Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen (Hebrews 11:1).
Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it (Matthew 7:24–27).
What is the relationship between faith and obedience? Are they one and the same or are they two entirely different issues?
Some might say that faith and obedience are two sides of the same coin.
So, what’s the connection?
Actually, obedience is an expression of faith. It’s a response to faith and trust in God and His Word. Obedience should always be the result and fruit of faith. The two should definitely go hand in hand.
So, what if someone says “I have a lot of faith, I just struggle to live a life of obedience to the Word of God”?
It’s very important to know that true faith will always result in obedience to the Word of God.
When a person disobeys the Word of God, they are being faithless in a given situation.
What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder! Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God. You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. And in the same way was not also Rahab the prostitute justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead (James 2:14–25).
In Genesis chapter twelve, Abraham is told by God to get up and leave his family and go to a land He would show him. For Abraham to obey God in this matter, it took faith and trust in God and His Word. Abraham did put his faith and trust in God. He packed up and, in obedience to the Word of God, moved to the land God showed him.
Abraham heard the Word of God, and in faith, obeyed that Word. And he was blessed by God as a result of his faith and obedience. The world continues to be blessed even up to today by the obedience and trust of Abraham in the Word of God.
In the book of Numbers, chapter thirteen, Israel is called upon to put their faith and trust in God. The nation was called by God to go and conquer the Promised Land. But after the twelve spies returned from spying out the land, ten of the twelve had an evil report.
How was their report evil? It was a report of unbelief.
Two of the spies, Joshua and Caleb, believed that with God’s help, Israel could go in immediately and conquer the Promised Land.
The majority of the children of Israel believed the report of the ten unbelieving spies. The children of Israel therefore failed to put their trust in God. They chose to disobey the Lord and instead, became upset with Moses.
Their lack of faith and obedience to the Word of God had a tragic result. Sadly, everyone twenty years old and older – except Joshua and Caleb - died in the wilderness because of their unbelief.
So, faith and obedience are very important for any and every believer – every day of our lives.
And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him (Hebrews 11:6).
If we desire to live a life that pleases God, we must live a life of faith and trust in Him.
Every day, it is the responsibility of every follower of Christ to put their faith and trust in God. And we are called to step out in obedience to the Word of God if we want to please God.
The Word of God is the will of God. We are called to read and meditate on the Word of God.
And we are called to have faith in God’s Word and obey Him – every day.
