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Teaching Obedience & Learning to Obey


“Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age’” (Matthew 28:18-20).

It is relatively easy to teach and to learn the commands of God. These commands are made up of sentences that can be memorized. The Christian church has been teaching the commands for centuries.

I will now misquote verse 20: "and teaching them all of the commands I commanded you."

Here is it corrected: "teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you." I cannot teach obedience to commands as easily as I teach commands. But that is what we are told to do.

How can I teach obedience? By being obedient myself.

Paul did not hesitate to teach obedience this way:

“Even though you have ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel. Therefore I urge you to imitate me. For this reason I am sending to you Timothy, my son whom I love, who is faithful in the Lord. He will remind you of my way of life in Christ Jesus, which agrees with what I teach everywhere in every church” (1 Corinthians 4:15-17).

Paul was an example to be imitated. Timothy was an example to be imitated. These examples agreed with Paul's teaching. His teaching could teach commands. His example could teach obedience.

“Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God—even as I try to please everybody in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved. Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ” (1 Corinthians 10:32-11:1).

Paul gives the command (verse 32); then he gives himself as an example (verse 33); then he gives a reason for his example. After that, he gives a command to follow his example, which is imitating.

Do you want to learn to obey? Follow an example who obeys. Do you want to teach obedience? Be an example of obedience.

“Oh, that their hearts would be inclined to fear me and keep all my commands always, so that it might go well with them and their children forever!” (Deuteronomy 5:29).


This post coordinates with today's reading in the Same Page Summer Bible Reading Challenge. If you are not in a daily reading plan, please join us at TotheWord.com. We would love to have you reading with us.

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