Article July 22, 1905 Issue

Obedience

PROF. JOEL RUFUS MOSLEY.

To obey in the biblical sense means "to hear," "to hearken," to "be persuaded," to "be subject to" (Hastings' Bible Dictionary). In its highest sense it means to be at one with the will, purpose, and law of God; to be receptive to God, to respond to His wisdom, truth, and love.

Both the Old and New Testaments make obedience "the cause and condition of salvation." It is "the fundamental Old Testament virtue." Obedience was not only the cause and condition of all Israel's blessings, but disobedience was as certainly the cause and explanation of all her misfortunes. In the New Testament it is made the supreme test of Christian loyalty and Christian love (John, 14:15, 23). Indeed, to be a Christian, according to the New Testament standard and requirements, is to be obedient to God, Christ, and the right, and disobedient to all that is ungodly, unchristian, and wrong.

Abraham, Moses, the prophets, and all the heroes of faith in the Old Testament were examples of obedience. These Old Testament worthies not only put obedience above sacrifice, but also above prayer and prophecy. They saw that prayers that were contradicted by disobedient lives had little hope of acceptance, and that prophecy that urged disobedience was to be disregarded. Nevertheless, no sin of Israel was so great that it was not freely "forgiven when penitence manifested itself in the fruit of obedience." (See Deuteronomy, 4:30, Jeremiah, 26:13, and Article on Obedience in Hastings Bible Dictionary.)

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