Obedience: compliance with an order, request, or law or submission to another's authority.
We Should Obey God Willingly. It is better to obey the commandments because we fear punishment than not to obey them at all.
But we will be much happier if we obey God because we love Him and want to obey Him. When we obey Him freely, he can bless us freely. Obedience also helps us progress and become more like our Heavenly Father. But those who do nothing until they are commanded and then keep the commandments unwillingly lose their reward.
We Can Obey without Understanding. By keeping God’s commandments, we prepare for eternal life and exaltation. Sometimes we do not know the reason for a particular commandment. However, we show our faith and trust in God when we obey Him without knowing why.
Adam and Eve were commanded to eat of all fruits other than the tree of life. By disobeying God, they invited his wrath and the consequences are there for us to see.
No Commandment Is Too Small or Too Great to Obey
It was difficult when the Lord commanded Abraham to offer his beloved son Isaac as a sacrifice. Abraham had waited many years for the birth of Isaac, the son God had promised him. How could he lose his son in such a way? This commandment must have been exceedingly difficult for Abraham. Yet he chose to obey God.We too should be willing to do anything God requires. Disobedience is the First Sin committed by Man.
Jesus Christ was the sublime example of obedience to our Heavenly Father. He said, “I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me” (John 6:38). His whole life was devoted to obeying His Father; yet it was not always easy for him. He was tempted in all ways as other mortals.
In the Garden of Gethsemane He prayed, saying, “O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt” (Matthew 26:39).
Because Jesus obeyed the Father’s will in all things, He made salvation possible for all of us.
