***Obedience Study ***

Antioch Bible Students Convention, September 3, 2005

Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him
—Heb 5:8-9—

Study Questions And References

I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live: That thou mayest love the LORD thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.— Deu 30:19-20

Recommended Reading:

A117 THE PERMISSION OF EVIL AND ITS RELATION TO GOD'S PLAN

R5535 Subtitle: Why God Permits The Present Reign Of Sin

R5407 WHAT DOTH JEHOVAH REQUIRE?

Reference: R5070

… Every intelligent creature is under Divine Law. … (R5071.7)

Reference: A117-121

… God could have prevented the entrance of sin, but the fact that he did not should be sufficient proof to us that its present permission is designed ultimately to work out some greater good. God's plans, seen in their completeness, will prove the wisdom of the course pursued. Some inquire, Could not God, with whom all things are possible, have interfered in season to prevent the full accomplishment of Satan's design? Doubtless he could; but such interference would have prevented the accomplishment of his own purposes. His purpose was to make manifest the perfection, majesty and righteous authority of his law, and to prove both to men and to angels the evil consequences resulting from its violation. … (A117.3)

… we believe that God foresaw that an actual experience of the evil would be the surest and most lasting lesson to serve man eternally; and for that reason God did not prevent but permitted man to take his choice, and to feel the consequences of evil. Had opportunity to sin never been permitted, man could not have resisted it, consequently there would have been neither virtue nor merit in his right-doing. God seeketh such to worship him as worship in spirit and in truth. He desires intelligent and willing obedience, rather than ignorant, mechanical service. He already had in operation inanimate mechanical agencies accomplishing his will, but his design was to make a nobler thing, an intelligent creature in his own likeness, a lord for earth, whose loyalty and righteousness would be based upon an appreciation of right and wrong, of good and evil. (A121.1)

The principles of right and wrong, as principles, have always existed, and must always exist; and all perfect, intelligent creatures in God's likeness must be free to choose either, though the right principle only will forever continue to be active. The Scriptures inform us that when the activity of the evil principle has been permitted long enough to accomplish God's purpose, it will forever cease to be active, and that all who continue to submit to its control shall forever cease to exist. (1 Cor 15:25,26; Heb. 2:14) Right-doing and right-doers, only, shall continue forever. (A121.2)

Reference: A70

… God had given man his law, written in his very nature; but after he had sinned he left him measurably to his own course, which was downward, "evil, and that continually," that thus man might realize his folly, and that the wisdom of God in commanding absolute obedience might be made manifest. That dispensation ended with a flood, which took away all but faithful Noah and his family. Thus the first dispensation not only manifested the disastrous effects of sin, but showed that the tendency of sin is downward to greater degradation and misery, and proves the necessity of Jehovah's interposition, if the recovery of "that which was lost"—man's first estate—is ever to be accomplished. (A70.3)

ä ADDITIONAL POINTS FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION:

What would all of creation be like if our heavenly Father did not require obedience?

Reference: R5535

God's infinite Wisdom could not approve any as worthy of everlasting life who would not prove themselves to be in full accord with His Divine Law. The nature of sin is to propagate itself and to produce misery and degradation. With this knowledge God arranged in advance to let man have his own way. He foreknew that intelligent beings with liberty of choice and of will would eventually, if untaught and unrestricted, fall into sin, even though a penalty was attached to disobedience. He chose not to restrain Lucifer. (R5535.6)

The Plan of God is so comprehensive that it cannot be viewed and judged from the standpoint of a few years—not even of a thousand years or six thousand years. It must be viewed from the standpoint of eternity. It was arranged, not for the well-being of creatures who would live for a few years or a few centuries, but for those who would live throughout eternal ages. His Plan must, therefore, be laid so broadly as to include all time and all beings created in His likeness, for His glory and their own eternal good. (R5535.7)

ä ADDITIONAL POINTS FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION:

Does God compel our obedience? Why?—John 4:23-24.

Reference: R4715

… Few, of course, would resist a Divine command, if thundered from heaven. Our test is more crucial than that. It is a test of obedience to what we understand to be the will of God or the privilege of service in his cause. Those who delight to do his will, those who delight to serve his cause, even at the cost of sacrifice to earthly interests, are the very ones he is now seeking. "He seeketh such to worship him as worship him in spirit and in Truth"! … (R4715.13)

Reference: A150 —obedience a condition for everlasting life.

… the fact that men are ransomed from the first penalty does not guarantee that they may not, when individually tried for everlasting life, fail to render the obedience without which none will be permitted to live everlastingly. Man, by reason of present experience with sin and its bitter penalty, will be fully forewarned; and when, as a result of the ransom, he is granted another, an individual trial, under the eye and control of him who so loved him as to give his life for him, and who would not that any should perish, but that all should turn to God and live, we may be sure that only the willfully disobedient will receive the penalty of the second trial. That penalty will be the second death, from which there will be no ransom, no release, because there would be no object for another ransom or a further trial. All will have fully seen and tasted both good and evil; all will have witnessed and experienced the goodness and love of God; all will have had a full, fair, individual trial for life, under most favorable conditions. More could not be asked, and more will not be given. That trial will decide forever who would be righteous and holy under a thousand trials; and it will determine also who would be unjust, and unholy and filthy still, under a thousand trials. (A150.1)

Reference: A106-107

As death came by the first Adam, so life comes by Christ, the second Adam. Everything that mankind lost through being in the first Adam is to be restored to those who believe into the second Adam. When awakened, with the advantage of experience with evil, which Adam lacked, those who thankfully accept the redemption as God's gift may continue to live everlastingly on the original condition of obedience. Perfect obedience will be required, and perfect ability to obey will be given, under the righteous reign of the Prince of Peace. Here is the salvation offered to the world. (A106.1)

… attainment to all these blessings will depend upon hearty compliance with the laws of Christ's Kingdom—the rapidity of the attainment to perfection indicating the degree of love for the King and for his law of love. If any, enlightened by the Truth, and brought to a knowledge of the love of God, and restored (either actually or reckonedly) to human perfection, become "fearful," and "draw back" (Heb. 10:38,39), they, with the unbelievers (Rev. 21:8), will be destroyed from among the people. (Acts 3:23) This is the second death. (A107.2)

Reference: R5756

The Apostle speaks here of "the end of the commandment." The expression seems somewhat obscure. The thought seems to be this: the ultimate purpose of the Law, that which it is designed to produce, is love—to bring us to the place where we shall be in full harmony with the One who made the Law, and who is Himself the embodiment of Love. This will be the final result of God's Law to all who receive it. He wishes that those who are perfect shall remain perfect, and that those who are imperfect shall see the proper standard for all Jehovah's creatures to be a just standard, a loving standard; that God is to be obeyed, not from compulsion, but from love for Him and for the principles of righteousness. It is His ultimate purpose that all His intelligent creatures who will be granted eternal life must be perfect, in full harmony with their Creator. (R5756.3)

Now therefore, if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.—Exo 19:5-6

Reference: R5582

Only those who have the right spirit, disposition, will or intention, can keep the Divine Law, and only those who are in perfect harmony with God will He recognize as sons. The holy angels are sons of God on the angelic plane; cherubim are sons of God on their plane of being; and Christ and the Church in glory are sons of God on the Divine plane. All these are sons of God, yet they exist on different planes. They are all governed by the Spirit of God; and unless they had that Spirit, they could not be recognized as sons; for no one can keep the Divine Law except those who have the Divine disposition. (R5582.17)

Before Adam fell he was a son of God. (Luke 3:38.) He had the Spirit of God, in the sense of having the right spirit, disposition, will, intention. But after he had become a transgressor of the Divine Law, he was considered a sinner. All of Adam's race are still sinners except those who have come into Christ. In the Millennial Age, however, Adam's race will have the privilege of coming into Christ. He will be The Everlasting Father, the Father who will give everlasting life to all those who will obey the instructions given under the Messianic Kingdom. (R5582.18)

In order to reach that condition of Divine approval, mankind must have the spirit of the Truth, and must be developed along that line. Before they will be counted, or recognized, as sons, they must have the spirit, or disposition, of righteousness. Until they attain that spirit, they will not be able to render acceptable service; for the Lord seeketh such to worship Him as worship Him in spirit and in truth. In their fallen condition mankind are not able to keep the Divine Law. Even during the Millennial Age they will keep it only in part, until they shall have been brought back to the image of God in the flesh.—Genesis 1:26. (R5582.19)

ä ADDITIONAL POINTS FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION:

Examine the different words that are translated “obey,” “obedience,” or “obedient.” Compare the meanings of Strong’s H8085, Strong’s G5218, and Strong’s G5219.

Definition of Hebrew Words Translated “Obey”:

EXAMPLE— Gen 22:18 And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed [Strong’s H8085. shama'; to hear intelligently] my voice.

EXAMPLE— 1 Ki 3:9 Give therefore thy servant an understanding [Strong’s H8085. shama'; to hear intelligently] heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people?

Strong’s H8085. shama', shaw-mah'; a prim. root; to hear intelligently (often with impl. of attention, obedience, etc.; caus. to tell, etc.):-- X attentively, call (gather) together, X carefully, X certainly, consent, consider, be content, declare, X diligently, discern, give ear, (cause to, let, make to) hear (-ken, tell), X indeed, listen, make (a) noise, (be) obedient, obey, perceive, (make a) proclaim (-ation), publish, regard, report, shew (forth), (make a) sound, X surely, tell, understand, whosoever [heareth], witness.

Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words: (on Strong’s H8085) v. to hear, hearken, listen, obey, publish.

Definition of Greek Words Translated “Obey”:

EXAMPLE— Heb 5:8-9 Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience [Strong’s G5218; attentive hearkening] by the things which he suffered; {9} And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey [Strong’s G5219; to hear under (as a subordinate)] him;

Strong’s G5218. hupakoe, hoop-ak-o-ay'; from G5219; attentive hearkening, i.e. (by impl.) compliance or submission:--obedience, (make) obedient, obey (-ing).

Strong’s G5219. hupakouo, hoop-ak-oo'-o; from G5259 and G191; to hear under (as a subordinate), i.e. to listen attentively; by impl. to heed or conform to a command or authority:--hearken, be obedient to, obey.

Strong’s G5259. hupo, hoop-o'; a prim. prep.; under, i.e. (with the gen.) of place (beneath), or with verbs (the agency or means, through); (with the acc.) of place (whither [underneath] or where [below]) or time (when [at]):--among, by, from, in, of, under, with. In comp. it retains the same gen. applications, espec. of inferior position or condition, and spec. covertly or moderately.

Strong’s G191. akouo, ak-oo'-o; a prim. verb; to hear (in various senses):--give (in the) audience (of), come (to the ears), ([shall]) hear (-er, -ken), be noised, be reported, understand.

Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon (on Strong’s G5218): obedience, compliance, submission.

Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words: (on Strong’s G5218) n. “obedience.”

Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon (on Strong’s G5219): to listen, hearken … to hearken to a command, i.e., to obey, be obedient unto, submit to …

Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words: (on Strong’s G5219) v. “to listen, attend,” and so “to submit, to obey.”

ä ADDITIONAL POINTS FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION:

Examine the root meaning of Strong’s G5219 (obey) and compare its similarity to Strong’s G5281 (patience).

Compare Patient Endurance—Hupomone—“to stay under” with Obey—hupakouo—“to hear under.”

EXAMPLE— Rom 2:7 To them who by patient continuance [Strong’s G5281. hupomone; cheerful endurance] in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:

Strong’s G5281. hupomone, hoop-om-on-ay'; from G5278; cheerful (or hopeful) endurance, constancy:--enduring, patience, patient continuance (waiting).

Strong’s G5278. hupomeno, hoop-om-en'-o; from G5259 and G3306; to stay under (behind), i.e. remain; fig. to undergo, i.e. bear (trials), have fortitude, persevere:--abide, endure, (take) patient (-ly), suffer, tarry behind.

ADDITIONAL POINTS FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION:

Is obedience the same as submission?—Heb 13:17. Is it the same as loyalty? Is it the same as faithfulness?

Reference: R5844

Thus it will be with us, if we are found faithful. God will exalt us in due time. But He cannot exalt any who are not humble. Submission indicates faith. We would not submit ourselves unless we had absolute confidence in God. And not faith only, but loyalty also, is necessary. Therefore the Father tests us in these two qualities. Without these, we would be quite unfit for the Kingdom; and so the various tests of the present time are tests of faith and loyalty to God, and of entire submission to His will. It is to those "who, by patient continuance in well doing, seek for glory and honor and immortality" that God has promised "eternal life."—Romans 2:7. (R5844.2)

Reference: R5081

Loyalty is one of the great tests of character—loyalty to God, to His Word, loyalty to principle. Whatever follows, the Christian must be submissive to God, trustful and faithful. To such alone could we expect God to give the great blessings promised to overcomers. Hence we see that the Apostle was quite right in giving up all that he might serve God, that he might please the Father, and thus attain to this glorious reward of joint-heirship with His Son. (R5081.9)

Recommended Reading

R5080 THE MARK OF CRYSTALLIZATION OF CHARACTER

E120 Subtitle: "Though He Were a Son Yet Learned He Obedience by the Things Which He Suffered …”

R2935 Subtitle: Learning Obedience By The Things Suffered

Reference: R5082, Subtitle: FREE MORAL AGENCY A FACTOR IN CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT

Character may be viewed from two different standpoints. When Adam was created, he was a man of great and good character—"crowned with glory and honor." He was perfect, the image of God. There is a difference, however, between a character thus given, and one that is developed and tested by the exercise of free will. Our Heavenly Father desires that His intelligent creatures exercise their wills. Therefore instead of giving Adam a part of His own character-likeness and eliminating that which we call moral choice, He chose to give Adam His character-likeness, including free moral agency. "So God created man in His own image." God foreknew the fall of man and all the circumstances connected with it. He knew that the permission of evil for a time would ultimately result in great blessings for all. He knew that the time would come when every creature in heaven and in earth would be obedient to Him, not only because there was no opportunity of doing otherwise, but from choice. (R5082.8)

Those who are appreciative of God's character should desire to have this character-likeness. Only such will merit everlasting life amongst either angels or men. God is testing along these lines the worthiness of those who are on trial for life eternal. Hence, "The Father seeketh such to worship Him" as "worship Him in spirit and in truth"—intelligently.—John 4:23,24. (R5082.9)

Reference: R5523

However, there is but the one way to get the Holy Spirit, and that is from the Lord Himself and upon His own terms. In order to receive a fresh supply of Oil we need to look well to our covenant with the Lord and to our zeal for Him and the Truth, to our loyalty to the principles of righteousness. This costs something of time and study. It costs something, perhaps, of neglect of the things of this life. It means to forego strife for wealth and fame. It means to live close to God. (R5523.6)

This is the cost of the precious Oil which is to give Light to those who will have it. Hence the wise virgins declared, in no ungenerous spirit, that they had none too much of the oil of the Holy Spirit for themselves. Then they advised their brethren who were deficient to go to God, who giveth liberally and upbraideth not, and to seek the Oil by obedience to His Word, by the searching of the Scriptures and by close following of the Master's leading in the Narrow Way. (R5523.7)

ä ADDITIONAL POINTS FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION:

What is the difference between the obedience which our Lord always had to our heavenly Father’s will and obedience which he “learned”?— Heb 5:8.

Reference: R3528

The special love of the Father for the Son above all others is here referred to. The basis of that special love was the Son's complete trust in the Father and thorough harmony with and obedience to the divine will. We can see at a glance how such a noble, faithful character would be appreciated by the Father. Our Lord had always been obedient to the Father, but he learned the meaning of obedience, he learned to appreciate how much obedience might cost by the things which he suffered—his self-denial, humiliation, death. No wonder all noble hearts love this noble Shepherd, and what wonder that we who are his sheep, and who realize so great a blessing and advantage through his sacrifice for us, should love him in return. (R3528.9)

No wonder, as the Apostle says, that we find such a love constraining our hearts to a responsive love. The Apostle exhorts us that we should have this same mind that was in Christ Jesus—not only the elders of the Church, who as under-shepherds, pastors, seek to safeguard the interests of the flock in every way, but all of the Church, seeking and attaining more and more of a likeness to the great Shepherd—have more and more of his spirit. The Apostle urges such, saying, “We ought also to lay down our lives for the brethren.” This spirit should be manifested in all of the Lord's sheep, and should be considered as a prerequisite to recognition as one of the under shepherds. (R3528.10)

Reference: R5080

At Jordan our Lord was shown to be perfect and to have made a perfect consecration, both by the descent of the Holy Spirit and by the voice of Jehovah. (Matt. 3:16,17.) He had also a perfect body—though it was earthly—in which the New Creature operated. But His obedience must be tested—His loyalty even unto death. Whatever the degree of testing to which our Lord might have been subjected, it was just the right amount, according to the Father's wisdom. Our Lord would have been just as much an overcomer had He died at any time after His consecration. But if He had died sooner than He did, it would merely have proved that the Father did not require as much evidence of our Lord's faithfulness and loyalty as He did require. (R5080.11)

Reference: R5761

… Two things they [the Jews] failed to realize: first, that a Redemption-price for the sin of Adam must be provided before Adam and his race could be returned to Divine favor and everlasting life in Eden; second, that Messiah Himself, before having so great an exaltation as Jehovah purposed, must demonstrate His worthiness to it by humility, obedience, loyalty, even unto death. St. Paul points out that Jesus the Redeemer did all this—that He left the glory which He had with the Father, humbled Himself to become a man (though not a sinner), and then as a man further humbled Himself unto death, even the death of the Cross; that on this account God highly exalted Him far above angels, making Him partaker of the Divine nature and Inheritor of all the promises of glory, honor, immortality.—Philippians 2:8-11.

Many who see this much fail to get the Scriptural declaration that God's purpose equally included a Church class as a Bride to Messiah—as sharer of His sufferings and trials, and sharer of His exaltation and glory. Only when this is seen can we properly understand the delay in the establishment of the Kingdom. It has delayed in order that the entire Church, foreordained of God, might be completed, tested, proved, glorified in the First Resurrection, and then inaugurated with Messiah as the Heavenly Kingdom.

ä ADDITIONAL POINTS FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION:

How do trials and suffering help to develop obedience?

Reference: R5712, Subtitle: TRAITS NECESSARY TO SUCCESS

Courage, fortitude, persistency, in the service of the Lord are very necessary to the child of God. Such traits are needful even to the world. Whoever lacks these qualities of character is pretty sure to make poor success in life. Lack of courage, lack of hope, is one of the chief causes of failure in the world. Our text, however, calls attention, not to the world, but to those who belong to the Lord. The precious promises of God's Word, which are only for His people, those who are wholly His, give these every reason for hope; they have full authority to be strong and of a good courage. The children of God will have trials and experiences similar to those of the world, besides experiences and trials peculiar to them as followers of Christ. These come not to us in a haphazard way, however, as to the world, but are under the direct supervision of the Lord. (R5712.4)

Those who are new in the service of the Master might think for a time that matters should run smoothly for them, that they should not have the difficulties common to the world; that now as they were God's children He would protect them from afflictions and mistreatment. But as they study the Lord's Word, they soon see that this is not true; they see that they are to walk by faith, and not by sight. They learn that they are not to expect to have outward and tangible manifestations of His favor, but that they are to suffer with Christ—that hereunto they were called. (1 Peter 2:20,21; Acts 14:22.) They learn that they must be obedient, and they come to see what obedience means. (R5712.5)

The Master learned obedience—learned what obedience meant—"by the things which He suffered." The narrow way is not an easy path. His followers learn that the Lord is now calling a class that have faith in Him, a class who accept His Word fully. In time they come, too, to see that "If God be for them, who can be against them?" If matters do not go as they had expected, if trials come, they will say, "We know that all things work for good to them that love God." (R5712.6)

So these learn, as they are guided by the Word of the Lord, that they are to be of good courage as they pursue their onward way. There are many difficulties to be surmounted, and it requires courage to surmount difficulties. But the courage born of faith in God and in His "exceeding great and precious promises" strengthens them when otherwise they might be overwhelmed. It gives them a strength to which all others are strangers. (R5712.7)

Reference: R5643 (modified from R5539.3-.4)

"Whosoever will save his life shall lose it." We are all to pass through the trying experiences represented by the wine-press. We are to lay down our lives in the Divine service. We are to submit ourselves to the crushing experiences, to be obliterated as humans, and to become New Creatures. "If we suffer [with Him], we shall also reign with Him"—not otherwise. So we joyfully accept the invitation to drink of His Cup. And not until the Cup has been drained to the last shall we receive the other Cup—the Cup of Kingdom joys. While our Lord had a great blessing in the obedience which He rendered to the Father, yet it was a trying time for Him down to the last moment, when He cried, "It is finished!" And so with the Church. We must drink all of the Cup. We must endure all of the experiences. None of the Cup is to be left. (R5643.6)

All the sufferings of Christ will be complete when the Body of Christ shall have finished its course. The new Cup of Joy was given our Lord when He was received up into glory. Then all the angels of God worshiped Him. Soon our Cup of Joy will be given to us. Surely there was a joyous time when the sleeping saints were awakened and entered into their reward and received the Cup of Blessings! (See STUDIES, Vol. III., pp. 233-240; Vol. IV., p. 622.) And one by one those who were alive and remained at the Coming of the Master are being gathered Home. Undoubtedly we shall all partake of this joy with them soon, if we are faithful. We believe the fulness of joy will not be reached until all the members of Christ are with Him beyond the veil. Then we shall share His Throne and partake of His glory. Then with our beloved Lord we shall drink of the new wine in the Kingdom; for the promise is to all His faithful saints. (R5643.7)

ä ADDITIONAL POINTS FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION:

How does humility help to develop obedience?—Phil 2:8.

Reference: E423

Amongst the angels who had retained their first estate and loyalty to God, no doubt there might have been many found who would gladly have undertaken the accomplishment of the Father's will, and to become man's ransom price: but to do so would mean the greatest trial, the severest test to which loyalty to God could be exposed, and hence the one who would thus manifest his devotion and his loyalty and his faith would be worthy of having the very highest position amongst all the angelic sons of God, far above the angels and principalities and powers, and every name that is named. Moreover, it was a part of the divine purpose to make use of this opportunity to illustrate the fact that whoever seeks to exercise his own selfish ambitions (as Satan did), shall be degraded, abased, while, on the contrary, whoever shall most thoroughly humble himself, in obedience to the Heavenly Father's will and plan, shall be correspondingly exalted. God so arranged his plan as to make this feature a necessity; to the intent that in this manifestation of divine sympathy and love for the world, an opportunity might also be afforded for the manifestation of the love, humility and obedience of the Only Begotten of the Father—his well-beloved Son, whom he delighted to honor. (E423.1)

Reference: E443

So far as Justice was concerned, the Jews might have put our Lord to death in any other form, and the requirements of Justice have been equally well met. The necessary thing was surrender of his innocent soul (being) as an off-set or in exchange for a guilty soul (being) whose existence was forfeited through transgression. Neither was it necessary, so far as the ransom feature was concerned, that our Lord's person should be wounded, and his blood literally shed or spilled on the ground. The penalty for sin was death, the cessation of being, and when that was accomplished the penalty was met. The requirement of the crucifixion and the pierced side were for other considerations. (E443.1)

The blood falling upon the earth, at the foot of the altar of sacrifice, represented that not only mankind had been purchased, but that the earth itself was included, and the blood was sprinkled upon it. The shame and ignominy of the public crucifixion, as a malefactor, was necessary, because our Heavenly Father had decided that the testing of the obedience of our Lord Jesus should be to the utmost; not only was he tested to see whether he would be willing to become a man, but additionally, whether he would be willing to die as man's ransom-price or substitute, and additionally, whether or not he would be willing to suffer the very extreme of ignominy, and thus prove to the last degree his worthiness of the greatest exaltation at his Father's hands. (E443.2)

The Apostle presents the matter in this light; for after telling us of how he left the heavenly glory for our sakes, and became a man, he adds, "And being found in fashion as a man he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death—even the death of the cross. Wherefore, God hath highly exalted him, and given him a name [title, honor, dignity] which is above every name"—the Father's name or title excepted. (Phil. 2:8,9) Compare 1 Cor. 15:27. (E444.1)

ADDITIONAL POINTS FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION:

How does patient endurance help to develop obedience?—Luke 8:15; Rom 2:7; Rev 14:12.

Reference: R5332

We are doing the will of God when we fully consecrate ourselves to Him, and attain a place in the New Creation. But He wills to put us to the test. How much do we love God? How sincere are we? A soldier in an army might be loyal in time of quiet, but how would he be in time of stress? Would he desert the flag then, or would he prove himself a good soldier? He would need a great deal of patience. If he says he loves his country, his endurance and faithfulness will be tested in her time of need. He must go on picket duty; he must sometimes do menial work. He must endure wearisome marches, and many privations. All these things are required of a faithful soldier. If he is faithful, he is likely to be promoted, honored, for his faithful service. (R5332.7)

So we are tested as to our loyalty. What are we willing to endure for Christ's sake? How fully are we submitted? How deep does our submission go? Are we wholly in harmony with the will of the Lord? Is our interest merely superficial, or does it enter fully into our hearts? The question is not merely, Shall we make the consecration?—but after the Christian has taken all of these preliminary steps, to what extent will he manifest patient endurance and obedience and loyalty? (R5332.8)

God puts us to these tests because He has great honors to bestow on those who will be overcomers. They are to be a select company, and these will receive the Promise. As the Apostle says, it is after we have proved our loyalty to the very last, that we shall receive the Promise; i.e., its fulfillment. (R5332.9)

ä ADDITIONAL POINTS FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION:

How does self-discipline help to develop obedience?—1 Cor 9:27; Prov 25:12.

Reference: R4805

It is often the case that the Lord (or the Devil) is blamed for sending trials, which are simply the natural results of our own mistakes. Those who fail to locate the root of the matter (in themselves) pray in vain for the Lord to remove miraculously what they themselves could obviate by obedience to the Word and vigorous self-discipline. "If we would judge [and correct] ourselves, we should not be judged; but when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord [largely by the experiences through which our own faults put us], that we should not be condemned with the world."—1 Cor 11:31,32. (R4805.7)

Reference: R5103

We should all keep in memory, however, the fact that God expects of us a demonstration of loyalty to Him and to the principles of Truth and Righteousness—in an overcoming degree. It will not do simply to stand still from week to week and from year to year and to say, "These are my weaknesses and I take them to Jesus." Overcoming is the gaining of some victory by the New Creature over besetting weaknesses as well as over trespasses. Only such as strive will be crowned and acknowledged of the Lord as overcomers. And their overcoming will be, not of themselves, but of God's grace and the assistance of the Great Advocate.—1 John 5:4. (R5103.1)

Reference: R5806, Subtitle: SELF DISCIPLINE FOR A PURPOSE

The God of the Bible has, during the Age now closing, been calling out of the world a very special class of mankind. We have faith in this God because the instructions of His Word are reasonable, and because the results of following these instructions are in every way most satisfactory and gratifying. The wonderful fulfillment of its prophecies in the past and in the present are most convincing. The manifestations of His providence and His guidance in the lives of those who have served Him—this God of the Bible—are likewise so marked as to be unassailable. He has given to these "exceeding great and precious promises," which relate to the life which now is and also to that which is to come, and which sustain and strengthen the children of God in all their pilgrimage through this vale of tears to the Heavenly City, "whose Builder and Maker is God." (R5806.3)

We are assured in the Holy Word that if we are faithful to our God under present unfavorable conditions and environments, if we are loyal to the principles of Truth and righteousness and to our Covenant of Sacrifice made with Him, we shall have quite a conflict with ourselves and with the sins that are entrenched in our mortal bodies. He tells us, too, that such loyalty to Him will bring persecution and misunderstanding, because of the condition of darkness which now envelops the world of mankind. Yes, we well know that our faithful endeavor to serve the Lord and His Truth will now bring opposition from the world, from our own flesh, and from the great Adversary and all his hosts of darkness; for all these are leagued against us as followers of Christ—our Savior, our leader, our Pattern. (R5806.4)

We are to mortify the deeds of the body, but not the body itself without a purpose. There must be a reason, a Scriptural reason for so doing, a definite and worthy object before us in all our work of mortification. We might just as well go out and commit suicide at once, drink some poisonous acid, and think, "Now I have mortified my body," as to inflict torture upon ourselves, thinking through it to correct our sins or weaknesses. Only a greatly perverted mind and conscience could entertain such a wild idea. Whatever mortification is practiced by the child of God should be actuated by the Spirit of God, the mind of God. "If ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live." (R5806.5)

There is today a meaning in the word mortification as ordinarily used, which is altogether different from the sense of the word as used by the Apostle. We sometimes say in speaking of a certain experience, "I was greatly mortified"; meaning that the experience produced humiliating or embarrassing results. But the deeds of the body are not thus dealt with. We are to mortify in the sense of putting to death the deeds of the flesh. This is the primary meaning of the word. (R5806.6)

We are striving day by day to develop the fruits of the Holy Spirit—fortitude, meekness, gentleness, patience, self-control, long-suffering, brotherly-kindness, love. It is while endeavoring to put these qualities of character into practice, to increase this blessed fruitage in our hearts and lives, that the mortification, the killing, of the deeds of the body is accomplished; for all the conditions about us are unfavorable. If conditions were favorable, if every one about us should encourage us in the good way and commend us for our course, the mortification of our flesh could not so well be brought about. It is in struggling against adverse influences, in encountering opposition and by conquering its power over us, that we gain strength and development as New Creatures in Christ. There will be no mortification of the flesh in the Millennial Age. But there is now. And it is this mortification of the deeds of the body, the crucifying of the flesh with all its earthward tendencies, that will, if persevered in, bring us the eternal life - the glory, honor, immortality - promised to the overcoming saints of the Gospel Dispensation. But if we take any other course we shall not gain the prize which has been offered to us in this Age. (R5806.7)

John 4:23-24 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. {24} God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

Strong’s G5259. hupo, hoop-o'; a prim. prep.; under, i.e. (with the gen.) of place (beneath), or with verbs (the agency or means, through); (with the acc.) of place (whither [underneath] or where [below]) or time (when [at]):--among, by, from, in, of, under, with. In comp. it retains the same gen. applications, espec. of inferior position or condition, and spec. covertly or moderately.

Strong’s G3306. meno, men'-o; a prim. verb; to stay (in a given place, state, relation or expectancy):--abide, continue, dwell, endure, be present, remain, stand, tarry (for), X thine own.

Heb 13:17 Obey [Strong’s G3982, peitho; to assent (to evidence or authority)] them that have the rule over you, and submit [Strong’s G5226, hupeiko; to surrender] yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.

Heb 5:8 Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;

Phil 2:8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

Luke 8:15 But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.

Rom 2:7 To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:

Rev 14:12 Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.

1 Cor 9:27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

Prov 25:12 As an earring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold, so is a wise reprover upon an obedient ear.

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