Obedience to God: What Does It Really Mean?
Published Nov 8, 2021
In the dictionary, obedience is defined as “compliance with an order, request, or law or submission to another’s authority.” But obedience to God is so much more than just complying with His laws and commandments.
You see, there are only two usual reasons why we comply with someone’s orders. It’s either we can’t say no to them or we’re afraid of the consequences of disobeying them. But with God, there’s so much more than fear. As outlined in the Bible, obedience to God involves faith, trust, love, and a willingness to share in his sufferings.
Obedience in the Bible
You may not notice it but obedience to God is emphasized all throughout the Bible. From God commanding Adam and Eve not to eat the fruit from the tree at the center of the garden to Saul obeying God’s word, obedience is woven in almost every Bible story.
But as I’ve said, biblical obedience is a pretty different concept from our traditional notion of obedience. The Holman’s Bible Dictionary defines obedience as “to hear Gods word and act accordingly”. This is because the original word used for “obey” in the Bible, šāma, also means “to hear”. Even in the New Testament, the original Greek term for the word “obey” can also be translated as “to trust”.
If we are to sum these up, biblical obedience has three main definitions: to hear, to trust, to act upon. Where the traditional notion of obedience only denotes compliance, biblical obedience involves listening and trusting. This is what makes it special. It is borne not out of fear but out of faith and love. We obey Him not just because it is our obligation as Christians but because He called for us to obey Him, and we listened.
The Importance of Obedience to God
There are various reasons why obedience to God is constantly emphasized in the Bible. But the most compelling ones are:
Obedience is an Act of Worship
You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. – James 2:24
As Christians, we are often told that faith in God can bring salvation. While that is true in a sense, faith alone will not save us. As St. James puts it, faith without action is dead. This is why obedience is important. Obeying God is an act of worship in itself. It lets us put our faith into action. It’s our way of praying to God “not by the way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart” (Ephesians 6:6).
Obeying God Brings Blessings
Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it. – Luke 11:28
God rewards obedience. This is a concept that we read over and over again in the Bible. He made his loyal servant Abraham the father of all nations. When the Blessed Virgin Mary accepted God’s will in her now-famous fiat, God blessed her among women and made her the mother of God.
But obedience to God does not just bring blessings to you. It also brings rewards to the people around you. As the prophet Isaiah said: If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land (Isaiah 1:19). Moses’ obedience brought his people out of slavery and the apostles’ obedience to spread the word of God to the Gentiles is the reason why we are Christians today. For it is as the scriptures have said “and all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, if you obey the voice of the Lord your God” (Deuteronomy 28:2).
It’s How We Show Our Love
If you love me, you will keep my commandments. – John 14:15
Have you noticed that when the person you love asks something from you, you just can’t say no? And not because you felt obliged to obey them but because you want to show how much you love them. The same is true with God.
Jesus Christ himself said, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him” (John 14:23). Obeying His words and commandments is our way of showing our love for Him. For if we love Him, we will find that His commandments are not burdensome (1 John 5:3). Rather, it’s an opportunity to perfect His love in us (1 John 2:3-6).
Obedience is Better Than Sacrifice
And Samuel said, “Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams. – 1 Samuel 15:22
If we look at the Bible, you’ll notice that Biblical characters tend to make sacrifices to God when they sin or want to ask something from God. But as the prophet Samuel said, obedience is better than offerings and sacrifices. Don’t get me wrong, though. There’s nothing wrong with making offerings and sacrifices. But as St. Ignatius of Loyola said, true sacrifice is shown in deeds more than in words. In short, making sacrifices is good but it should not replace obedience.
It’s an Opportunity to Share in His Suffering
Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered. – Hebrews 5:8
When Jesus chose to die on the cross for our sins, he showed us what true obedience to God really means. I mean, He is the Son of God. If he wanted to, he could have chosen not to sacrifice his life. But he didn’t. Like a dutiful son, he obeyed the will of his father even if it means he will have to endure unimaginable suffering.
Yes, obeying God is not the easiest thing to do. When we obey his commands, we must be prepared to leave everything behind and follow in his footsteps. And most of the time, it also means sharing in his suffering.
Bible Stories About Obedience
Adam and Eve, Saul, Lot’s wife – they all give us a pretty good idea of what will happen if we disobey God. But on the other hand, the bible also gives us stories about how obedience to God is rewarded. Here are five Bible stories that teach us what it really means to obey God.
1. Noah and the Great Flood
The Story:
God saw how corrupt the earth had become. So he decided to send a big flood to destroy all humans. But he took pity on a man called Noah. He saw that Noah was righteous and very different from the men of his time. So He told him to build an ark and bring all his family with him. He also instructed Noah to bring into the ark a pair of all living creatures – birds, animals, and everything that moves on the ground. Noah did everything that he was told. When the flood came, all his family and the animals were saved from the deluge. Then on the 40th day, the flood subsided and the earth was renewed. Because of Noah’s obedience, God’s wrath also subsided. He made a covenant with Noah that He will never again destroy all living creatures as He had done.
What It Teaches Us:
This is a very familiar story for Christians. In fact, when talking about obedience to God, Noah’s story never fails to come up. He has shown us that obeying God does not only benefit us. It can benefit the people around us too (in his case, all of humanity).
Noah’s story also shows that obeying God requires great faith. I mean, imagine building an ark on dry land just because someone you can’t see has told you to. It wasn’t stated in the bible but the people around him have probably mocked him. Still, he persevered because his faith in God is stronger than what society tells him.
2. Abraham’s Calling
The Story:
Abraham was a faithful servant of God. So when God commanded him to move from the house of his father to the promised land, he didn’t hesitate. God promised Abraham that He would make his descendants a great nation and that his name will be remembered. Abraham took his wife, his nephew Lot, and all their belongings and made the long and arduous journey to Canaan. They eventually made it through. But both Abraham and Sarah were advancing in age and they don’t yet have any offspring. One day, angels visited them and told Sarah that she will have a son the year after. She didn’t believe them as it’s quite impossible for her age to get pregnant. But as the angels had foretold, she did bear a son whom they named Isaac. Isaac would go on to father Jacob whose descendants eventually formed the 12 tribes of Israel.
What It Teaches Us:
Just like Noah, Abraham obeyed God without hesitation. It’s, after all, not easy to leave everything behind and go on an uncertain journey to a land you’ve never seen before. On those days, the journey was even more difficult as they didn’t have cars and carts. They had to walk for months with all their belongings. Plus, there’s no guarantee that they’ll always have food for the entire length of the journey. They didn’t even know what kind of life awaits them in Canaan. But Abraham trusted God enough to make such an uncertain and life-changing journey. He knows that God always keeps his promises and he wasn’t disappointed.
3. Moses and the Exodus
The Story
Moses was an Israelite who was adopted by an Egyptian princess. During those times, the Israelites were slaves to the Egyptians. And like most slaves in that era, they were treated like property and were often subjected to violence. When Moses found out that he was actually an Israelite and he saw how an Egyptian was beating one of his people, he was so angry that he ended up killing the Egyptian. Fearing persecution, he fled to another land. There he lived quietly as a shepherd. Until one day, while tending his sheep, he saw a burning bush. Out of which, he heard God’s voice telling him to go back and save his people from the Egyptians.
He did not agree at first as he still fears for his life. But he eventually yielded. He left behind his family and traveled back to Egypt. There he talked with the pharaoh to let his people go. When the pharaoh declined, God sent the famous ten plagues to Egypt. After the last plague, the pharaoh yielded. While on the way to the promised land, the Israelites came upon the Red Sea which they had no way of crossing. The pharaoh also reneged on his decision and decided to give chase. Trapped between the sea and the chasing Egyptian army, Moses asked God for help. Then God told Moses to raise his staff and the sea parted. The Israelites were able to cross safely. But when the Egyptians tried to cross too, the sea crashed in on them drowning most of the pharaoh’s army.
What It Teaches Us:
Imagine if Moses didn’t obey God’s will. He would have lived a peaceful life with his family. But his people would continue to suffer under the Egyptians. His story taught us that to obey God, we must be prepared to live behind everything and give our lives completely to him. He also taught us that when we obey God’s will, he will never let us down. He was able to perform all those miracles that took his people out of misery because one man – Moses – obeyed Him.
4. The Walls of Jericho
The Story
In both biblical and historical contexts, Jericho was an important city with an impenetrable fortress. But God told Joshua, the leader of the Israelites at that time, that they will soon conquer the city. He told them to march around the city’s walls once a day for six days while blowing their trumpets and carrying the Ark of the Covenant. On the seventh day, they are to march around the walls seven times. The Israelites did everything God had told them. After marching seven times, they gave a loud roar, and the walls came crumbling down.
What It Teaches Us
Once again, we learn that obedience to God involves blind faith. There are several logical ways to conquer a city like Jericho. But marching around its walls while blowing trumpets isn’t one of them. Yet the Israelites did as they were told even if it doesn’t make logical sense and their obedience paid off. They were able to conquer an impenetrable city without lifting a single sword.
5. Mary’s Fiat
The Story
Mary was a woman from Nazareth who was engaged to a man named Joseph. But before their wedding, she was visited by an angel telling her that she was chosen to be the mother of the Messiah. Without hesitation, Mary responded, “I am the servant of the Lord. May it be done unto me according to your word”. Then the angel left and Mary conceived with the power of the Holy Spirit.
What It Teaches Us
Mary’s fiat is one of the most famous stories in the bible. For a woman of her time, being pregnant without a husband can be dangerous. She can be a social outcast or worse, stoned to death. Still, she accepted and consented to God’s will. Her “yes” was total and unequivocal. It was a total and complete surrender. She held nothing of herself back from God. Her fiat sets an example of how we should respond to God’s will in our lives.
Seek a Deeper Connection with God and Join Lay Cistercians of South Florida
Lay Cistercians of South Florida, is a community of lay people who seeks to have a deeper connection with God by living a life inspired by the monks and nuns through Lay Monasticism. Learn more about what is a Lay Cistercian on our website. Anyone who aspires to do the same as us, and is a confirmed Catholic is welcome to join us! We meet every second Saturday of the month at Emmanuel Catholic Church in Delray Beach, Florida.
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About The Author
Judy Ponio is a professional writer for the Lay Cistercians blog and a devoted Catholic. She works hard to ensure her work uses accurate facts by cross checking reputable sources.
