In the New American Standard version, the word “obey” is used 109 times. The word “obedience” is found 30 times. That does not touch the tip of the proverbial iceberg when it comes to this concept in the Scriptures. The first time “obey” is used, for example, is not until Genesis 22:18.
Did God not expect Adam and Eve to obey in the Garden of Eden? He surely did for He punished them when they did not obey. In fact, His directive not to eat of the fruit is found in the verb “commanded” (Genesis 2:16). That verb “commanded” and its corresponding noun, commandment, are found 953 times! That’s an average of over 14 times per book.
Clearly, God expects man to obey. What does it mean to obey? It means: 1.) to comply with the command, direction, or request (of a person or a law); submit to the authority of; 2.) carry out (a command or instruction); and 3.) behave in accordance with (a general principle, natural law, etc.). Thus, when God gives a command, direction, request, instruction, principle, etc., then obedience means to do what God says to do. Any time God specifies what He wants, then obedience means we “comply” or “submit” or “carry out” or “behave in accordance with” what He has commanded, directed, requested, instructed, etc.
To put it simply and easy to understand, obedience is doing: what God says do, the way God says do it, and for the reason God says to do it. If God specifies any one of those three aspects, then we are obligated to obey in those aspects specified. If God does not specify any one of those three, then we are only obligated to obey in those aspects specified (You can’t obey something not specified).
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If you look back at the definition of obey, number 3, you’ll see that obedience is behaving in accordance with “a general principle.” From 1 Corinthians 13:4-7, Paul gives us a host of principles commanded of our love: Be patient; be kind; do not be jealous; do not brag, etc. God does not specify the loving act to do in every situation but I am obligated to apply these principles to each act of love which I am to show in all my relationships.
What about the reason for the command to love? In Ephesians 5:1-2, the apostle Paul writes to Christians: “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.” Here, Paul tells us the reason for love: because Christ loved us. He gave Himself for us as an offering and a sacrifice so we must love others. The implication is also that we must give ourselves up for others, not as a sacrifice for sin but as a living sacrifice, offered to God (cf. Romans 12:1).
Any command given in the New Testament needs to be studied and applied under this same rubric: What has God commanded? How has God commanded it to be done? And why did He command it to be done? — Paul Holland
