A willingness to submit oneself to the will of God and to put it into effect. Scripture emphasises the necessity for God's laws to be followed, gives examples and reasons, and describes the rewards.
Obedience is demanded of God's people
Leviticus 25:18; 1 Samuel 15:22 See also Deuteronomy 26:16, Deuteronomy 32:46; Romans 6:16–18; 1 Peter 1:14–16
You are to keep My statutes and carefully observe My judgments, so that you may dwell securely in the land.
But Samuel declared: “Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obedience to His voice? Behold, obedience is better than sacrifice, and attentiveness is better than the fat of rams.
Examples of obedience in the OT
Joshua 11:15 See also Genesis 6:22, Genesis 12:1–4, Genesis 22:2–3; Exodus 40:16; Jonah 3:3
As the LORD had commanded His servant Moses, so Moses commanded Joshua. That is what Joshua did, leaving nothing undone of all that the LORD had commanded Moses.
The example of Jesus Christ
Matthew 26:39 parallels Mark 14:36, Luke 22:42John 14:31 See also John 17:4; Romans 5:19; Philippians 2:8; Hebrews 5:8
Going a little farther, He fell facedown and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me. Yet not as I will, but as You will.”
But I do exactly what the Father has commanded Me, so that the world may know that I love the Father. Get up! Let us go on from here.[’’]
Jesus Christ is obeyed
By the wind and the waves
Matthew 8:26–27 parallels Mark 4:39–41, Luke 8:24–25
“You of little faith,” Jesus replied, “why are you so afraid?” Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and it was perfectly calm. The men were amazed and asked, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the sea obey Him!”
By evil spirits
All the people were amazed and began to ask one another, “What is this? A new teaching with authority! He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey Him!”
Obedience and love
John 14:15; 1 John 5:3 See also Psalm 119:167; 1 John 2:5, 1 John 3:10; 2 John 1:6
If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.
For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome,
Obedience and faith
Hebrews 11:8; Matthew 7:21 Obedience to the will of God demonstrates the reality of a person's faith in Jesus Christ. See also Romans 1:5; James 2:14–26
By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, without knowing where he was going.
Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of My Father in heaven.
God rewards those who obey him
Exodus 19:5; John 15:10 See also Deuteronomy 5:29; 1 Kings 3:14; 2 Kings 18:5–7; Matthew 7:21, Matthew 7:24–25 parallel Luke 6:47–48; Matthew 12:50 parallels Mark 3:35, Luke 8:21; John 12:26, John 14:21, John 14:23, John 21:4–6; 1 John 2:17
Now if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, you will be My treasured possession out of all the nations — for the whole earth is Mine.
If you keep My commandments, you will remain in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and remain in His love.
Obedience to the word of God
Matthew 7:24–27; James 1:22 See also Psalm 119:9–11; Jonah 3:3; Luke 11:28; John 17:6; James 2:14–20
Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain fell, the torrents raged, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because its foundation was on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain fell, the torrents raged, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell— and great was its collapse!”
Be doers of the word, and not hearers only. Otherwise, you are deceiving yourselves.
Examples of people who obeyed God
Genesis 6:9 Noah; Genesis 12:1–4, Genesis 17:23; Psalm 119:30, Psalm 119:100–106; Acts 4:19–20, Acts 5:29; Philippians 3:7–14 Paul
Related themes
Dictionary of Bible Themes © 1999 Martin Manser, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, via Bible Aquifer. Formatted for this site, with Scripture from the Berean Standard Bible.