What are the factors affecting obedience? Could there be any of these factors in your life? Check out these four factors affecting obedience and its effect on contentment. And how it affects all those in your life, including those in the generations beyond your life.
Factors Affecting Obedience
1. Factors Affecting Obedience: OutRight Rebellion
Nehemiah led the charge of rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem. Once the walls were completed, Ezra, the prophet, read from the book of the Law of Moses (Nehemiah 8:1). We know today that this ‘book’ is the first 5 books of the Bible, known as the Pentateuch. After he read it, the people learned about celebrations they should be having and the history of their forefathers. After three weeks of celebrating and learning from God’s Word, they repented their sins and their ancestors’ sins (Nehemiah 9:1-2). They recounted how God the creator chose Abraham and the covenant He promised him. And how the Israelites were saved from their suffering in Egypt and gave them the law on Mt. Sinai. However, their forefathers had become prideful and did not obey God’s commands.
And you warned them in order to turn them back to your law. Yet they acted presumptuously and did not obey your commandments, but sinned against your rules, which if a person does them, he shall live by them, and they turned a stubborn shoulder and stiffened their neck and would not obey.
Nehemiah 9:29 ESV
What the Israelites Learned & Implemented
The Israelites realized their forefathers had disobeyed God’s commands and ran the other way. This disobedience led to wandering in the wilderness for 40 years, and many died. And once they got to the Promised Land, they were given kingdoms and nations. Yet they rebelled and turned against the law. And as a result of this disobedience, they were oppressed and given into the hands of their enemies. There are consequences of rebellion, as we talked about previously and how those consequences impact our contentment.
On this day, the Israelites, in front of Ezra and Nehemiah, made a covenant “to obey carefully all the commands, regulations and decrees of the LORD our Lord” (Nehemiah 10:29 ESV).
How often have we run away from God and, as a result, have dealt with the consequences of our own disobedience? I know that I have encountered this many times in my life. The results are not pretty. I repent and come back to God. And there is peace once again in my life. Will you repent from your waywardness today and make a covenant with God to obey His commands?
Remember, as Christ-followers, we don’t have to follow all the laws of the Old Testament because Christ died for us on the cross. In doing so, He abolished the law and fulfilled it simultaneously. We no longer have to give daily or weekly sacrifices for our sins. Christ paid the penalty once and for all (Hebrews 10:5-10). Look to the commands of the New Testament to guide you.
2. Factors Affecting Obedience: Disobeying Your Parents
In Bible Verses on Obedience to God, we talked about obeying our parents by looking at the scripture in Colossians 3:20 ESV. However, this scripture in Proverbs is about disobeying your parents as one of the factors affecting obedience.
The eye that mocks a father and scorns to obey a mother will be picked out by the ravens of the valley and eaten by the vultures.
Proverbs 30:17 ESV
Ouch! That would hurt, wouldn’t it? The word mock in Hebrew here means “to mock, deride, ridicule.” And the word scorn means to “despise, hold in contempt, hold as insignificant.” This means that if we make fun of or act like our parents aren’t worthy of respect, we are disobeying them.
The imagery here of birds swooping in on their prey reflects how this person is being foolish and blind to the fact of respecting their parents. David Guzik’s commentary says that “their eyes reflect what their mind is thinking. And that mocking and disobeying their parents upsets the social order and sets the generations in conflict.”
When young children disobey their parents, they don’t have this awareness of being foolish and an unpure mind. However, as we grow up, we must obey and respect our parents. They are people too and may have made grievous errors in our minds, but disobeying your parents can affect your generation (you and your siblings) and the generations to come.
3. Pride, Lying, and Blame
In this third way of affecting obedience, we learn from King Saul what NOT to do.
Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned, for I have transgressed the commandment of the Lord and your words, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice.
1 Samuel 15:24 ESV
At first glance of reading this verse, we think that fearing others instead of God is what affects obedience. But when reading the whole story in 1 Samuel 15, we learn more. After Saul was anointed king, Samuel gave him instructions from the Lord to destroy all of the Amalekites, for God was bringing judgment on them. The command included killing the king, the women, and the children. And all of their livestock as well. However, Saul didn’t obey all of the Lord’s commands by sparing King Agag, bringing back the spoils, and he made a monument to himself.
When Saul met with Samuel, he lied to him about performing the commandment of the Lord. Samuel asked him why he heard bleating sheep and lowing oxen. And then he said the people were the ones who brought the spoils of the sheep and oxen to sacrifice them to the Lord (1 Samuel 15:13-15 ESV).
In his pride, Saul reported that “I” have followed the command of the Lord, yet he did not destroy ALL of the people and animals as commanded. Then when questioned, he lied and blamed the people.
Whenever pride, lies, and blaming others are involved, it is a slippery slope of sin. It is so hard for us to admit that we were wrong. Yet admitting fault is much easier than trying to cover our tracks and remembering to who we told all the lies. While admitting fault is painful, the consequences of being honest are far easier than living with a lie that you must keep telling more stories to cover things up. You hurt yourself and those around you. And you become untrustworthy, so no one wants to be around you.
Pride is the one that I have dealt with the most. It is sneaky, and you often don’t see that you have been prideful until you completely fall on your face. When my job changed and I was humbled, I realized how prideful I had been and was trying to run from God’s plan and puff myself up by doing what would make me look important.
Admittedly, I will puff up myself for something that I’ve done. I take that thought captive. Then I thank God for the capabilities He has given me and give Him the glory for the inspiration or giving me the strength to carry out the task.
4. Not Believing in Jesus
John, chapter 3, focuses on being born again of the Spirit. This is when we choose to believe in Jesus as our Lord and Savior. When we believe in Him, we have eternal life.
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.
John 3:16 ESV
Those who choose Jesus will choose to walk in obedience to His commands. Believers will spend eternity with God and all those who have believed. However, those who don’t choose to believe in Jesus won’t act in obedience to God’s commands.
Hebrews 11:6 ESV says, “without faith it is impossible to please him.” A person who doesn’t know God cannot understand His ways, laws, and why it is important to follow Him and obey Him.
These people will see the wrath of God by living in hell for an eternity away from God.
Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.
John 3:36 ESV
Choosing not to have faith in Jesus will affect who you obey. Do you obey God and Jesus and have a full life here and after you die? Or do you obey the evil one who is the ruler of the air and have a life chained to the prison of the flesh and death?
I am so glad that I chose Jesus so many years ago! And choose to obey His commands. Where are you at with this factor that can affect obedience? Choose Jesus and believe today!
Summary: Obedience Matters for All
When it comes down to it, obedience matters for us, our children, and our grandchildren. It matters how we influence others around us for Christ where we work. And where we live. Are we showing Jesus to our neighbors by our actions? Remember, God’s commands are for our good, not for evil. When we obey them, He blesses us and everyone around us.
Be careful to obey all these regulations I am giving you, so that it may always go well with you and your children after you, because you will be doing what is good and right in the eyes of the Lord your God.
Deuteronomy 12:28 ESV
Anytime we choose to disobey God, we affect our contentment. Period.
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