Obedience

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Obedience  

               In the beginning, God made Adam and Eve perfectly holy and happy. The earth was beautiful as it came from the Creator’s hand. Nothing was spoiled or dying. Only after Adam and Eve disobeyed God’s law – the law of love-  suffering and death became the fate of sinful man.      

Sin and Penalty

According to the scripture, “ Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.” I John 3:4. Then what is the law? The will of God is the law in heaven. The inhabitants of heaven love and obey God’s law because they know that His law of love is the promise of their happiness. God’s law is the reflection of His holy character. The Ten Commandments given to the human race on Mount Sinai reflect the same principle of love that governs heaven. It is the highest moral standard for mankind that ensures their happiness and freedom for eternity. The apostle Paul said, “ The law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good.” Romans 7:12. “ I had not known sin, but by the law.” Romans 7:7. “ For where no law is, there is no transgression.”  Romans 4:15.

Then where did sin come from? The following description was found in the book of Isaiah:

“How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. ”Isaiah 14:12-14.

Lucifer referred to here was Satan, the head of the fallen angels, who was driven out of heaven because of his rebellion against God and His holy law (Revelation 12:7). After his fall, he came down to earth and caused the fall of man, thus made man his captive of sin and death. Satan was the cause of all human suffering. If it were not for Jesus, the son of God, who offered his life to redeem the lost race, mankind would be lost forever.         

Disobedience and transgression are sin against God. There are no smaller sins in God’s eyes. It seemed to be a small mistake that Adam and Eve ate the fruits forbidden by God, but its result was death. It was the same rebellious spirit carried on by men till Noah’s time that led to the destruction of the whole earth by flood from God. The story of Noah is a practical lesson to our generation. It contains the gospel message to us people who live in the last days: obedience to God leads to life and disobedience, to destruction.        

Parents’ Responsibilities

Teaching obedience is the most important subject in human education. Parents who let the will of their children run its own course without proper instruction and discipline will not make children happy. Children’s true happiness can only come from obedience to the wise management of their parents.   

It is the sacred duty of parents to educate their children. Parents need to lead the young minds to the path of obedience and teach them that the happiness of this life and the life to come depends on doing God’s will. Children need to be taught to be Christ-like, with the understanding that Jesus came to the world as a living example for us to follow that we may learn to love God and obey his commandments. This is the most important work that parents are given to do. God intends that children should learn the principles of love from their young age, able to distinguish right and wrong, good and evil.

Parents should know from their own experience that obedience to God brings happiness and joy in life. Look at the world around us, you will see how violence and pain have grown simultaneously because of man’s transgression of God’s law. In fact the corruption of the world today is nearly as bad as Noah’s time. God is taking his blessings from His bountiful vineyard. However, before His final judgment, He is sending the message of love and mercy to His people that they may repent and be saved from destruction. The ark is all ready, open to receive any one who hears His voice and is willing to obey.   

The Bible instructs parents to teach the law of God to their children diligently. They “ shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.” Deuteronamy 6:7. There is no allowing of any disregard of God’s holy law.

But if parents do not study the Bible, the word of God, they would not know the requirements of the law and the blessings from obedience and  consequences of disobedience attached to them. Therefore, to teach the child the way they ought to go, parents should first understand the right way to go. That understanding comes from the careful study of God’s word and the guidance of the Holy Spirit.  

Obedience Trained from Babyhood  

               Many people today think that children will learn what is good when they grow up. It is a mistake! Some parents leave their children untrained till they are two or three years old when certain habits have already been formed. As a result of parents’ negligence, many children grow up to become self-centered, wayward and inconsiderate. Few parents begin early enough to teach their children to honor their parents, obey their word, and respect their authority.        

The Bible instructs the parents to “ train up a child in the way he should go : and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” Prov22:6. The first lesson a child needs to learn is the lesson of obedience. Even before he is old enough to reason, parents may begin to teach him to obey.

The mother should be ready to teach as soon as the child is born. She must tame the child’s natural temper and desire to have a good nature. She should not let it go as the child grows older. Some children we see today are not happy even though their parents allow them to go their way; these children are often not content but rebellious. There are some others who are raised up well-disciplined. Compared with the former, the latter are more confident, responsible, sound both in mind and body. True happiness requires tender love and care from the parents, and more importantly, the firm discipline and wise management of the parents.