Reasons To Obey God

We live in an age of rebellion where many people care little about God, seek their own
pleasure and ignore God. Many Christians are lukewarm. They are glad to be saved and
going to heaven, but they don’t care much about obeying and serving God. They are too
busy having a good time, and living for themselves than to care about living for Christ and
rescuing people from hell.

In order to be saved we must see ourselves as big sinners who have lived for self, wronged
God and have broken the chief commandment of Matthew 22:37,38 of not loving God with
all our heart, soul, mind and strength, and not loving our neighbour as ourselves.
When some Christians are asked to come to church they say: “You are always pushing me
to come to church.” A truly born again child of God with a new nature should find it a joy to
come to church to fellowship with believers and to learn more of the Bible.

We should not ask, “How little can I do for God?”, but we should ask: “How much can I do
for God?” We should find it a joy to serve God. Consider these reasons to obey God:

1. God created us.

God allows us to live in His wonderful world of beauty that He has created for our
enjoyment. To not obey God is to not acknowledge His goodness in giving us all these
things richly to enjoy. It is selfish and very ungrateful to take all from God and give Him
nothing or little in return.

2. God has goodwill towards us.

God wants good things for us, “The goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance.” Romans
2:4.

3. God knows what is best for us.

God’s ways are better than our ways. God is much wiser and smarter than we will ever be.
Often our wishes are based on wrong information.

“I am the Lord thy God which teacheth thee to profit, which leadeth thee by the way that
thou shouldest go. O that thou had harkened to my commandments! then had thy peace
been as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea.” Isaiah 48:17,18.

4. If we obey God today, then God will open up exciting new opportunities for us
later.

“He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the
least is unjust also in much.” Luke 16:10.

Every time we are challenged to obey God, we should view it as a test permitted by God. If
we obey God we pass the test and blessing follows. For example, the Abrahamic covenant
was given after Abraham passed the faith test in Genesis 13:5-18.

5. If We disobey God in any issue, we fail the test and loss results.

For example, Lot chose the best land for himself near Sodom, but he inherited trouble when
he was captured by Amraphel in a war. He later lost everything in the destruction of Sodom.

6. If we disobey God, our children will follow our example and disobey God also.

For example, Lot lost his reputation and testimony before his two daughters and sons-in-law
when he asked them to flee from Sodom. “But he seemed as one that mocked unto his
sons in law.” Gen. 19:14.

Lot’s two daughters so disrespected his lack of standards that they made him drunk and
committed incest with him.

On the other hand Abraham obeyed God and his son Isaac obeyed God, following his
father’s good example.

7. If we obey God, our children and grandchildren will be likely to obey God also.

This will bring blessing to our following generations. For example, Abraham was greatly
respected for his obedience to God by many generations of people to come.

8. If we obey God, we will be greatly respected by God and Godly people for years to
come.

People will remember us with great respect and they will be encouraged to obey God as
well.

“The memory of the just is blessed: but the name of the wicked shall rot.” Proverbs 10:7.

9. One act of disobedience leads to more disobedience

This is how bad habits are formed. The devil says “one sin won’t hurt.” This is a lie, because
it is harder to do right after a sequence of giving in to sin. Many people fall into deep sin and
trouble after giving in to a lot of small temptations.

10. If we obey god, then God will deliver us from trouble.

“The righteous is delivered out of trouble.” Proverbs 11:8.

11. If we obey God, we will prolong our days.

We all like to live a long and happy life. “Ye shall walk in all the ways which the Lord your
God hath commanded you, that ye may live, and that it may be well with you, and that ye
may prolong your days in the land which ye shall possess.” Deuteronomy 5:33.

12. Obeying God brings blessings.

“Them that honour me, I will honour.” I Samuel 2:30.

Our obedience will bless us and our children:

“O that there were such an heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my
commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children forever.”
Deuteronomy 5:29.

“Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse; a blessing if you obey the
commandments of the Lord your God…and a curse if ye will not obey the commandments
of the Lord your God.” Deut. 11:26-28. Israel’s history proves that obedience brings
blessing, and disobedience brings trouble.

13. Disobeying God brings discipline.

“My son, despise not thou the chastening (discipline) of the Lord.” Hebrews 12:5.
If we remember that sin will bring God’s discipline upon us, we will fear God, knowing that
He watches everything we do, approving or disapproving of our actions. God is powerful
enough to bring trouble to us if we sin. Therefore we are strongly motivated not to sin.