Blessings for Obedience

While all biblical character qualities are important, obedience - specifically, obedience to God's commands - is a foundational character trait of the Christian life. Many other character qualities stem from obedience.

If you grew up in a Christian home, you were probably taught to "obey quickly, sweetly, and completely," or you weren't really obeying  (a common cliché in Christian circles).

Someone has defined obedience as "complete submission to God's revealed will." I rather like that definition. It's been helpful to me as I seek to grow in this area of my life.

After God gave instruction to Moses about the Law (later called the Mosaic Law), Moses listed the blessings they would receive if they chose to fully obey God's Law.

And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the LORD thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth: and all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God.

Blessed shalt thou be in the city, and blessed shalt thou be in the field.  

Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy ground, and the fruit of thy cattle, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep.  

Blessed shall be thy basket and thy store.  

Blessed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and blessed shalt thou be when thou goest out.  

The LORD shall cause thine enemies that rise up against thee to be smitten before thy face: they shall come out against thee one way, and flee before thee seven ways.  

The LORD shall command the blessing upon thee in thy storehouses, and in all that thou settest thine hand unto; and he shall bless thee in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.  

The LORD shall establish thee an holy people unto himself, as he hath sworn unto thee, if thou shalt keep the commandments of the LORD thy God, and walk in his ways.  

And all people of the earth shall see that thou art called by the name of the LORD; and they shall be afraid of thee.  

And the LORD shall make thee plenteous in goods, in the fruit of thy body, and in the fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy ground, in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers to give thee.  

The LORD shall open unto thee his good treasure, the heaven to give the rain unto thy land in his season, and to bless all the work of thine hand: and thou shalt lend unto many nations, and thou shalt not borrow.  

And the LORD shall make thee the head, and not the tail; and thou shalt be above only, and thou shalt not be beneath; if that thou hearken unto the commandments of the LORD thy God, which I command thee this day, to observe and to do them: 

{Deuteronomy 28:1-13}

Job and Jeremiah also mention some of the blessings of obedience. 

If they obey and serve him [God], they shall spend their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures. 

{Job 36:11}

Obey, I beseech thee, the voice of the LORD, which I speak unto thee: so it shall be well unto thee, and thy soul shall live. 

{Jeremiah 38:20}

Theses verses certainly aren't an exhaustive list of the blessings God bestows on obedient Christians - I'm sure there are other verses/principles I've overlooked. The verses I've listed above make it clear that God blesses obedience - "complete submission to God's revealed will."

Even with all the blessings and "benefits" that result from obedience, we should obey simply because . . . God said to. That should be enough for us.

Are you obeying for the blessings and "benefits," or are you obeying simply because you want to please God and honor His command to obey?

Something to think about.