9. The Defining Characteristic of the Children of God is Obedience

Living Carefully as a Child of God

Introduction: As you are turning in your Bible to 1 Peter 1:13-19 I was in college and during deer season had decided to go hunting. Tell the story. Lesson: I did not live carefully. I’d like to remind you that the verses we are reading are all about living carefully in light of the times.

1Pe 1:13-19  Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;  (14)  as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance;  (15)  but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct,  (16)  because it is written, "BE HOLY, FOR I AM HOLY."  (17)  And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one's work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear;  (18)  knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers,  (19)  but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.

Three Points

Our relationship defined as the children of God

The defining characteristic of the Children of God is Obedience

The defining purpose of obedience is holiness

We looked at the first point last time in our relationship defined as the children of God. In it we looked at the doctrine of adoption, our adoption into the household of God. God is our Father and Christ our brother. And we are immersed in a sea of blessing that we will spend eternity exploring and understanding. All the legal requirements held against us have been fulfilled in Christ, we have been brought in and made whole. Col 2:13-14  And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses,  (14)  having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.

But it is more than just a legal union, it is a relational union. Rom 8:15  For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, "Abba, Father." A union not based upon our performance but Christ’s. We have been set free from the spirit of fear into the freedom of our adoption as children of God. What does that mean? It means that our position as children is not based upon our day to day performance. Do you ever feel like God will bless you more because you are doing well in the faith? Ever feel just the opposite? The gospel corrects those errors on either side. We should have no pride and arrogance because apart from the work of the Christ; repentance, salvation, and perseverance is beyond us. We should have no despair because of the work of Christ. Repentance, salvation, and perseverance are ours as part of the gift of faith that God our Father has bestowed upon us in the Beloved.

But when those outside the faith, bound by works to their religion look at the Christian faith they often come to the conclusion, that because salvation is the free gift of God, that our eternal security rests solely upon faith in the person and work of Jesus Christ; that in Him our sins are forgiven, in Him past, present, and future transgressions have been covered by His precious blood; the fear of condemnation erased and a real righteousness, not of our own making, but the imputed righteousness of Christ has been bestowed on us. No part of our salvation rests on us. They might come to the wrong conclusion that we have free license to sin. Sounds familiar doesn’t it? That is the argument that Paul countered in Romans. “Sin the more that grace may abound”. The sad part is that modern evangelicalism appears to have bought into this lie. In the first 12 verses we see that God has caused us to be born again, caused us to have and inheritance, caused us to come under His protection. It is hard to come away with any other conclusion except that we, as the children of God are a privileged lot. But not in the sense we see the abuse of privilege today. We see an entire class of people who had the privilege of being elected to public office to serve use that privilege for their own enrichment and have set themselves above the law with little or no hope of prosecution. We, as the children of God are privileged but not in the sense that the world defines it. With our adoption into the household of God come duties and responsibilities that require our most devoted attention. And after Peter plunges us in all the blessings of the first 12 verses, he presses us hard now with the responsibilities. Remember, the context of this letter is in the midst of suffering and persecution. Obedience is not dependent on good circumstances but based upon our position as the children of God.

II.The defining character of the Children of God is Obedience

God’s order of the family is that of husband and wife, and in the event of babies being born, fathers, mothers, and children. Naturally speaking there is an unspoken expectation, but an expectation non the less of all in the family fulfilling their roles within the household. Within the Christian household it is explicitly stated in the Scriptures. Ephesians 6 and Colossians 3 have the duties stated clearly. Parents are to bring their children up in the fear and nurture of the Lord and children are to obey their parents in the Lord. In Ephesians 6 Paul gives the command to children and then references the 5th commandment which states ‘Honor your father and mother so that it may be well with you, and that you may live long in the land.

A. What is obedience? There are three points. Obedience Defined, Aspects of obedience, and motivation to obedience.

Obedience literally means to "hear under" which conveys the picture of listening and submitting to that which is heard and implies a change of attitude of the hearer, in this case reversing the unsaved attitude of rebelliousness and self-will. Obedience is not just listening with an attitude of submission but following through to intentional, directional action to fulfill the command given. Peter compares believers to children who obey their parents, and uses the phrase "obedient children" to introduce the concept holiness, obedience and holiness being two sides of the same coin

This new nature reflected as "children of obedience" is in diametrical opposition to what they formerly were in Adam 1Co 15:22  For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. As a result of being in Adam and apart from Christ, we are "sons of disobedience...(who) were by nature children of wrath. Eph 2:2-3  in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience,  (3)  among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others. even as the rest."

Eph 5:6  Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.

Col 3:5-6  Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.  (6)  Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience,

And as a reminder: during the time of writing on the Scripture only sons inherit. All the children of God are called sons of God because all inherit the blessings of salvation now and forever. When sons is used in the above verses it is also all inclusive. Because all, apart from Christ, because of sin ,earn the wrath of God.

Our new birth is demonstrated to be truly genuine in that we have a new focus and desire for obedience

B. In the definition of obedience three aspects were mentioned: listening, submission, intentional action.

1. listening is more than hearing. Hearing is an involuntary act through which we receive sound waves through the ears. It is passive by nature. Listening includes hearing but so much more. It is the attentive engagement of the mind to process and understand the meaning behind that which is heard.

2. submission is placing oneself under the authority of another. There are three aspects of submission: it is willing, it is sincere, and it is complete.

a. It is willing. In our culture submission is the result of some external force applied. It is the end of struggle and the onset of passivity. It is a subjugation. This word in the Greek is one of unforced, voluntary submission; more of a term of enlistment as in enlisting in the military. It is willingly moving ourselves under the God’s banner. We are willingly placing ourselves in rightful submission to our Father’s commands

b. It is sincere. Hypocrites do what they must to satisfy other motives. Sincerity does not take into account the reward, and has no other motive that to be pleasing to God. Josh. 24:14 Now, therefore, fear the LORD and serve Him in sincerity and truth; and put away the gods which your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD.

c. It is complete. It is not a buffet line where we pick and choose that which we want and discard the rest. We are not those who are loyal just because our ears are tickled and are comfortable with just enough Jesus preached but not so that we are convicted of sin.

3. intentional, directional action – there can be no obedience without the corresponding action to meet the requirements of the command. Being intentional means that it is the disciplined, focused, decision of our mind to follow through to the end.

Isa 50:5-7  The Lord GOD has opened My ear; And I was not rebellious, Nor did I turn away.  (6)  I gave My back to those who struck Me, And My cheeks to those who plucked out the beard; I did not hide My face from shame and spitting.  (7)  "For the Lord GOD will help Me; Therefore I will not be disgraced; Therefore I have set My face like a flint, And I know that I will not be ashamed.

1Co 9:24-27  Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it.  (25)  And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown.  (26)  Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air.  (27)  But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.

To be intentional and directional requires a plan. That plan requires steps in the direction of a specific goal. A house is not built without a set of plans. A business is not started with out a plan for success. Farmers do not plant crops without a plan.

Pro 21:5  The plans of the diligent lead surely to plenty, But those of everyone who is hasty, surely to poverty.

C. It’s Motivation – Love

Our adoption as children of God is not just legal but relational. And it is based on love. We love because He first loved us.

1Jn 4:9-10  In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him.  (10)  In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

1Jn 4:19  We love Him because He first loved us.

We have the entirety of the Scriptures testifying of the demonstration of God’s love for us. All of redemptive history is the witness of God’s love set on before the foundation of the world. A love so rich, and deep, and pure. A love that knows no bounds of sacrifice to secure His own. And there is no doubt about it. Those in Christ are His own, and His own know Him and hears His voice.

What is the primary means we express our love to God? It is in obedience. John 14:21 He who hears My commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves Me. And he who loves Me shall be loved by My Father and I will love him and disclose Myself to him.

How can we know the commands of God without being immersed in His word in the hearing, reading, study, memorization, and meditation of it? Ignorant should not be a word that describes the child of God.

Obedience was the defining characteristic of Jesus.

Heb 5:8 Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered.

Joh 8:29 "And He who sent Me is with Me; He has not left Me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to Him."

Mat 26:39 And He went a little beyond them, and fell on His face and prayed, saying, "My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as Thou wilt."

Php 2:8  And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.

Application: By way of application let me ask a question. Does obedience describe you as a child of God? Are we content with singing praises and worship but not bringing our whole life in obedience to Him? May God grant us the grace to show our love in some small measure in our obedience to Him.