Why Obedience?

For no human being will be justified in His sight by works of the law, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.

Romans 3:20 (RSV)

During a panel discussion on divine justice and obedience to the law, several pastors gathered to shed light on the topic and answer questions from the various participants. One pastor, a fervent believer in the teachings of the Old Testament, was convinced that only perfect obedience to God's Word could guarantee our salvation and erase our sins. He asserted that a single transgression of God's law would cause us to lose the salvation Jesus Christ obtained for us on the cross.

One thing is certain: he believed that salvation did not require obedience, because it was the sacrifice of the cross that granted it, but that remaining saved until the end required our obedience. His position sparked an uproar in the room, with other pastors and participants disagreeing. This pastor, a fervent believer in the Old Testament, failed to understand that obedience to God's Word is the result of our faith in God and our attachment to the person of His Son, Jesus Christ.

When we say we believe in Jesus Christ, we acknowledge our sin, we acknowledge that without His intervention and death on the cross, we would not have been spared God's wrath. We also believe in His resurrection, the guarantee of our glorious eternity. Why then are we obligated to obey the Word? Because it is through His Word that God reveals Himself to us and prescribes how to live and walk in holiness. Obedience is not the cure for sin or the solution to salvation, but the means to know God's will and to please Him.

May the grace and peace of God be with you all.