STEP TEN

THE OBEDIENT BELIEVER

1. The goal of life

   
   1.1 Be made in the image of Christ--Rom 8:29; I John 3:2

   1.2 Perfect (mature) in Christ--Col 1:28

   1.3 Fruit that remains--John 15:16
   
   

2. What is Christian obedience?

   
   2.1 Keeping the commandments of Christ--John 14:15

   
   2.2 Doing what He tells us--John 15:14

   
   2.3 Doing the will of the Father--Matt 7:21

   
   2.4 Following Biblical examples:
   1. Christ--Phil 2:5-8
   2. The apostles--I Cor 11:1-Paul
   3. The heroes of the faith--Heb 12:1

   
   2.5 Loving God and your neighbor

   1. The new commandment--love as He loves us--Jn 13:34,35
   2. The two great commandments--Luke 10:27
      1. Love the Lord your God with.all your heart, soul, strength and mind.
      2. Love your neighbor as yourself.

   
   2.6 Denying yourself--Luke 9:23

   
   2.7 Following the two mandates:
   1. The evangelistic mandate--Mt 28:19-20
   2. The cultural mandate (to take care of God's creation)--Gen 1:26, 28-30
      
      
3. Some things God promises those who obey Him.

   3.1 Blessings--Deut 28:1-14; Josh 1:8
   
   

   3.2 Persecution and suffering--2 Tim 3:12; 1 Peter 4:12-16 Abraham obeyed and

   suffered.


3.3 Being a friend of God--John 15:14


3.4 Being loved by God--John 14:21

4. Observations about obedience

   
   4.1 Obedience is better than religious rituals--I Sam 15:22; Isaiah 1:11-17

   
   4.2 There are obstacles in life which hinder one from obeying Christ.

4.3 Jesus requires complete, immediate, and total obedience, doing what he tells me.

1. "Why do you call me Lord..." Luke 6:46
2. "No one can serve two masters..." Luke 16:13


4.4 Obedience is from heart--Pr 4:23; Ps 119:10,11. So it is a matter of the will. In this

moment, you can decide to obey Christ voluntarily. His promise is that he will give you the POWER to carry through--Phil 4:13.


4.5 God helps the believer to be obedient. Phil 1:6; 2:13-the will and the power to

obey; Matt 11:28-30.


4.6 Obedience can lead to persecution and suffering--II Tim 3:12; I Peter 4:12-16;

Abraham obeyed and suffered--Heb 11:8-10



5. We must be obedient all through life.

   
   5.1 He that thinks he is safe; watch out that he doesn't fall--I Cor 10:12.

   
   5.2 The importance of faithfulness--"When you make a promise to God, do not be slow in

   keeping it." Eccl 5:4,5

   
   5.3 Small things are very important--Matt 25:21; James 3:3-5; Song of Songs 2:15

   (Note: It was the little foxes that could sneak in undetected and chew the bark off the grape vines and thus kill the plants. And so it is with us, little sins can sneak up and destroy us.)

HOMEWORK: Memorize John 14:21

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