A Big Accomplishment

What does it mean to be obedient to the Faith? As the apostles preached more and more, one of their big accomplishments was for people knowledgeable of the Bible to become obedient to the Faith.

So the Word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the Faith (Acts 6:7)

If this passage is speaking about faith in Jesus, how do we obey it? Isn’t faith in Jesus the same thing as trust in Jesus? You can’t obey trust—so this passage cannot be talking about obedience to faith in Jesus.

Rather, what happened is that priests had begun to obey the Faith, a set of doctrines. A large number of Jewish priests were converted. That’s an important factor in our understanding of what becoming obedient to the Faith means because priests are people who keep traditions very well. The priests who were converted conformed their lives to a new set of doctrines, they had come to understand the doctrines of Christianity. That caused them to follow a new set of traditions. Their lives went from a focus on Judaism to a focus on a new religion—Christianity.

Christian Traditions

There are at least three foundational Christian traditions: water baptism, the laying on of hands, and the Lord’s Supper. Every true Christian church in the World practices these traditions to one degree or another, with varying degrees of frequency; and with different degrees of commitment.

Other traditions are meetings in homes, the giving of offerings, meeting on Sundays (the Lord’s Day), and reciting the Lord’s Prayer (i.e., the Our Father)—a prayer modeled after the one Jesus taught his disciples. Note that all of the traditions are simple, free of financial burden, and easy to understand.

So then, brothers, stand firm and hold fast to the traditions which you were taught, whether by spoken word or by letter from us (2 Thessalonians 2:15; LEB).

Devoted to Three Things

What were the main things Paul wanted Timothy, a pastor, to devote himself to?

Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching, and to teaching (1 Timothy 4:13).

With this verse, any pastor who wants to follow this inspired guidance of the Holy Spirit can commit to a basic pattern in their ministries:

1.   read the Scriptures

2.   preach the text

3.   teach the text

And how important is it that pastors dedicate themselves to this 3-part pattern of ministry? Is it more important for us to take care of widows? Are poor widows more important than a pastor’s calling to minister the Word? No. The care of widows is important, but not more important. That’s why there are deacons in our churches.

… a complaint developed on the part of the Greek-speaking Jews against the native Hebrews, because their widows were being overlooked in the daily serving of food. So the Twelve summoned the congregation of the disciples and said, ‘It is not desirable for us to neglect the Word of God in order to serve tables. Instead, brothers and sisters, select from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may put in charge of this task. But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the Word (Acts 6:1-4; NASB).

Teaching What Jesus Commanded

Pastors should be teaching people to do all the things Jesus commanded us. They should be busy in the teaching ministry and they should invest time praying for people. That’s the full-time job of a pastor.

But is there really so much to teach? Yes. There is no lack of things Jesus commanded us to do. In fact, there are a hundreds of things Jesus commanded us.

… go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them… and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you (Matthew 28:19-20).

One of those things Christ commanded is for us to love one another. Christians should provide for one another’s needs. We provide food, drink, clothes, and shelter to Christian brothers and sisters according to their needs.

Following the example of Jesus, the Christian Church has always shown a concern for widows and orphans, prisoners, foreigners, the sick, and the elderly. Jesus said ‘the poor you will always have with you.’

We Know Christ to Obey the Faith

Obedience to the Faith is also mentioned in Romans 16, a different context from Acts 6, and a different author, Paul. What did obedience to the Faith mean to Paul?

Now to him who is able to establish you according to my Gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery kept secret since the World began but now made manifest, and by the prophetic Scriptures made known to all nations, according to the commandment of the Everlasting God, for obedience to the Faith—to God, alone wise, be glory through Jesus Christ forever (Romans 16:25-27; NKJV).

What do we see in this passage? That the goal of the Gospel is to make us obedient to the Faith. That is, the mystery of who the Messiah is has been revealed in Christ Jesus. Now, all Gentile peoples around the World today know this mystery—but their knowledge of it has a purpose. It’s for a reason--they have been given knowledge of the mystery so that they might obey the Faith.

Obedience to the Faith is the goal of the Gospel!

Actions Speak Louder

The basic doctrines and the Christian traditions require action. For example, the most basic Christian doctrine is that Christ came in the flesh. It's called the doctrine of Christ.

We obey that doctrine by following our Lord’s example and making no excuses for our own flesh, our own carnal desires. We do what Jesus did because he showed us how to be spiritual, although he was in the flesh. He came as we are so that we might become as he is.

The Faith demands that we love one another, that we lay hands on people in prayer, that we participate in the Lord’s Supper, that we do good to our enemies, that we give to the poor, that we go forth and proclaim the Gospel, and that we practice our spiritual gifts. None of these activities are optional for a Christian.

Obedience to Christ Jesus

There is work to be done for those who have come to know sound doctrine, the Faith. That work is the work of obedience. Jesus said:

If you love me, keep my commands (John 14:15).

You are my friends if you do what I command (John 15:14).

Knowing the Faith must result in our completing Christ’s commandments. Obeying the Faith is keeping those commandments. If we keep his commandments, we truly love Jesus. If we do not keep them, we do not love him.

Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me (John 14:21).

How important is it to love Jesus? Very very important.

If anyone does not love the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be accursed (1 Corinthians 16:22; NKJV).

The Four First Traditions

There were four traditions the first Christian church in history kept. Four traditions for the church that was founded by Jesus and pastored by the Twelve Apostles. Can you tell what those traditions were from the Bible verse below?

Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day. They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayer (Acts 2:41-42).

Does your congregation keep these same traditions? Have the people of your church devoted themselves to these practices? If they do, they obedient to the Faith. If they do not, push them towards a committed to:

1.   sound doctrine

2.   fellowship

3.   the Lord’s Supper

4.   prayer

Because that’s all we really need to be a successful church! If we obey the Faith, we have fulfilled our purpose in this life.