Romans 1: 5: “Through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles in behalf of His name,”
Faith come by hearing the word, and the essence of hearing is obedience so that what one hears might be profitable. Faith is not profitable without obedience.
In the book of Joshua, chapter 6, we read how the nation of Israel conquered Jericho. The people were one (unity) in obedience to the instructions of Joshua as received from God. Believers must be united in one purpose, and that one purpose must be obedience, to do all they have heard. Ephesians chapter 4 in verse 13 says: “Till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the fulness of the stature of Christ.” Of what purpose is the knowledge of the truth when there is no obedience that is corresponding action to the word and its instructions. It is in obedience that we gain wisdom.
In the teaching on faith, obedience must be emphasised, so we do not make a shipwreck of our faith and miss the essence of it, which is the salvation of our soul. “This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth, but thou shall meditate therein day and night that thou may observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shall make thy way prosperous and then thou shall have good success” (Joshua 1: 8). This was the word of the Lord to Joshua after Moses the man of God passed away, and it sums it all up. “That thou may observe to do according to all that is written” this is a call for obedience, and it is the strength of our faith and hence of our continued relationship with God. Though our obedience comes off faith, but our obedience is the strength, the tap that keeps the flow of faith and the relationship with God that results. Two cannot walk together except they be agreed, the word of God is given that we may obey and keep the cycle of relationship.
The rewards of obedience are to “make thy way prosperous and thou shall have good success” (Joshua 1: 8), and to “come to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ” (Ephesians 4: 13). This is the physical and spiritual realms of our salvation.
At the inception of the church after the Holy Ghost came upon the disciples, we read in Acts chapter 6 verse 7: And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith”. This is how the church will be wrapped up too, a great company of priests and believers will be obedient to the faith inspired by the word. Daniel said in chapter 12 verse 4 of the book of Daniel concerning the time of the end which we are in: “…knowledge will increase”.
As knowledge increases, believers should gather round the increased knowledge (exposition) of the word and must be united in obedience to the word and its instructions, and the wisdom and the power to wrap up the age will come upon the church and then shall our Lord, the Head of the Body, the Church, come for His church that is without spot or wrinkle in their obedience to the faith in Him.
