What Does It Mean To Fully Obey God?
Understanding What It Means to Fully Obey God
Obedience to God is a central theme throughout the Scriptures, touching every aspect of the believer’s life. But what does it mean to fully obey God, and why is it so important? In this Bible study, we will explore the biblical meaning of full obedience, its connection to faith and love, its challenges, and its promises.
The Definition of Full Obedience
To fully obey God means to listen to His commands, trust His wisdom, and submit our will to His purposes in every area of life. True obedience is not merely external compliance, but heartfelt devotion flowing from a relationship with God. It is rooted in faith and motivated by love.
And Samuel said, Hath Jehovah as great delight in burnt-offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of Jehovah? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. - 1 Samuel 15:22 ASV
God desires obedience that springs from the heart, not just outward ritual. Full obedience involves aligning our desires and actions with God's revealed will in Scripture.
Obedience Flows from Faith and Love
Biblical obedience is inseparable from faith. We trust that God’s commands are for our good, even when we don’t understand them fully. Jesus taught that love for Him is demonstrated by obedience:
If ye love me, ye will keep my commandments. - John 14:15 ASV
We obey because we have experienced God’s grace and love in Christ. Our obedience is a response to the salvation we have received, not a means of earning it. As Paul reminds us:
For by grace have ye been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not of works, that no man should glory. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God afore prepared that we should walk in them. - Ephesians 2:8-10 ASV
The Example of Christ
Jesus is our perfect example of full obedience. He submitted Himself completely to the Father’s will, even when it meant suffering and death on the cross:
And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, becoming obedient even unto death, yea, the death of the cross. - Philippians 2:8 ASV
As followers of Christ, we are called to imitate His obedience, trusting that God’s will is always best.
The Blessings and Challenges of Obedience
Scripture promises that obedience brings blessing and deeper fellowship with God:
But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deluding your own selves. ... But he that looketh into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and so continueth, being not a hearer that forgetteth but a doer that worketh, this man shall be blessed in his doing. - James 1:22, 25 ASV
However, obedience is not always easy. It often involves denying ourselves and persevering in faith, even when faced with opposition or misunderstanding. Yet, God supplies the strength we need through His Spirit:
For it is God who worketh in you both to will and to work, for his good pleasure. - Philippians 2:13 ASV
Conclusion: Living a Life of Full Obedience
To fully obey God is to submit every area of our lives to Him, trusting His Word and seeking to please Him above all else. While we will not achieve perfection in this life, our aim is to grow in obedience as an expression of our faith and love for Jesus Christ. As we abide in Him, He empowers us to walk in obedience, to the glory of God.