through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations, [romans 1:5]
the obedience of faith.
as believers, we are all commissioned with a task. we are to ‘“go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.” [matthew 28:18-20] some will take this commission to mean they are called to go and evangelize. some will take this to mean they are called to go overseas, and some to go across the street. some will take this commission to mean they are to take the gospel to new places who haven’t had the opportunity to hear it yet. these are all high callings, but thanks be to God that his calling for us does not stop there. the beauty of walking with new believers until they are mature believers is a long-game calling. it’s the messy work of relationships, the strenuous work of weeping with those who weep, mourning with those who mourn, and rejoicing with those who rejoice. it’s walking through sin struggles with those who need constant reminding that He who lives in them is greater than he who lives in the world. it’s the patient work of pointing Christ’s children back to him, to cling to him through all of life’s ups and downs. whether God calls you across oceans or across the street or across the sanctuary, discipleship is your calling, to bring about the obedience of faith.
we all know that faith without works is dead. [james 2:14-26] to bring about the obedience of faith through discipleship is to encourage someone to confirm their calling and election. [2 peter 1:10] to bring about the obedience of faith through discipleship is to encourage someone to work out their salvation through fear and trembling. [philippians 2:12] to bring about the obedience of faith through discipleship is to encourage someone to pay much closer attention to what they have heard, lest they drift away from it. [hebrews 2:1]
how often have you seen someone excited about the gospel, only to reject it 6 months later? how often have you seen someone baptized who then dismissed it as a silly phase they were going through within a year? how often have you seen someone who would seemingly have laid down their literal life for the name of Christ, only to choose their sin over him and walk away from the faith after years of living among the people of God? the parable of the sower and the seeds is laid out before us clearly in our everyday lives as we see the different kinds of soil walking in and out of our lives constantly. and how will we know if someone is the fertile soil that will produce a hundred fold? through bringing about the obedience of faith through discipleship.
are you qualified to bring about this obedience of faith? if you have received the power of the Holy Spirit through the blood of Jesus Christ, then yes! this can be done from day one as a believer. maybe you don’t feel like you have much to offer in the way of teaching someone else the commandments of Christ, but you have a Bible, you have the Holy Spirit, and I’m guessing you have someone in your life who you can link arms with to seek the Lord together. this will bring about their obedience and your own. grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! [2 peter 3:18]
this work of discipleship is just that… work. the work can be difficult and tiring. the work will at times be discouraging and at times be rewarding as we watch the Lord grow his kingdom. but this work of discipleship is not for us, it is for the sake of the name of Christ. and so we do not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. [galatians 6:9] the Spirit produces the fruit, so we can work to bring about this obedience of faith through the grace of Christ, for the sake of his name, with joy, with perseverance, with patience, and with grace.
today, consider this work of discipleship. who are you walking with to bring about the obedience of faith? where is God calling you to discipleship or peer growth? in your lot family? in the church? on your street? in your school? across the globe? submit to Christ’s call, be bold, and watch the Lord produce the fruit of obedience around you!
~arwen eastman