Obedience to God's Perfect Sovereign Plan
Obedience to God's Perfect Sovereign Plan
The concept of obedience to God's perfect sovereign plan is rooted in biblical teachings that emphasize the importance of following God's commandments and statutes. In Deuteronomy 18:13, the Israelites are commanded to "be perfect with the LORD your God" [4]. This call to perfection is echoed in other biblical passages, such as 2 Timothy 3:17, which states that the man of God should be "complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work" [1].
The biblical basis for obedience to God's plan is closely tied to the understanding of God's law as perfect, holy, just, and good [7]. According to Psalm 19:7, "The law of the LORD is perfect" [6]. Obedience to this law is not merely a matter of external compliance but requires a deep-seated commitment to follow God's will. As Adam Clarke notes on Leviticus 18:30, "The only way to be preserved from all false worship is seriously to consider and devoutly to observe the ordinances of the true religion" [9].
In the view of Protestant academics, obedience is a key indicator of one's relationship with God. Tyndale House on 1 John 2:3-6 states that "obedience is one clear indication that we know Christ and belong to him" [10]. This understanding is reinforced by the idea that obedience to God's commandments is a demonstration of love for God and a sign of spiritual maturity.
The concept of obedience is also closely linked to the idea of God's sovereignty. According to Easton's Bible Dictionary, "The decrees of God are his eternal, unchangeable, holy, wise, and sovereign purpose, comprehending at once all things that ever were or will be" [8]. This understanding of God's sovereignty underscores the importance of trusting in God's plan and submitting to His will.
Different traditions interpret the concept of obedience to God's perfect sovereign plan in various ways. In the Jewish tradition, obedience to God's commandments is seen as a means of achieving spiritual perfection. Ramban (Nachmanides) on Deuteronomy 18:13 notes that being "whole-hearted with the ETERNAL thy G-d" means directing one's heart to God alone and believing that He alone does everything [11]. In contrast, Protestant academics emphasize the importance of faith in Christ and the role of obedience in demonstrating one's love for God [10].
The biblical call to obedience is not limited to a specific aspect of life but encompasses all areas. Torrey's Topical Textbook notes that obedience to God includes obeying His voice, law, and commandments, as well as submitting to higher powers [5]. This comprehensive understanding of obedience is reflected in the biblical emphasis on the importance of walking in God's ways and being holy to God [2, 3].
Sources
- 2 Timothy “that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. -- 2 Timothy 3:17”
- Numbers “that you may remember and do all my commandments, and be holy to your God. -- Numbers 15:40”
- I Kings “I Kings 8:61 (Webster) — Let your heart therefore be perfect with the LORD our God, to walk in his statutes, and to keep his commandments, as at this day.”
- Deuteronomy “Deuteronomy 18:13 (Webster) — Thou shalt be perfect with the LORD thy God.”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Obedience to God — Commanded -- De 13:4. Without faith, is impossible -- Heb 11:6. Includes Obeying his voice. -- Ex 19:5; Jer 7:23. Obeying his law. -- De 11:27; Isa 42:24. Obeying Christ. -- Ex 23:21; 2Co 10:5. Obeying the gospel. -- Ro 1:5; 6:17; 10:16,17. Keeping his commandments. -- Ec 12:13. Submission to higher powers. -- Ro 13:1. Better than sacrifice -- 1Sa 15:22. Justification obtained by that of Christ -- Ro 5:19. Christ, an example of -- Mt 3:15; Joh 15:20; Php 2:5-8; Heb 5:8. Angles engaged in -- Ps 103:20. A characteristic of saints -- 1Pe 1:14. Saints ”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Perfection — Is of God -- Ps 18:32; 138:8. All saints have, in Christ -- 1Co 2:6; Php 3:15; Col 2:10. God's perfection the standard of -- Mt 5:48. Implies Entire devotedness. -- Mt 19:21. Purity and holiness in speech. -- Jas 3:2. Saints commanded to aim at -- Ge 17:1; De 18:13. Saints claim not -- Job 9:20; Php 3:12. Saints follow after -- Pr 4:18; Php 3:12. Ministers appointed to lead saints to -- Eph 4:12; Col 1:28. Exhortation to -- 2Co 7:1; 13:11. Impossibility of attaining to -- 2Ch 6:36; Ps 119:96. The word of God is The rule of. -- Jas 1:25. Designed to lead ”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Law of God, The — Is absolute and perpetual -- Mt 5:18. Given To Adam. -- Ge 2:16,17; Ro 5:12-14. To Noah. -- Ge 9:6. To the Israelites. -- Ex 20:2-17; Ps 78:5. Through Moses. -- Ex 31:18; Joh 7:19. Through the ministration of angels. -- Ac 7:53; Ga 3:19; Heb 2:2. Described as Pure. -- Ps 19:8. Spiritual. -- Ro 7:14. Holy, just, and good. -- Ro 7:12. Exceeding broad. -- Ps 119:96. Perfect. -- Ps 19:7; Ro 12:2. Truth. -- Ps 119:142. Not grievous. -- 1Jo 5:3. Requires obedience of the heart -- Ps 51:6; Mt 5:28; 22:37. Requires perfect obedience -- De 27:26; Ga 3:10; Ja”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Decrees of God — "The decrees of God are his eternal, unchangeable, holy, wise, and sovereign purpose, comprehending at once all things that ever were or will be in their causes, conditions, successions, and relations, and determining their certain futurition. The several contents of this one eternal purpose are, because of the limitation of our faculties, necessarily conceived of by us in partial aspects, and in logical relations, and are therefore styled Decrees." The decree being the act of an infinite, absolute, eternal, unchangeable, and sovereign Person, compre”
- Leviticus (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Leviticus 18:30: Shall ye keep mine ordinance - The only way to be preserved from all false worship is seriously to consider and devoutly to observe the ordinances of the true religion. He who in the things of God goes no farther than he can say, Thus it is written, and thus it behoves me to do, is never likely to receive a false creed, nor perform a superstitious act of worship. 1. How true is that word, The law of the Lord is Perfect! In a small compass, and in a most minute detail, it comprises every thing that is calculated to instruct, direct, convince, correct, and fortify”
- 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.”
- Sefaria (Jewish (Kabbalistic/Philosophical)) “Ramban (Nachmanides) on Deuteronomy 18:13: THOU SHALT BE WHOLE-HEARTED WITH THE ETERNAL THY G-D. The meaning thereof is that we are to direct our hearts to Him only, and believe that He alone does everything. It is He Who knows the truth about all future events, and from His prophets, or from His pious ones, in other words the Urim and Thummim 193 Exodus 28:30 (Vol. II, pp. 480-483). — are we to inquire about future events. We are not to inquire of the astrologers or from anyone else, or by any means to trust that their words will be fulfilled. Instead, if we hear any prediction [of the divine”