Obedience as a Response to Divine Providence
Divine providence refers to God's ongoing preservation and governance of all things, operating through secondary causes [1]. This oversight extends to the natural world, animal creation, and the affairs of humanity, including the free actions of individuals [1]. Obedience, in turn, is a response to God's will, encompassing actions such as obeying His voice and law, keeping His commandments, and submitting to governing authorities [4]. The concept of "obeisance" in biblical texts signifies homage or reverence, often expressed through bowing, which can be directed towards people, idols, or God Himself [2, 5].
Obedience is presented in scripture as a fundamental aspect of a relationship with God. It is commanded in various passages, such as Deuteronomy 13:4, and is considered impossible without faith [4]. The prophet Jeremiah highlights that offerings and sacrifices are meaningless to God if disobedience is present in the heart, emphasizing that God desires obedience over mere ritual [9]. Indeed, obedience to God is intrinsically linked to wisdom, with passages like Deuteronomy 10:12-13 and Proverbs 1:7 suggesting that obeying the Lord is the very essence of wisdom [7].
For believers, obedience serves as a clear indicator of their relationship with Christ and their belonging to Him [6]. As individuals obey Christ's commandments, their love for God and their understanding of Him are said to grow towards completeness [6]. The New Testament further illustrates this, with Paul stating in Romans 7:25, "with my mind I am a servant to the law of God." The apostle John also connects receiving from God to keeping His commandments and doing what is pleasing in His sight (1 John 3:22) [3]. Even Christ Himself, though God's divine Son, "learned obedience" through His sufferings, demonstrating the experiential nature of obedience in His role as High Priest [8]. This highlights that obedience is not merely a legalistic adherence but a faithful and loyal response to God's providential care [10].
Sources
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Providence — Literally means foresight, but is generally used to denote God's preserving and governing all things by means of second causes (Ps. 18:35; 63:8; Acts 17:28; Col. 1:17; Heb. 1:3). God's providence extends to the natural world (Ps. 104:14; 135:5-7; Acts 14:17), the brute creation (Ps. 104:21-29; Matt. 6:26; 10:29), and the affairs of men (1 Chr. 16:31; Ps. 47:7; Prov. 21:1; Job 12:23; Dan. 2:21; 4:25), and of individuals (1 Sam. 2:6; Ps. 18:30; Luke 1:53; James 4:13-15). It extends also to the free actions of men (Ex. 12:36; 1 Sam. 24:9-15; Ps. 33:14, 15; ”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Obeisance — Homage or reverence to any one (Gen. 37:7; 43:28).”
- I John “I John 3:22 (LITV) — And whatever we ask, we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments, and we do the things pleasing before Him.”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Obedience to God — Commanded -- De 13:4. Without faith, is impossible -- Heb 11:6. Includes Obeying his voice. -- Ex 19:5; Jer 7:23. Obeying his law. -- De 11:27; Isa 42:24. Obeying Christ. -- Ex 23:21; 2Co 10:5. Obeying the gospel. -- Ro 1:5; 6:17; 10:16,17. Keeping his commandments. -- Ec 12:13. Submission to higher powers. -- Ro 13:1. Better than sacrifice -- 1Sa 15:22. Justification obtained by that of Christ -- Ro 5:19. Christ, an example of -- Mt 3:15; Joh 15:20; Php 2:5-8; Heb 5:8. Angles engaged in -- Ps 103:20. A characteristic of saints -- 1Pe 1:14. Saints ”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Bowing — A mode of showing respect. Abraham "bowed himself to the people of the land" (Gen. 23:7); so Jacob to Esau (Gen. 33:3); and the brethren of Joseph before him as the governor of the land (Gen. 43:28). Bowing is also frequently mentioned as an act of adoration to idols (Josh. 23:7; 2 Kings 5:18; Judg. 2:19; Isa. 44:15), and to God (Josh. 5:14; Ps. 22:29; 72:9; Micah 6:6; Ps. 95:6; Eph. 3:14).”
- 1 John (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on 1 John 2:3: 2:3-6 Obedience is one clear indication that we know Christ and belong to him. If we do not obey Christ, it is obvious that we do not belong to him or love him. • As we obey Christ and his commandments, our love for God and our knowledge of him will grow toward completeness and maturity. We will live . . . as Jesus did, in union with God and showing love for others.”
- Deuteronomy (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Deuteronomy 4:6: 4:6 Obey . . . wisdom and intelligence: Wisdom is linked to obedience—obeying the Lord is the essence of wisdom (see 10:12-13; Prov 1:7; 9:10; 15:33). If God’s people were wise and prudent enough to keep the Lord’s perfect covenant, all the world would marvel.”
- Hebrews (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Hebrews 5:8: Though He WAS (so it ought to be translated: a positive admitted fact: not a mere supposition as were would imply) God's divine Son (whence, even in His agony, He so lovingly and often cried, Father, Mat 26:39), yet He learned His (so the Greek) obedience, not from His Sonship, but from His sufferings. As the Son, He was always obedient to the Father's will; but the special obedience needed to qualify Him as our High Priest, He learned experimentally in practical suffering. Compare Phi 2:6-8, "equal with God, but . . . took upon Him the form of a serva”
- Jeremiah (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Jeremiah 7:20: 7:20-23 The people’s offerings and sacrifices meant nothing to the Lord if disobedience ruled in their hearts. Their sacrifices did not manipulate God into doing something he would rather not do. Rather, they embodied the people’s trust in God’s gracious forgiveness. When the people tried to use the sacrificial system to manipulate God while living self-serving lives, it only infuriated him (Isa 1:10-16; Amos 5:21-27). Obedience to God allows for a personal relationship between God and his people that provides the basis for a wonderful future (Hos 6:6).”
- Psalms (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Psalms 103:18: 103:18 To obey God means to be faithful and loyal to him.”