Faith And Obedience


Faith is essential to salvation, and that no amount of obedience alone can earn salvation. Can we receive eternal life without obedience ? Faith in Jesus requires obedience.

Accepting Jesus As Lord And Savior requires obedience. Only those who fears Him and works righteousness is acceptable to God. Jesus is the Savior. But He says He will save those who obey Him only. Jesus is the only one who can free men from sin. But to be set free we must be willing to obey what He commands.

It is not enough to just recognize Jesus as “Lord.” One must do the will of the Father. If Jesus is the Savior, then He will determine whom He will save. If He is our Lord, then we must accept what He says about salvation. He says that, in order to purify our souls, be saved, and enter into the kingdom of heaven, we must obey Him, do the Father’s will, and work righteousness.

Love must show itself in actions – obedience. If we don’t obey, we don’t really love. So love is essential to salvation, but obedience is essential to love. Therefore, obedience is essential to salvation. All Christians recognize the importance of love. If anyone does not love the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be accursed.” (1 Cor. 13:1-3.). What avails is faith expressing through love.

Faith is necessary to salvation, but some kinds of faith do not save. Demons believe in God, but they don’t obey. Are they saved? Both faith and obedience are necessary.

Examples in the Bible show that people received God’s rewards only after their faith led them to obey His commands. Faith that does not obey is faith that cannot save. Neither faith alone nor obedience alone can please God.

Neither the Bible doctrine of faith nor the Bible doctrine of love proves that we are saved without obedience. Both doctrines prove that obedience is necessary. Faith will not save until it moves us to obey. Obedience is included in justification by faith.

Repentance requires obedience also. We know that repentance is necessary to receive salvation. God will reward each one according to his deeds. Eternal life will be given to those who continue patiently in doing good. Tribulation will be given to those who reject the truth but who work evil. Flaming fire and everlasting destruction await those who do not want to know God.

Surely faith is necessary to salvation, but so are hearing the gospel, repentance, love, confession of Christ, and obedience. We are not saved by any one of these things alone. All these are required to please God, especially obedience but obedience alone cannot earn salvation, anything more than faith or repentance can. But all are necessary conditions in order for God to grant forgiveness to any one of us by His Grace.

Also pray with: