesus even though He was The Son of God, He was also the Son of Man and He learned obedience through the things He suffered.
Hebrews 5:8 Though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered. NKJ
May we too display our faith in God through obedience, even in our pain, in our suffering and in our loss, so that a dying world may see and know the Hope we have in Christ.
1 Peter 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
1 Colossians 1:27 To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.
Integrity- People of God 