Blog

Sharing is Caring!

We Ought to Obey God

To obey God is different from complying with anyone else. The Lord God is not a man. And obeying Him is not mechanical.

We can’t execute His desires half-heartedly or how we desire. We could only carry out His wishes on His terms or not at all.

“Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, we ought to obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29).

The Lord instructed them that they must preach repentance and remission of sin in his name in Jerusalem first.

However, now the members of the Sanhedrin Council wanted to change that. Therefore, they threatened the apostles not to teach or preach in the name of Jesus.

Consequently, Peter and the other apostles resolutely proclaimed “we ought to obey God rather than men”.

Explanation for their Obedience to God

Then, they commence to give an explanation for their disobedience to civil authority and their obedience to God.

They started by recounting the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Thus they said:

“The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree” (Acts 5:30).

Then they explained why “God exalted” Jesus. Israel could only experience “repentance” “and forgiveness of sins” through Jesus Christ (Acts 5:31).

“Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins” (Acts 5:31).

Again, we encounter the notion that one cannot repent autonomously. God gives repentance. He gives the nation of Israel repentance through belief in Jesus Christ as the only begotten Son of God.

Obey God in all These

If they accept him as such they will receive repentance and ultimately forgiveness of sins. But first, they must embrace God.

“And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him” (Acts 5:32).

Irrespective of what it is that you are concerned about, whether it is speaking in tongues, repentance, water baptism, the name of Jesus Christ, or receiving the Holy Ghost, if you don’t obey God in all these, you are in error in all that you do.

To be in good standing with God we must adhere to Him. Comply with God in all that we do.

“When they heard that, they were cut to the heart, and took counsel to slay them” (Acts 5:33).

Men can be so irate when others disobey their commands. However, to live a victorious Christian life we must obey God.

Conclusion

The only true worship of God is to obey Him. Follow God in marriage, birth, death, baptism, salvation and everything else. To obey God is to worship Him. Worship Him in all that you do.

As Christians, this is our first duty. And know this, we cannot follow His directives half-heartedly.

We either embrace Him with our whole heart or not at all. He’s not a human. He is not our parent or friend.

We can receive nothing from God unless we heed His Word.

By obedience to God, through Jesus Christ, we distinguish ourselves from unbelievers and heathens. Obey God.