Who benefits from obedience.

  • Christian Chat is a moderated online Christian community allowing Christians around the world to fellowship with each other in real time chat via webcam, voice, and text, with the Christian Chat app. You can also start or participate in a Bible-based discussion here in the Christian Chat Forums, where members can also share with each other their own videos, pictures, or favorite Christian music.

    If you are a Christian and need encouragement and fellowship, we're here for you! If you are not a Christian but interested in knowing more about Jesus our Lord, you're also welcome! Want to know what the Bible says, and how you can apply it to your life? Join us!

    To make new Christian friends now around the world, click here to join Christian Chat.
iwant2serve

iwant2serve

Senior Member
#1
Apr 12, 2009
513
28
28
#1
A while back someone posted a video of Victorea Olsteen saying God wants us to be happy and when we do what God wants one way of looking at it is that it's for God. Yet we do it for ourselves. She received a lot of critisizm for that. So I have to ask this question. Is that really about self or do we think we are doing God some kind of favor by being obedient. She also said we go to church for us not for God. Now I ask you to forget about who is saying it but hear the message she is saying. What is your thoughts.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZLWm48fhCGQ
 
Yet

Yet

Banned
#2
Jan 4, 2014
3,756
69
0
#2
Obedience to God, will bring both benefits and pain. Blessings and rejection.
 
iwant2serve

iwant2serve

Senior Member
#3
Apr 12, 2009
513
28
28
#3
Yet said:
Obedience to God, will bring both benefits and pain. Blessings and rejection.
Click to expand...
I agree that it will do both as well. Yet are we doing God any favors by being obedient and does it benefit God or us?
 
Joidevivre

Joidevivre

Senior Member
#4
Jul 15, 2014
3,838
271
83
#4
The obedience is really for us to just allow Christ and the fruits of the Holy Spirit to be expressed to others. It isn't about us in that we are no longer under a law of works.

But the more we allow His love, His patience, His endurance, His caring, His help to be seen, we actually receive all these things too.
 
Last edited:
Blain

Blain

The Word Weaver
#5
Aug 28, 2012
19,213
2,549
113
#5
If I do obey him I hope it would be because I love him not for myself or trying to do him a favor, whether or not it benefits me does that really matter? after all this is has and always will be about him and about his children correct?
 
J

john832

Senior Member
#6
May 31, 2013
11,365
186
63
#6
Yet said:
Obedience to God, will bring both benefits and pain. Blessings and rejection.
Click to expand...
Not what scripture says...

Psa 19:7 The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.
Psa 19:8 The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes.
Psa 19:9 The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.
Psa 19:10 More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.
Psa 19:11 Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward.
Psa 19:12 Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults.
Psa 19:13 Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression.
Psa 19:14 Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.
 
E

eternally-gratefull

Guest
#7
#7
john832 said:
Not what scripture says...

Psa 19:7 The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.
Psa 19:8 The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes.
Psa 19:9 The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.
Psa 19:10 More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.
Psa 19:11 Moreover by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward.
Psa 19:12 Who can understand his errors? cleanse thou me from secret faults.
Psa 19:13 Keep back thy servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me: then shall I be upright, and I shall be innocent from the great transgression.
Psa 19:14 Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer.
Click to expand...
Obedience is for our benefit. God does not need us, He will get his will done no matter what. He tells us to do good for our own benefit.
 
J

JesusIsAll

Guest
#8
#8
iwant2serve said:
Is that really about self or do we think we are doing God some kind of favor by being obedient. She also said we go to church for us not for God.
Click to expand...
Though the phrase "doing God some kind of favor" is an unfortunate way of putting it, does God not take pleasure in His children, in their obedience and worship? And is true, Godly faith more about self, or more about the Lord Jesus? (Do these two questions require an answer?)
 
J

john832

Senior Member
#9
May 31, 2013
11,365
186
63
#9
Yet said:
Obedience to God, will bring both benefits and pain. Blessings and rejection.
Click to expand...
eternally-gratefull said:
Obedience is for our benefit. God does not need us, He will get his will done no matter what. He tells us to do good for our own benefit.
Click to expand...
Obedience does not bring pain, disobedience brings pain.
 
KohenMatt

KohenMatt

Senior Member
#10
Jun 28, 2013
4,021
222
63
#10
john832 said:
Obedience does not bring pain, disobedience brings pain.
Click to expand...
Depending on the perspective in which you view it. Obedience can bring pain in a temporal perspective. When you make a choice to be obedient and cut ties with a friendship that is unhealthy, there is grieving and pain. But it should also be accompanied by peace knowing you obeyed.
 
Yet

Yet

Banned
#11
Jan 4, 2014
3,756
69
0
#11
If you dare surrender all, you will share in the sufferings of Christ more than those who don't.
 
D

dalconn

Guest
#12
#12
iwant2serve said:
I agree that it will do both as well. Yet are we doing God any favors by being obedient and does it benefit God or us?
Click to expand...
I would have to say we benefit and God gets glorified

Hebrews 5:7-9King James Version (KJV)

7 Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared;
8 Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;
9 And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;
 
P

psychomom

Guest
#13
#13
KohenMatt said:
Depending on the perspective in which you view it. Obedience can bring pain in a temporal perspective. When you make a choice to be obedient and cut ties with a friendship that is unhealthy, there is grieving and pain. But it should also be accompanied by peace knowing you obeyed.
Click to expand...
goodness, there are loads of ways in which obeying God can bring us pain (in a temporal perspective).

but the curse of the Law is done away in Christ,
and the blessings of His obedience are ours.
forever. ♥
 
iwant2serve

iwant2serve

Senior Member
#14
Apr 12, 2009
513
28
28
#14
JesusIsAll said:
Though the phrase "doing God some kind of favor" is an unfortunate way of putting it, does God not take pleasure in His children, in their obedience and worship? And is true, Godly faith more about self, or more about the Lord Jesus? (Do these two questions require an answer?)
Click to expand...
Well my brother I do understand that God wants us to be obedient and that he is pleased when we are because he created us for his pleasure. With that being said no one has to obey God and our obedience to him should bring happieness in our lives as disobedience brings sadness to us. When we are obedient we can go to God with confidence but when disobedience we tip toe to him in shame.
 
breno785au

breno785au

Senior Member
#15
Jul 23, 2013
6,002
764
113
39
Australia
#15
john832 said:
Obedience does not bring pain, disobedience brings pain.
Click to expand...
Obedience does bring pain, one notable example is Jesus going to the cross and we are called to share in His suffering. Surely we do suffer, almost daily but there is also comfort available.

I'd say obedience benefits both God and us.
 
SeaBass

SeaBass

Banned
#16
Mar 12, 2014
6,433
29
0
#16
Heb 5:9 "And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;"

The benefit of my obedience to God's will is forgiveness/salvation.

2 Thess 1:8 "In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:"

What does one get by not obeying? Flaming fire, God's vengeance.
 
Last edited:
J

john832

Senior Member
#17
May 31, 2013
11,365
186
63
#17
Yet said:
If you dare surrender all, you will share in the sufferings of Christ more than those who don't.
Click to expand...
But not from obedience. There is a cause and effect here. An obedient person doesn't cause the pain. Sometimes others, sometimes Satan and it depends on what God allows.

Read Job 1. He was obedient and what caused the pain? Satan.
 
N

newbirth

Banned
#18
Mar 28, 2014
4,300
31
0
#18
john832 said:
But not from obedience. There is a cause and effect here. An obedient person doesn't cause the pain. Sometimes others, sometimes Satan and it depends on what God allows.

Read Job 1. He was obedient and what caused the pain? Satan.
Click to expand...
1 Peter 4:1
Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;
 
C

ChristIsGod

Guest
#19
#19
How do you fathers & husbands feel when your children or wives are not submitting to you when the only thing you are asking of them is for their own good? If your heart is hurt or broken over them - how much more our God.

There is such a thing as 'grieving' our Loving GOD. He does not rejoice in the death of the wicked neither ... because He 'is' Love.

The Word says that those that follow the commandments of Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.

Our flesh/mind/will battles against obedience. Satan Hates obedience. And obedience is a battle between both of these.

We know in the back of our minds that obedience will cause us all of the above, we know inside somewhere that we will lose friends if we obey His Word or what His Spirit is telling us to do and that's why we battle so with those verses in His Word that we don't want to see and don't do what we feel His Spirit is telling us to do - like give to the poor or be a witness to the world, etc..
Look at most of the hot debates ... are they not over obedience?
 
Yet

Yet

Banned
#20
Jan 4, 2014
3,756
69
0
#20
Rejection by other Christians, mainly church (false) leaders, has been our source of pain. Jesus said if the world hates Him, it will hate you also........if you have surrendered all.
It boils down to a 'worldly' church, flesh directed, not Spirit directed. If a worldly, flesh driven church hates Him, it will hate you also. See: 'which pastor'.

Another spirit, another gospel, another Jesus. Paul did warn that it definitely exists. If that is true, why do we not expect to see it, even today?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.