I think sometimes as Christians we have this view of obedience to God as being a grand mountain top experience.
Is it possible, we believe that as we are obedient to God; God will allow us to experience an exhilarating Lifetime moment at the top of the world for all to see?
But what if being obedient to God is what a famous quarterback said about obedience?
Roger Staubach is most famously known for his achievements as the quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys in the 1970’s. During his career, he was a six-time pro bowler and led his team to two Super Bowl Championships, one of which he was the Super Bowl MVP. Staubach admitted at one point how challenging it was to be the quarterback and yet never call his own plays. Coach Landry sent every play. Landry told him when to pass and when to run, and he was expected to follow this. Even though Coach Landry was thought to have a “genius mind” when it came to football, pride made obedience difficult for Staubach. Despite this fact, Staubach later confessed,
“I faced up to the issue of obedience. Once I learned to obey, there was harmony, fulfillment, and victory.”
It seems Roger is teaching us that when it comes to obedience there is a maturation of thought.
This maturation of thought suggest that obedience may not always seem the best in the short term but obedience learned is the best for eternity.
There is a fascinating line in Romans 16: 19
the apostle Paul having never visited the Roman Christian Church said something about that church that must appeal to our thinking as a follower of Jesus Christ. Listen to his words:
Everyone has heard about your obedience…Romans 16:19
Apparently, a Christian Church being obedient is significant as everyone knows about their obedience…
What does it mean to be known for obedience?
We get a deeper understanding of this obedience in Romans 16:26
Through the scriptures we learn the commandments of God which translates to an obedience according to faith or as another translation put it: obedience of faith or obedience that comes from faith
What is this obedience of faith?
What does it mean to have an obedience according to faith?
The Bible says in Romans 10 that faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of Christ.
This means that as a person experiences God's word, they will develop a faith and in that faith they will be convicted to be obedient to God's word.
what happens when a person is disobedient to God's word?
Read 2 Thessalonians 1:8
He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus
God's word always requires of us some sense of obedience.
I believe there are biblical tenets of obedience when we first became Christians: confession of sin, repentance of sin, being immersed underwater into Christ, confessing Jesus as your Lord and savior, be in a church, etcetera...
Does obedience stop with just simply our initial obedience to the gospel?
No, obedience to the gospel is a one way, lifelong endeavor for the Christian.