Biblical Financial Principle #5 - Obedience Is Essential

Be obedient to God:

Once we have discovered God's purpose and will for us through Bible study and prayer then, as His servants, we must obey. We read in Proverbs 10:8 - The wise in heart accept commands, but a chattering fool comes to ruin.

Many of us believe that partial obedience is acceptable. King Saul was given a command but chose not to follow completely. The prophet Samuel told him: "Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the Lord? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams." (1 Sam. 15:22)

The prophet Jeremiah urged Judah: "Now reform your ways and your actions and obey the Lord your God. Then the Lord will relent and not bring the disaster he has pronounced against you." (Jer. 26:13) Jesus taught: "Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it." (Luke 11:28)

Being obedient to God is a choice but it is also much more than that. "...without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him." (Heb. 11:6) So we must have faith and our faith must have the proper object. Paul writes: "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" (1 Cor. 5:17)

If we belong to Jesus, have faith in Him and He is our Lord; then it would be an oxymoron for us to say "No, Lord" when he tells us to do something. God leads us one step at a time. If we are obedient each step of the way then we are open for His leading to show us the next move to make.