Faith and Obedience...The Relationship

A reader of yesterday's post asked me, "what about obedience?" Is obedience to Christ part of what makes up genuine faith? Good question! So, today we will take a look at the part obedience plays in a life of faith.

In Romans 1:5 Paul writes of an "obedience which come from (some translations "produced by") faith;" herein lies the relationship between obedience and faith. Remember, faith happens when we believe something to be true and place trust in that newfound belief. If we believe and trust (faith) something, we will necessarily be affected by that faith and our behavior will change. Real, genuine faith in Christ will affect every part of our being including how we speak, think and act.

James writes in chapter 2:18 that our faith is demonstrated by what we do! Real, genuine faith in Christ is more than lip service or simple belief in a set of facts. Faith is belief and trust which produces new expectations and a changed life (Hebrews 11:1). Faith in Christ necessarily produces obedience to Christ. So, have faith and be obedient to Jesus today!

James