Childlike Obedience

(1Co 1:29) That no flesh should glory in his presence.
(1Co 1:30) But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:
(1Co 1:31) That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.

God uses what is considered foolish and despised in this world to reveal His truth, so that He alone will receive the glory. Otherwise, the powerful would boast that they had found the truth. Instead, God sent His Son to become a humble carpenter and to die in the most despicable way, on a cross. Jesus’ life and death reveals God and His wisdom. Since Christ not only imparts wisdom but also righteousness, the Christian cannot boast, except in the Lord

As obedient children we obey out of love as opposed to obedient slaves who obey out of terror. We have obedience of faith and not of dread.

“By faith, Abraham…obeyed.” His obedience was always a result of his faith. As you and I render true obedience it is the product of our faith.

Obedience is worked in us by the Spirit of the Lord, through our belief in the truth, love, and grace of our God in Christ Jesus.

You cannot hope to render obedience by forcing your conduct into a certain groove or by using unaided, determined effort. The road to obedience is a free-grace road, and that is receiving, by faith, the Lord Jesus, who is the gift of God and who “of God is made unto us…sanctification” (1 Corinthians 1:30)

We accept the Lord Jesus by faith, and He teaches us obedience, creating it in us. The more faith in Him that we have, the more obedience to Him we will manifest. Obedience naturally flows out of faith, “for as a man thinketh in his heart, so is he” (Proverbs 23:7); and the holy obedience of a person’s life will be in proportion to the strength and purity of his faith in God, as He is revealed in Christ Jesus.

Consider the following:

The kind of faith that produces obedience, the kind of obedience that faith produces, and the kind of life that comes out of this faith and obedience. Let us trust the Holy Spirit for His gracious light.