Scary word? Sound like you are giving up ALL control? Does the word leave a bad taste in your mouth? No personal choice? Just how DO you define the word and how is it seen in behavior? Just HOW can we look at obedience, positively?
Beginning with a definition to discover if we do understand the word, seems the most promising beginning.
“In simple terms, obedience is compliance with an order, request, law or submission to another’s authority. … In simple terms, obedience is compliance with an order, request, law or submission to another’s authority. The bible also talks a lot about obedience as it is seen in many scriptures.”
This was Google’s contribution to our understanding. And what pops out at us? ‘Compliance’, ‘Submission’ and thought the first word isn’t grievous, the second is!
“In its simpler Old Testament meaning the word signifies “to hear,” to listen.’ It carries with it, however, the ethical significance of hearing with reverence and obedient assent. In the New Testament a different origin is suggestive of “hearing under” or of subordinating one’s self to the person or thing heard, hence, “to obey.” There is another New Testament usage, however, indicating persuasion from, peithomai (Greek for persuade.) [BibleStudyTools.com]
I don’t know about you, but I’ve never defied ‘obedience’ as “to hear, to listen”. And how often to we ‘listen’ with reverence and assent? I also believe that the word implies an action on the hearer’s part… to follow (?), accept (?). How does this mesh with our understanding?
In Scripture there are over 72 verses that discuss obedience…
“Jesus answered, “If anyone [really] loves Me, he will keep My word (teaching); and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our dwelling place with him.” (John 14:23, AMP)
“You shall walk [that is, live each and every day] in all the ways which the Lord your God has commanded you, so that you may live and so that it may be well with you, and that you may live long in the land which you will possess.” (Deuteronomy 5:23. AMP)
Only looking at these 2 verses – what do we discover and understand? Our love is the foundation for acting in obedience. Our ‘reward’ is the love and companionship of the Father and Jesus. The context of the obedience is what God has commanded us:
“He has told you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you except to be just, and to love [and to diligently practice] kindness (compassion), And to walk humbly with your God [setting aside any overblown sense of importance or self-righteousness] (Micah 6:8, AMP)
This defines obedience entirely differently for me. It gives a standard, a way of living and interacting. Obedience can be viewed as one of our pillars. We can act with understanding when we change our perception of obedience from negative to a way of life in God. We submit, not to the world nor even to man, but to the creator of the world.
Relying only on ourselves is limiting. And we don’t need to. Obedience is not a negative word, but one of foundation – it depends on our definition, perception and acceptance.
