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THE LAW AND OBEDIENCE TO SCRIPTURE 5/27/09
Rom 5:19-21 NKJV
For as by one man's disobedience many were made
sinners, so also by one Man's obedience many will be
made righteous. 20 Moreover the law entered that the
offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace
abounded much more, 21 so that as sin reigned in death,
even so grace might reign through righteousness to
eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Gal 3:1-3 NKJV
O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you that you
should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus
Christ was clearly portrayed among you as crucified? 2
This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the
Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of
faith? 3 Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit,
are you now being made perfect by the flesh?
Today I was considering the many passages of scripture
about not having faith in following the law, but rather
having faith in Jesus Who makes us righteous. For some
reason, many people apply the law, faith and grace
scriptures against various holiness doctrines within
church culture. They use these scriptures as a weapon
against the religious spirit. Using these scriptures
does not make sense to me for two reasons:
1) The law spoken in the NT was always referring to the
OT laws and ordinances. 2) The NT teaches obedience
and the word is mentioned 46 times in the NT.
What IS the Law?
Who do we know in our churches who are practicing the OT
laws in order to be saved, justified or declared
righteous? I can’t think of anyone I know. In the
places in the New Testament, when it is speaking about
following the law, they were speaking to those raised in
Judaism who literally did follow the law and ordinances
of the Old Testament and were unable to place their
faith in only the works of Jesus Christ to save them
from their sins and make them righteous. In the places
where the NT mentions the law, it is not talking about
someone being justified by following the Christian
culture of holiness.
What Does the NT Scripture Say About Obedience?
As I pondered this, I looked up the words obey,
obedience and obedient in the NT. In these scriptures,
it tells us:
JESUS, OUR STANDARD WAS OBEDIENT UNTO DEATH
Phil 2:8-9 NKJV
And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled
Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even
the death of the cross.
Heb 5:7-11 NKJV
Who, in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up
prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears
to Him who was able to save Him from death, and was
heard because of His godly fear, 8 though He was a Son,
yet He learned obedience by the things which He
suffered. 9 And having been perfected, He became the
author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him, 10
called by God as High Priest "according to the order of
Melchizedek,"
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OBEDIENCE OF OUR THOUGHTS
2 Cor 10:5-6 NKJV
...bringing every thought into captivity to the
obedience of Christ, 6 and being ready to punish all
disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled.
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BEING OBEDIENT AGAINST SIN, LUST & UNRIGHTEOUSNESS
1 Peter 1:16 NKJV
Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober,
and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be
brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 14 as
obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the
former lusts, as in your ignorance; 15 but as He who
called you is holy, you also be holy in all your
conduct, 16 because it is written, "Be holy, for I am
holy."
Rom 2:5-11 NKJV
But in accordance with your hardness and your
impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself
wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the
righteous judgment of God, 6 who "will render to each
one according to his deeds": 7 eternal life to those
who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory,
honor, and immortality; 8 but to those who are
self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey
unrighteousness — indignation and wrath, 9 tribulation
and anguish, on every soul of man who does evil, of the
Jew first and also of the Greek; 10 but glory, honor,
and peace to everyone who works what is good, to the Jew
first and also to the Greek. 11 For there is no
partiality with God.
Rom 6:12-14 NKJV
Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body,
that you should obey it in its lusts. 13 And do not
present your members as instruments of unrighteousness
to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive
from the dead, and your members as instruments of
righteousness to God. 14 For sin shall not have dominion
over you, for you are not under law but under grace.
James 1:12-15 NKJV
Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when
he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life
which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. 13
Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by
God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He
Himself tempt anyone. 14 But each one is tempted when he
is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. 15 Then,
when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and
sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.
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OBEYING THE ANGELS WORD
Acts 5:19-20 NKJV
But at night an angel of the Lord opened the prison
doors and brought them out, and said, 20 "Go, stand in
the temple and speak to the people all the words of this
life."
Acts 5:27-32 NKJV
And the high priest asked them, 28 saying,"Did we not
strictly command you not to teach in this name? And
look, you have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and
intend to bring this Man's blood on us!" 29 But Peter
and the other apostles answered and said:"We ought to
obey God rather than men. 30 The God of our fathers
raised up Jesus whom you murdered by hanging on a tree.
31 Him God has exalted to His right hand to be Prince
and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness
of sins. 32 And we are His witnesses to these things,
and so also is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to
those who obey Him."
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BEING OBEDIENT TO LEADERS
2 Thess 3:13-15 NKJV
But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary in doing
good. 14 And if anyone does not obey our word in this
epistle, note that person and do not keep company with
him, that he may be ashamed. 15 Yet do not count him as
an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.
Heb 13:17 NKJV
Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for
they watch out for your souls, as those who must give
account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for
that would be unprofitable for you.
1 Peter 3:1-2 NKJV
Wives, likewise, be submissive to your own husbands,
that even if some do not obey the word, they, without a
word, may be won by the conduct of their wives, 2 when
they observe your chaste conduct accompanied by fear.
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OBEDIENCE TO GOSPEL
1 Peter 4:17-18 NKJV
For the time has come for judgment to begin at the
house of God; and if it begins with us first, what will
be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God?
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TESTED FOR OBEDIENCE IN ALL THINGS
2 Cor 2:5-11 NKJV
But if anyone has caused grief, he has not grieved
me, but all of you to some extent — not to be too
severe. 6 This punishment which was inflicted by the
majority is sufficient for such a man, 7 so that, on the
contrary, you ought rather to forgive and comfort him,
lest perhaps such a one be swallowed up with too much
sorrow. 8 Therefore I urge you to reaffirm your love to
him. 9 For to this end I also wrote, that I might put
you to the test, whether you are obedient in all things.
10 Now whom you forgive anything, I also forgive. For if
indeed I have forgiven anything, I have forgiven that
one for your sakes in the presence of Christ, 11 lest
Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not
ignorant of his devices.
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OBEDIENCE OF YOUR CONFESSION OF THE GOSPEL
2 Cor 9:13-14 NKJV
...while, through the proof of this ministry, they
glorify God for the obedience of your confession to the
gospel of Christ, and for your liberal sharing with them
and all men...
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