All About GOD - Growing Relationships with Jesus and Others
Love and Obedience
I hope that you will look with me at a short study of the word obedience, maybe a little closer than ever, depending on how much some have studied. Those of you that know me, know that I believe the bible teaches us that love is the most important thing to God. Some would argue that obedience is more important because,... "if you love God, you will obey Him",... and on the latter,... I do agree. I have used Gods' teachings concerning love to argue the case for it's being most important, but today I want us to look at Gods' word concerning obedience. First, let's look at something very interesting Paul says in Romans.
Romans 1:5. It is through Him that we have received grace (God's unmerited favor) and [our] apostleship to promote obedience to the faith and make disciples for His name's sake among all the nations, 6. And this includes you, called of Jesus Christ and invited [as you are] to belong to Him.
Notice that Paul's says, "it is through Christ that they received apostleship to promote "obedience to the faith", the relationship between hupakoe (obedience) and pistis (faith). Not all translations render this verse this way. I believe the rendering, "for the obedience of faith" is best, because in the Greek text the word faith lacks the definite article. If Paul had meant "for obedience to the faith" which suggests, "for obedience to the body of truth delivered by the apostles, or possibly, specifically to the Gospel only",... he most likely would have put the definite article before the word faith. Compare Rom 14:1; 1 Cor 16:13; 2 Cor 13:5; Col 1:23; 1 Tim 5:8. See also Acts 6:7.
In the King James Version, Romans 1:5 reads obedience to the faith. Obedience to the faith more clearly means a series of obedient actions as opposed to the obedience of faith which means that faith is obedience or the act of obedience is faith. Now here is an interesting fact about the phrase HUPAKOE PISTIS; it is found in another place in Paul's letter to the Romans. It is also found in Romans 16:26. From the KJV, we read, "But now is made manifest, and by the Scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith". So then, we see that the King James translators rendered the same text as "obedience to the faith" in one instance and the "obedience of faith" in another. The fact that is interesting about this is that both instances Paul is referring to "The Gospel",... what Christ did and why He did it and what is means to and for us. This is true of Romans 1:5 but is equally true of this next passage which is a benediction pronounced in verses 25-27.
Romans 16:25-27 Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith -- to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen.
Notice that Paul is once again announcing that the gospel had been kept secret for long ages but was now revealed to all nations to bring about the "obedience of faith" to the gospel. Therefore the obedience of faith is the obedience of believing the gospel. The obedience that God demands is faith in the gospel message.
It is more than interesting that in Romans 1:5, the KJV translators translated HUPAKOE PISTIS as "obedience to the faith" and in Romans 16:26, they translated it "obedience of faith". Dispite my skepticism about the issue and that it seems to me like there was an agenda in this translation, the fact is that, except for the Amplified Version, the KJV stands alone with the Douay-Rheims (Roman Catholic) and the Good News Translation, again (Roman Catholic). In all of the other major translations, i.e., the NASB, NIV, NRSV, etc., it is translated as the "obedience of faith".
What does this mean? Well, it eliminates the very legalistic view of scripture and it also eliminates the necessity of absolute action obedience. This would be a good time for clarification. It is not that the obedience of faith, HUPAKOE PISTIS, will not produce obedient action. It will. But, the action is not the obedience. The action is a response to the obedience. With the further clarification, we see the phrase is obedience of faith (HUPAKOE PISTIS) therefore, faith is the obedience. This means that the more I believe in what the Gosple says that Jesus did, and does now, and will do, for me,... the more obedient I become! Or, the more obedience of faith present, the more a response in obedient action will be seen. With this understanding, let's move now to several other passages concerning obedience of faith.
Let's look at Romans 6:17 with respect to this discussion about the obedience of faith. (Rom 6:17 NKJV) But God be thanked that [though] you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. Obeying from the heart to a form of doctrine is putting faith and trust in the doctrine, or in other words, it believes that the doctrine is the true doctrine. Likewise, obeying from the heart is brought about from love. One would never say that one who obeys out of fear was obeying from the heart. Obedience that is generated from fear of consequences is not heart obedience.
Heart obedience is the type of obedience that comes from a heart of love as would be given to a loving parent. For example, a child has been born into a family where the parents love them very much. Rules are made for the well being and safety of the child. One such rule may be; do not touch the stove; it will burn. Now then, the child obeys from the heart by believing that the parent loves them, knows best, and has their welfare in mind. It is not simply following the command; do not touch the stove. If the child stays away from the stove it will be because of heart obedience. Now then, suppose that the child touches the stove and is burned, the child will not be driven out of the family for the disobedience. The child will experience the pain of the burn. It is important to understand that when Jesus introduces God as the Father, he is establishing the metaphor of the loving functional family as the pattern or type for the family of God in Him. Therefore, it is reasonable to think of obedience in the light of a loving family.
However the loving family illustration is not sufficient to explain the good news properly. The good news is what one must believe from the heart. This is the good news of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus and the way in which these events reconcile the sinner to God. In order to understand obeying from the heart, one must understand the definition of faith. Faith is not just an acknowledgement of fact but rather is an abiding trust. True faith completely rests in and trusts the blood of Jesus and his atoning sacrifice for all sin, past present and future. True faith completely rests and trusts in the fact that the person of faith is made righteous and given the very righteousness of God as a free gift for placing trust in Jesus. True faith is obedience from the heart and it is the obedience of faith.
The obedience of faith is more important than action oriented obedience. Back to the KJV and the predominant teaching of Christendom for the past 2000 years which is explained by the phrase obedience to the faith instead of the obedience of faith. This teaching is centered on the idea of the obedience to the faith. Obedience to the faith includes following a set of rules that defines what the faith is. The faith becomes a term to describe a religious system. The faith is a life-style and mode of behavior. Ones being obedient to the faith will produce through specific actions, the life-style/mode of behavior that is associated with the faith. On the other hand, the obedience of faith focuses on faith. In this case it is faith in God through Christ Jesus.
Obedience of faith, properly exercised and understood, will produce the same kind of godly behavior as the obedience to the faith will; But, without the fear of failure and disobedience.
Fear of failure and disobedience robs the saint of God from the joy of salvation. Thus, the one who is obedient to the faith, will never experience the joy of the one who understands the obedience of faith. The obedience of faith builds faith. Earlier, we saw that increased faith increases obedience. The answer to living a godly life is more faith. The way that faith is increased is by the trials and testing that are experienced in our relationship with Christ. As we see the faithful love of God expressed in His total forgiveness in Christ and as we see him deliver all of our needs according to His riches in glory, our faith in Him grows, our love for Him grows, our fellowship with Him grows and likewise our godly behavior grows showing an outward appearance of greater and greater obedience. This is the obedience from the heart, where Christ dwells, and it is the obedience of faith.
Romans 6:17. But thank God, though you were once slaves of sin, you have become obedient with all your heart to the standard of teaching in which you were instructed and to which you were committed.
I love you.
Romans 1:5. It is through Him that we have received grace (God's unmerited favor) and [our] apostleship to promote obedience to the faith and make disciples for His name's sake among all the nations, 6. And this includes you, called of Jesus Christ and invited [as you are] to belong to Him.
Notice that Paul's says, "it is through Christ that they received apostleship to promote "obedience to the faith", the relationship between hupakoe (obedience) and pistis (faith). Not all translations render this verse this way. I believe the rendering, "for the obedience of faith" is best, because in the Greek text the word faith lacks the definite article. If Paul had meant "for obedience to the faith" which suggests, "for obedience to the body of truth delivered by the apostles, or possibly, specifically to the Gospel only",... he most likely would have put the definite article before the word faith. Compare Rom 14:1; 1 Cor 16:13; 2 Cor 13:5; Col 1:23; 1 Tim 5:8. See also Acts 6:7.
In the King James Version, Romans 1:5 reads obedience to the faith. Obedience to the faith more clearly means a series of obedient actions as opposed to the obedience of faith which means that faith is obedience or the act of obedience is faith. Now here is an interesting fact about the phrase HUPAKOE PISTIS; it is found in another place in Paul's letter to the Romans. It is also found in Romans 16:26. From the KJV, we read, "But now is made manifest, and by the Scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith". So then, we see that the King James translators rendered the same text as "obedience to the faith" in one instance and the "obedience of faith" in another. The fact that is interesting about this is that both instances Paul is referring to "The Gospel",... what Christ did and why He did it and what is means to and for us. This is true of Romans 1:5 but is equally true of this next passage which is a benediction pronounced in verses 25-27.
Romans 16:25-27 Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith -- to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen.
Notice that Paul is once again announcing that the gospel had been kept secret for long ages but was now revealed to all nations to bring about the "obedience of faith" to the gospel. Therefore the obedience of faith is the obedience of believing the gospel. The obedience that God demands is faith in the gospel message.
It is more than interesting that in Romans 1:5, the KJV translators translated HUPAKOE PISTIS as "obedience to the faith" and in Romans 16:26, they translated it "obedience of faith". Dispite my skepticism about the issue and that it seems to me like there was an agenda in this translation, the fact is that, except for the Amplified Version, the KJV stands alone with the Douay-Rheims (Roman Catholic) and the Good News Translation, again (Roman Catholic). In all of the other major translations, i.e., the NASB, NIV, NRSV, etc., it is translated as the "obedience of faith".
What does this mean? Well, it eliminates the very legalistic view of scripture and it also eliminates the necessity of absolute action obedience. This would be a good time for clarification. It is not that the obedience of faith, HUPAKOE PISTIS, will not produce obedient action. It will. But, the action is not the obedience. The action is a response to the obedience. With the further clarification, we see the phrase is obedience of faith (HUPAKOE PISTIS) therefore, faith is the obedience. This means that the more I believe in what the Gosple says that Jesus did, and does now, and will do, for me,... the more obedient I become! Or, the more obedience of faith present, the more a response in obedient action will be seen. With this understanding, let's move now to several other passages concerning obedience of faith.
Let's look at Romans 6:17 with respect to this discussion about the obedience of faith. (Rom 6:17 NKJV) But God be thanked that [though] you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. Obeying from the heart to a form of doctrine is putting faith and trust in the doctrine, or in other words, it believes that the doctrine is the true doctrine. Likewise, obeying from the heart is brought about from love. One would never say that one who obeys out of fear was obeying from the heart. Obedience that is generated from fear of consequences is not heart obedience.
Heart obedience is the type of obedience that comes from a heart of love as would be given to a loving parent. For example, a child has been born into a family where the parents love them very much. Rules are made for the well being and safety of the child. One such rule may be; do not touch the stove; it will burn. Now then, the child obeys from the heart by believing that the parent loves them, knows best, and has their welfare in mind. It is not simply following the command; do not touch the stove. If the child stays away from the stove it will be because of heart obedience. Now then, suppose that the child touches the stove and is burned, the child will not be driven out of the family for the disobedience. The child will experience the pain of the burn. It is important to understand that when Jesus introduces God as the Father, he is establishing the metaphor of the loving functional family as the pattern or type for the family of God in Him. Therefore, it is reasonable to think of obedience in the light of a loving family.
However the loving family illustration is not sufficient to explain the good news properly. The good news is what one must believe from the heart. This is the good news of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus and the way in which these events reconcile the sinner to God. In order to understand obeying from the heart, one must understand the definition of faith. Faith is not just an acknowledgement of fact but rather is an abiding trust. True faith completely rests in and trusts the blood of Jesus and his atoning sacrifice for all sin, past present and future. True faith completely rests and trusts in the fact that the person of faith is made righteous and given the very righteousness of God as a free gift for placing trust in Jesus. True faith is obedience from the heart and it is the obedience of faith.
The obedience of faith is more important than action oriented obedience. Back to the KJV and the predominant teaching of Christendom for the past 2000 years which is explained by the phrase obedience to the faith instead of the obedience of faith. This teaching is centered on the idea of the obedience to the faith. Obedience to the faith includes following a set of rules that defines what the faith is. The faith becomes a term to describe a religious system. The faith is a life-style and mode of behavior. Ones being obedient to the faith will produce through specific actions, the life-style/mode of behavior that is associated with the faith. On the other hand, the obedience of faith focuses on faith. In this case it is faith in God through Christ Jesus.
Obedience of faith, properly exercised and understood, will produce the same kind of godly behavior as the obedience to the faith will; But, without the fear of failure and disobedience.
Fear of failure and disobedience robs the saint of God from the joy of salvation. Thus, the one who is obedient to the faith, will never experience the joy of the one who understands the obedience of faith. The obedience of faith builds faith. Earlier, we saw that increased faith increases obedience. The answer to living a godly life is more faith. The way that faith is increased is by the trials and testing that are experienced in our relationship with Christ. As we see the faithful love of God expressed in His total forgiveness in Christ and as we see him deliver all of our needs according to His riches in glory, our faith in Him grows, our love for Him grows, our fellowship with Him grows and likewise our godly behavior grows showing an outward appearance of greater and greater obedience. This is the obedience from the heart, where Christ dwells, and it is the obedience of faith.
Romans 6:17. But thank God, though you were once slaves of sin, you have become obedient with all your heart to the standard of teaching in which you were instructed and to which you were committed.
I love you.
Views: 358
Comment
Welcome to
All About GOD
The Good News
Meet Face-to-Face & Collaborate
© 2024 Created by AllAboutGOD.com.
Powered by
You need to be a member of All About GOD to add comments!
Join All About GOD