The Obedience of Faith – The
Faith of Obedience
Rom.1:1-7
1 Paul, a bondservant of
Jesus Christ, called an apostle, separated to the gospel of God 2 which He promised
before through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures, 3 concerning His Son Jesus
Christ our Lord, who was made of the seed of David according to the flesh, 4
and defined as
the
Son of God in power according to the Spirit
of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead. 5 Through Him we have received
grace and apostleship unto obedience of
faith among all nations for His name, 6 among whom you also are the called of Jesus Christ; 7 to all who are in Rome,
beloved of God, called saints: Grace
to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Believing / Obeying
Jn.3:16 “For God so loved the world that He gave His only‐born Son, in
order that everyone believing in Him
may not perish,
but may have eternal life.
Jn.3:18
The one believing
in Him is not
judged. But the one not
believing has been judged
already, because he has not believed in the name of the only‐born
Son of God. (DLNT)
The phrase “believes
in” expresses an ongoing belief.
It is not a one
time belief. The Greek word is present active continuous tense
and clarifies a continuous trusting, remaining faith in Christ. The phrase “does not believe” nullifies the
previous “believes in”. In other words, if the believer does not
continue in believing obedient faith, he stands condemned by God of himself.
Jn.3:36 The one
believing in the Son has eternal life. But the one disobeying the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him”. (DLNT)
“The one
who keeps on believing in the Son keeps
on having eternal life; but the one who keeps on being disobedient
(apeithõn, or uncompliant) to the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God remains upon
him.”
Thus disobedience is unbelief! And unbelief issues from a rebellious will.
In the New
Testament, when belief is said to lead to eternal life, as is the case [John 3:16,18,36,etc.], the tense expressing continuous action is always used while the tense expressing a single action is never used.
The
stress is thus placed on a continuous faith rather than on an isolated moment of faith.
Never in these passages
expressing belief in eternal life is one’s eternal security said to be
guaranteed by a single, isolated act
of faith.”
_
Dietrich
Bonhoeffer touched the very essence of Christianity-initial and progressive.
Hear this clear thinking disciple of Christ as he says: _ _ “...the following two
propositions hold good and are equally true: only he who believes is obedient,
and only he who is obedient believes.”
“In
the one case faith is the condition of
obedience, and in the other obedience
the condition of faith.”
“Few comprehend the primary thought of
‘belief.’ It has a two-fold meaning, fraught with deep significance.
In
it are combined two old Anglo-Saxon words:
‘be,’ to live or exist; and ‘lifan,’ which conveys the thought of accordance.
Thus to believe means literally ‘to live in accordance with’ anything.
We
are accustomed to consider ‘belief’ as simply mental acquiescence with some
particular truth.
But
its root leads us to action; that
which the mind accepts, the will must obey. We do not truly believe,
therefore, unless our conviction is manifested in our life.”
When
belief is said to lead to eternal life the present
tense of continuous action is always used, and the aorist tense of a single or momentary action is never used.
It
is impossible to have faith without
obedience or obedience without faith. Faith is an action word and the action is
obedience.
Disobedience - past experience for believers:
Titus 3:3; Eph.5:5-8; Rom.2:6-11;
Titus 1:15-16
Sin is disobedience is
unbelief:
Heb3:17-19; 4:6,11; 3:12-14;
5:8-9; Jn.8:51; 1Jn.2:3-4; Rom11:19-23; 1Pet.4:17-18
PRICELESS
SOUL WELL OF REVIVAL
MINISTRY