THE IMPORTANCE OF OBEDIENCE Surrendering to the Will

THE IMPORTANCE OF OBEDIENCE Surrendering to the Will to God and Committing to His Will Doing

MODERN RELIGIONS UNDERMINE OBEDIENCE • The “Cult” Accusation for Denying Salvation by “Faith Only” • Quotes from Charles Stanley: • “Even if a believer for all practical purposes becomes an unbeliever, his salvation is not in jeopardy” • “…believers who lose or abandon their faith will retain their salvation…” [Charles Stanley]

MODERN RELIGIONS UNDERMINE OBEDIENCE • The “Cult” Accusation for Denying Salvation by “Faith Only” • Quotes from Charles Stanley: • You and I are not saved because we have enduring faith. We are saved because at a moment in time we expressed faith in our Lord (p. 190). • Thus, obedience would have nothing to do with salvation.

UNLESS FAITH IS OBEDIENT IT IS “UNBELIEF” • The children of Israel believed in God’s existence but did not “obey” God – • Heb 3: 16 -19 • 16 For who, having heard, rebelled? Indeed, was it not all who came out of Egypt, led by Moses? 17 Now with whom was He angry forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose corpses fell in the wilderness? 18 And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who did not obey? 19 So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief. NKJV

UNLESS FAITH IS OBEDIENT IT IS “UNBELIEF” • The children of Israel believed in God’s existence but did not “obey” God – • Heb 4: 11 • 11 Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience. NKJV • Heb 5: 8 -9 • 8 though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered. 9 And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him, NKJV

SALVATION IS TO THOSE WHO OBEY FROM THE HEART • Even Romans, the book from which “faith only” doctrine is largely dependent, speaks of “obedience of faith” • Obedience to the faith – 1: 5 Beginning of book • Obedience to the faith – 16: 26 –End of the book • Obeyed from the heart – 6: 17 – In the middle of the book • Who you obey is your lord or master – 6: 16

CANNOT MERELY CALL JESUS LORD • Many will be surprised that calling Jesus “Lord” is not all it takes to go to heaven – Matt. 7: 21 f • Hearing Jesus must combine with DOING what He says – 7: 24 -27 • Cannot claim relation to Jesus without DOING the will of God – 12: 47 -50 • Hearers only are deceiving themselves – James 1: 21 -27

HOW IMPORTANT IS YOUR OBEDIENCE? • It proves faith is real • It will prevent you from being an “unbeliever” like those Israelites that fell in the wilderness • It will demonstrate Who is your master or Lord • It will show where your heart is • It will show that your religion is not in vain