The Obedience of Faith

2024-06-12

But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith: (Romans 16:26)

Amid this doxology is a phrase “the obedience of faith.” We think of faith as something completely divorced from any human activity or thought. In one sense, when speaking of being saved, sure, that is the case. But we do not stop there. Because we are saved by faith, there is an obedience that compels us to activity and thought. Because we have heard of the good news of Jesus Christ, we want to have that light shine. Because we have been saved from sin, we do not want to return to the kingdom from which we were delivered. We obey by faith, trusting the Lord to perform His perfect will through us.

“By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name” (Romans 1:5). The apostle received grace and apostleship so that the world would be obedient to the faith. It wasn’t that the nations would be saved, and then become completely inactive. They were to become obedient to the call of faith.

In Jerusalem, in the early days of the church, we read, “And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith” (Acts 6:7). Many priests were also obedient to the faith. This obedience would have contrasted with the rebelliousness of the high priest.