Dear Friends,
Here are two words you don’t typically think go together. Obedience. And faith.
Our reticence to connect these words stems from our clear understanding that believers are saved by grace alone through faith alone. We are shy about having obedience connected in any way to our right standing before God.
And yet, the Apostle Paul does not share our reticence. While he clearly and boldly declares in Ephesians that our salvation is “not of works, lest anyone should boast,” he makes it clear as he both opens and closes his letter to the Romans that his calling as an apostle is to “bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of His name” (Romans 1:5, 16:26). In Paul’s mind, obedience and faith belong together.
There are two ways people have understood Paul’s coupling of obedience and faith in Romans. The first is by noting that unbelief – the opposite of faith – is an act of disobedience. God commands us to trust Him, to follow Him and to put our faith in Him. When we do, we are obeying His command. To respond to God with anything less than faith is sinful disobedience. So the obedience of faith might be referring to that we are doing what is pleasing to God when we respond to Him in faith.
The phrase might also be pointing us to the biblical teaching that a faith that fails to bring about obedience is not a real faith at all. The book of James calls it a dead faith. In his letter to Titus, Paul says that when the grace of God appears, bringing faith, it teaches us to say no to unrighteousness. "It is faith alone which justifies,” John Calvin said, “and yet the faith which justifies is not alone." It is our obedience, the writer of Hebrews says, that ultimately produces “the peaceable fruit of righteousness” (Heb.12:11). That’s why God disciplines us when we disobey. He is training us so we can experience the blessings that come when we obey by faith.
There’s an old children’s song about obedience that includes the lyric “obedience is the very best way to show that you believe.” And the old hymn reminds us that there is no other way to be happy in Jesus but to trust and obey.
There is something inside each of us that winces at the idea of obedience. To obey involves giving power to someone. We give up what we see as our right to be in control of our lives. If I’m obeying, that means you’re in charge. You’re calling the shots. I have to trust that you know what you’re doing. Obedience involves boundaries, and we don’t like limitations. Didn’t Jesus come to make us free indeed?
Spurgeon has some thoughts on the subject:
“It has been supposed by many ill-instructed people that the doctrine of justification by faith is opposed to the teaching of good works, or obedience. There is no truth in the supposition. We preach the obedience of faith. Faith is the fountain, the foundation, and the fosterer of obedience. Men obey not God till they believe him. We preach faith in order that men may be brought to obedience. To disbelieve is to disobey.”
“Obedience—what a blessing it would be if we were all trained to it by the Holy Spirit! How fully should we be restored if we were perfect in it! If all the world would obey the Lord, what a heaven on earth there would be! Perfect obedience to God would mean love among men, justice to all classes, and peace in every land. Our will brings envy, malice, war; but the Lord’s will would bring us love, joy, rest, bliss. Obedience—let us pray for it for ourselves and others!
We may wince at the idea of obedience, but there’s no alternative for us as Christians, according to J.C. Ryle:
- "There are two groups in the entire world, sons of obedience and sons of disobedience"
- "Following Jesus demands radical obedience… to profess love to Christ, and at the same time to disregard his will and to defy his authority, is hypocrisy".
- "Obedience is the only reality. It is faith visible, faith acting, and faith manifest".
If you love me, Jesus told us, you will keep my commandments. You will obey. We can logically assume that an unwillingness to obey the Lord reveals an absence of real love for our Savior.
Obedience and faith belong together. They are relatives, not strangers. The phrase “the obedience of faith” encapsulates not a new legalism but instead the complete reorientation of the self toward Christ. Responding to Him with “the obedience of faith” ties together both belief and lived commitment. It’s what Jesus means when He calls us to follow Him.
It’s a call to obey.
REDEEMER CHURCH BUSINESS MEETINGThis Sunday at 4:00 pm, all church members are invited to attend our annual Church Business Meeting. We’ll update you on ministry plans and objectives for 2026, review our finances and budget for this year, answer any questions you might have.
Oh, and there’s cheesecake. Because of course there is.ROOTS HANGOUTStudents – get ready for a Saturday night hang out with Pastor Cole and Hannah at their new house (note the new address).
PARENTING PARTNERSHIPS
Moms and Dads. We have something special ahead for.
(https://redeemerlr.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=df57aea0670b59c32464d5bab&id=1a28c42cc0&e=fbb0a4052b)
If your oldest child is 10 or younger, our next Parenting Partnership meeting is coming up in a few weeks, on Saturday morning, March 28. Come and connect with other parents in your stage of life, hear from older parents, and to learn more about what the Bible says about how we are to train up our children.
For more information about the Parenting Partnership plan, click this link (https://redeemerlr.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=df57aea0670b59c32464d5bab&id=18171b1219&e=fbb0a4052b) or contact Carlos Santiago at csantiago.rcc@gmail.com (mailto:csantiago.rcc@gmail.com).
HOLY WEEK AT REDEEMERHoly week and our celebration of Jesus’ resurrection is a few weeks away. Here’s what we have planned for that week.
It begins on Palm Sunday, March 29, as we start our worship service with our elementary aged kids singing a special song for us.
Friday night, April 3, we will gather to reflect on the darkest day in human history – the execution of Jesus.
On Saturday, April 4, our kids will come together for our annual Resurrection Rally, where they will have fun gathering plastic eggs and learning the Easter story.
And on Sunday, April 5, we’ll have our Easter Sunday worship service.
This year, our Easter service will feature a special Easter choir singing two songs. And you’re invited to join your voice with the others! If you have any background in choral music or are interested in learning parts and singing together with others on Easter, let Shelley Vance or Jen Gurney know asap. They can share with you how you can be part of the Easter choir this year. Text Shelley at 501.912.4236. Or Jen at 859.771.6580.
NXTGEN GET TOGETHER
Young adults – the night before Easter is the next NxtGen get together at the Gurneys. Y’all come!
THE REDEEMER MEN'S CLASSIC Golfers – are you ready for some fun and friendly competition?
Cole Perkins says it would be a serious breach of golfing protocol to refer to this event as “The Redeemer Masters.” So I won’t make that mistake. We’ll call it a classic instead.
Click here (https://redeemerlr.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=df57aea0670b59c32464d5bab&id=ab39a9bb6e&e=fbb0a4052b) for more information or to sign up!READY FOR SUNDAYHere is the preview (https://redeemerlr.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=df57aea0670b59c32464d5bab&id=1ed2586822&e=fbb0a4052b) of the songs we’ll be singing together this weekend.
And remember – our Gospel Way Catechism class will happen Sunday at 8:30 am. Everyone is welcome as we preview this week’s catechism questions and answers.
Where did Paul get the idea that God’s purpose in sending His Son to die for us was, at least in part, to unite together Jews and Gentiles? As we turn to Ephesians 3 this Sunday, we’ll see how this ancient mystery came to light and what it means for Paul to be a steward of God’s grace.
See you in church!
Soli Deo Gloria!
Pastor Bob
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