Why Do We Obey?

Overview

Why obey God? Scripture shows it’s an expression of love, recognition of His holiness, the path to blessing and life, proof we belong to Him, and our witness to the world. Below are the key reasons—each with core verses.

Summary

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A. Because We Love Him

John 14:15 — “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.”

1 John 5:3 — “For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome.”

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B. Because He Is Holy and Lord

Leviticus 11:45 — “You shall therefore be holy, for I am holy.”

Luke 6:46 — “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?”

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C. Because Obedience Brings Blessing and Life

Deuteronomy 30:15–16 — “See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil. If you obey the commandments of the Lord your God… then you shall live and multiply, and the Lord your God will bless you…”

Luke 11:28 — “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!”

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D. Because It Shows We Belong to Him

1 John 2:3 — “And by this we know that we have come to know him, if we keep his commandments.”

John 15:14 — “You are my friends if you do what I command you.”

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E. Because It Brings Wisdom and Understanding

Psalm 111:10 — “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding.”

Psalm 19:7–8 — “The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul… the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.”

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F. Because We Were Created for Good Works

Ephesians 2:10 — “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”

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G. Because There Will Be Judgment

Ecclesiastes 12:14 — “For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil.”

2 Corinthians 5:10 — “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.”

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H. Because It Brings Glory to God

Matthew 5:16 — “In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”

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I. Because of Grace — So We Don’t Abuse It

We obey God because His grace saves us, not so we can keep sinning, but to live righteously in response to His gift.

Romans 6:1–2 — “What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?”

Titus 2:11–12 — “For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age.”

Galatians 5:13 — “Do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.”

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J. Because Grace Empowers Our Obedience — and Proves It

True grace produces hard work and obedience in us. If there’s no fruit, it shows we have not truly received or responded to His grace.

1 Corinthians 15:10 — “But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.”

  • Grace is not just pardon — it’s power to work and obey.
  • If someone claims grace but has no works, the grace was “in vain” — compare James 2:17: “faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead”.
  • The more grace we receive and recognize, the more we are moved to labor and obey.

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K. Because God’s Kindness Leads Us to Repentance and Obedience

We obey God because His kindness, patience, and grace are meant to soften our stubbornness and turn our hearts to repent and follow Him. To refuse to obey is to despise His kindness and store up wrath.

Romans 2:4–6 — “Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed. He will render to each one according to his works.”

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L. Because Our Obedience Makes Us a Light to the Nations and Advances the Gospel

Matthew 5:14, 16 — “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. … In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”

1 Peter 2:12 — “Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.”

Philippians 2:15–16 — “…so that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life…”

  • Our obedience is not just for us, but a witness to the world.
  • Good works and holy conduct help open hearts to the gospel.
  • Disobedience can damage our witness and dishonor God’s name among unbelievers.

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