Obedience

Obedience

In the New Testament, several words are translated as obey or obedience. There is the obedience (peitharcheo) which means to hearken or submit to God and those in authority (Acts 5:29, Tit. 3:1). There is the obedience (peitho) that means to be persuaded by the truth (Rom. 2:8, Gal. 5:7). And then there is the obedience (hupakouo), which means listen and attend to (Eph. 6:1).

In the old covenant, obedience meant keeping the rules. In the new covenant, obedience means live by faith (e..g., Acts 6:7). It’s living from the persuasion that our Father loves us and wants the best for us. When you know how good God is, he is easy to trust and obey.

To define obedience as keeping the rules or moral living is to live in a kind of unbelief. It’s essentially saying, “I need to do things to make myself acceptable to God.” Genuine obedience stems from the obedience of Christ. It’s living from the persuasion that in him you are loved, forgiven, and accepted. There is nothing you can do to make yourself more loved, forgiven or accepted.

You were running well; who hindered you from obeying (peitho) the truth? (Galatians 5:7)

When the Galatians listened to the circumcisers, Paul said they were no longer obeying the truth. They were no longer persuaded. The challenge for the believer is to abide in Christ and walk by faith. To come under the law in some misguided attempt to be more obedient, is to fall from grace.

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