Identifying and Overcoming Areas of Untrusting Obedience
Untrusting obedience, characterized by a profession of faith that is contradicted by actions, is a recurring theme in biblical texts [4]. The Bible emphasizes that true knowledge of God is demonstrated through obedience to His commands [6]. When individuals or communities fail to obey, it indicates a lack of genuine relationship with God [6].
The process of overcoming untrusting obedience often begins with acknowledging one's guilt and confessing rebellion [1, 3]. In ancient Israel, this involved admitting wrongdoing and bringing a sin offering to make amends [3]. For instance, failure to testify as a witness, which actively aided a criminal, required such an admission and offering [3]. The prophet Jeremiah called for the people to "acknowledge your guilt," "admit that you rebelled," and "confess that you refused to listen" as steps toward receiving God's salvation and restoration [1].
Disobedience can manifest in various ways, from "manifold transgressions" and "smaller crimes" to "mighty offenses" such as afflicting the righteous, taking bribes, and neglecting the poor [5]. These actions demonstrate a practical denial of God, even if there is a theoretical knowledge of Him [4]. The Apostle Paul, in 2 Timothy, addresses those who "oppose themselves" to the truth, suggesting that they are to be instructed "in meekness" with the hope that God might grant them repentance leading to "the acknowledging of the truth" [2]. This repentance involves a change of mind regarding errors in principle [2].
Sources
- Jeremiah (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Jeremiah 3:13: 3:13 acknowledge your guilt . . . Admit that you rebelled . . . Confess that you refused to listen: Through these three elements of repentance, the people could demonstrate their willingness to receive the Lord’s salvation and restoration (Lev 26:40; Deut 30:1-5).”
- 2 Timothy (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on 2 Timothy 2:25: In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves,.... To the truth; resist it and deny it; or contradict some other tenets and principles of theirs, or the Scriptures, which they themselves allowed to be the word of God, and the rule of faith and practice, and so are self-convinced and self-condemned. These are to be instructed, being ignorant, and in a tender and gentle manner, though very perverse and obstinate. If God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth: repentance here designs a repentance of errors in principle, a cha”
- Leviticus (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Leviticus 5:1: 5:1-6 These verses list examples of sins covered by the sin offering (4:2). When a person realized he or she had committed an offense, the next step was to make it right by admitting guilt and bringing a sin offering. 5:1 The first infraction was the failure to testify when called as a witness before a court. Failure to testify was not a passive act because it actively aided the criminal. • you will be punished (literally you become guilty or you realize your guilt): Anticipating God’s punishment for the sin, the guilty party offered the sacrifice to remove the ”
- Titus (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Titus 1:16: They profess--that is, make a profession acknowledging God. He does not deny their theoretical knowledge of God, but that they practically know Him. deny him--the opposite of the previous "profess" or "confess" Him (Ti1 5:8; Ti2 2:12; Ti2 3:5). abominable--themselves, though laying so much stress on the contracting of abomination from outward things (compare Lev 11:10-13; Rom 2:22). disobedient--to God (Tit 3:3; Eph 2:2; Eph 5:6). reprobate--rejected as worthless when tested (see on Rom 1:28; Co1 9:27; Ti2 3:8). Next: Titus Chapter 2”
- Amos (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Amos 5:12: I know your manifold transgressions - I have marked the multitude of your smaller crimes, as well as your mighty offenses. Among their greater offenses were, 1. Their afflicting the righteous. 2. Taking bribes to blind their eyes in judgment. And, 3. Refusing to hear the poor, who had no money to give them.”
- 1 John (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on 1 John 2:3: 2:3-6 Obedience is one clear indication that we know Christ and belong to him. If we do not obey Christ, it is obvious that we do not belong to him or love him. • As we obey Christ and his commandments, our love for God and our knowledge of him will grow toward completeness and maturity. We will live . . . as Jesus did, in union with God and showing love for others.”