Several days ago I wrote the first part of this in Obedience. Obedience is often a hard lesson for us to learn. We struggle with obedience as children, and unless we learn what it truly means to be obedient, that struggle carries forward into our adult lives.

For those who are Christian and claim to follow Christ, obedience can often be a difficult concept to grasp. How are we to be obedient to what God calls us to do? Thankfully, God’s Word has quite a bit to say in regard to being obedient. Here are just a few passages in Scripture.

”He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.“

1 John 2:6

”He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.“

1 John 2:4

”This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.“

Joshua 1:8

How are we to be obedient to Christ? How do we live obedient lives in a world and culture that rejects Christ? To be obedient to a God that calls us to be obedient (Leviticus 11:44-45), we must view the world as God does. We must view sin as God views sin. We must adapt a biblical worldview. So how?

I would be hard pressed to say that one can have a biblical worldview if they don’t spend time in God’s Word. If they don’t spend time in prayer. Most people, Christians and nonbelievers alike, can recite at least a few of the Ten Commandments found in Exodus 20. We know that not only is it illegal to murder, but it is also not morally acceptable. We know that adultery, while not illegal, is also not morally acceptable. Stealing is illegal and also not acceptable morally. We don’t need a Bible to tell us not to murder, cheat on our spouses, or steal. But if someone really wants to understand the heart of God they must search Scripture. If someone truly wants to know how God feels about sin, and in turn feel the same way about the sin in the world and in their own lives, it can only be accomplished by reading the Bible and asking God through prayer.

When God reveals sin in our lives through the Holy Spirit, we are left with the same two choices we had as children and our parents or guardian told us to do something: obey or willfully disobey. When we willfully disobey God, we set ourselves against Him (James 4:4; Romans 8:7). When we desire the things of this world and don’t desire to live holy lives in obedience to God, we become enemies of God.

Do we all sin? Absolutely. Will we still stumble and mess up even when we try to live a life of obedience to God? Yes. But the point is to not stay in that sin. The point is to recognize we failed or stumbled, see that sin as God sees it, confess and ask for forgiveness, and move forward in a life submitted and obedient to the God who redeemed us and set us free from the bondage of sin.

That is biblical obedience.