Trusting God Enough to Obey

By Jamey Hinds

Paul uses the following phrase in his wonderful letter to the Roman Christians in the beginning and ending: “the obedience of faith.” There are many people who want to argue with this phrase, but it’s there so clearly in Romans 1:5 and 16:26. I would suggest that this phrase serves as the theme of the epistle and with it being in the beginning and ending of this letter, it serves as bookends, so that everything between 1:5 and 16:26 is connected closely by the focused clarity of the phrase, “the obedience of faith.”

In Romans 6:16 Paul writes: “Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness?” We choose our master, and we will reap the eternal reward by our choice.

Again, a lot of religiously-minded people will hold to the notion that faith alone (all by itself) will save our souls from eternally-deserved condemnation. The writer of Hebrews 11 denies this unbiblical idea: every time “by faith” is used in this chapter, it’s followed by a verb. For example, Hebrews 11:4 shows us that by faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain.

It’s not that faith plays no part in our salvation—God commands faith, as He provides the means of faith:

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.” (Romans 1:16–17)

The writer of Hebrews 11 reminds us that “without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him” (v. 6). The gospel message is not debating the difference or efficacy of faith versus works—it’s not either/or, but both: faith works. Jesus taught his apostles when they asked for an increase in faith:

“Will any one of you who has a servant plowing or keeping sheep say to him when he has come in from the field, ‘Come at once and recline at table’? Will he not rather say to him, ‘Prepare supper for me, and dress properly, and serve me while I eat and drink, and afterward you will eat and drink’? Does he thank the servant because he did what was commanded? So you also, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.’” (Luke 17:7–10)

Jesus’ own example? “Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered. And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him” (Hebrews 5:8–9). How could we ever ague against Jesus? “And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross” (Philippians 2:8).

At the center of the conflict in obeying God’s commands is a lack of faith (cf. John 6:27–29); because if people simply trusted God, they’d do what he simply commands:

By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome. For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? (1 John 5:2–5)

Jesus, Paul, John, and the writer of Hebrews, combines the dynamite duo of faith with obedience. James affirms that faith without works is dead (James 2:24–26). And when he mentions Abraham’s faith, he summarizes: “You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works” (James 2:22).

“Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure” (Philippians 2:12–13).

“Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion … according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood: May grace and peace be multiplied to you” (1 Peter 1:1–2).