OBEDIENCE DEFINED
By A. Gene Veal

It will be of great benefit for us to look at the Greek construction of the word or words used for “obedience” as we study THE OBEDIENCE OF FAITH.  We will find that there is a precision in the Greek language that will leave no doubt as to what these words in Scripture are telling us.

“The Greeks had a word for it” is an expression I have heard all my life.  While making no claims of being an expert, I have always marveled at the precision of the Greek language.  The English language may have many meanings of the same word, but the Greek language has many words to express many limitations a word.

For example: The English word “FAST” has many definitions.

• He runs fast. (Speed)
• She is fast. (Loose)
• He is on a fast. (Not Eating)
• Stand fast. (Immovable)
• It is a shoe fast. (Form)
• The boat was tied to the fast. (Mooring)
• He is a fast friend. (Loyal or Close)
• Color fast. (Resistant to fading)

Look at the example of the Greek word for “DO.”  It could be poieo or prasso.

• Poieo would be a single act.
• Prasso would be a life style.

The significance of this distinction is seen in the list of sins of the flesh in Galatians chapter five: “that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.”  It is certainly good to know that the word “do” is prasso (life style) rather than a single act.  I might have committed one of these sins listed, but I haven’t made it a life style.  What a relief to know it is not saying “do” the way the English word might imply.

Let’s look at a couple of primary words in the Greek language that are used for our English word “obedience.”  The first one is “peitharcheo,” which refers to obedience to authority.  For example: “Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates.”    This word is not used with reference to THE OBEDIENCE OF FAITH.

Another word is found in the first chapter of Romans and in the last chapter of Romans where we find the expression “the obedience of faith”.  This word is “hupakoe” (pronounced hoop-ak-o-ay') and it is used in the New Testament fourteen times.  There is great significance in the construction of this Greek word.  I believe you will see that understanding this word will open a door of revelation to you with respect to living a successful Christian life.  Understanding this Greek word will make Scripture come alive to you from Genesis to Revelation.

When we begin reading in Genesis, what is the most obvious thing about God?  God SPEAKS!  “God said, Let there be light: and there was light.”  “God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters.”  “God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place.”  “God said, Let us make man in our image.”  God said … God said … God said.  Ten times in just the first chapter of Genesis we read, “God said.”

When God made man, He intended to have a relationship with man.  Now, how can the Omnipotent, Creator, Infinite God have a relationship with a finite speck of dust like man?  It would be worse than trying to put all the power generated by Boulder Dam into your house.  If you did, your house would be blown to bits.  How can the One in Whom is all things have fellowship with this time-space-matter limited speck called man? 

The Scripture puts it in such beautiful terms: “They heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day.”  THE VOICE.  God has a relationship with His creature, Adam, by way of His voice, a non-audible voice that speaks to Adam’s inner core.  A voice that is referred to in Scripture as “a still small voice.”

At the beginning of His ministry, Jesus rebutted Satan in the wilderness with the words, “It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.”  The Greek word for “word” is rhema, an utterance - the spoken word.

Jesus spoke of the identifying characteristic of His followers when He said, “they shall hear my voice.”  He even says to the church, “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.”

The Apostle Paul even tells us, “faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word (rhema) of God.”  And he says that the offensive part of the Christian armor is “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word (rhema) of God.”

What has all of this to do with THE OBEDIENCE OF FAITH?  Well, remember we told you that the word for “obedience” in the Greek is “hupakoe” (pronounced hoop-ak-o-ay').  This is a completely different word than “peitharcheo,” which refers to obedience to an authority. 

“Hupakoe” is a compound of “hupo” (hoop-o') and “akouo” (ak-oo'-o).  Hupo is a primary preposition when placed with verbs (the agency or means, through); of place (whither (underneath) or where (below) especially of inferior position or condition. (According to Strong)    And, according to Strong, akouo is a primary verb; to hear (in various senses):--give (in the) audience (of), come (to the ears), (shall) hear(-er, -ken), be noised, be reported, understand.

Putting the two together, you have OBEDIENCE (hupakoe = to submit to and hearken to what is said.  In other words, you do NOT have obedience apart from “HEARING.”  Hearing in such a way as to hearken is to obey what was heard.

This is very, very significant if we are going to understand OBEDIENCE.  It is especially significant when it is coupled with FAITH.  THE OBEDIENCE OF FAITH is a powerful combination of insightful wording.  If you will take the time and effort to grasp the message of these words, you will be in a better position to OBEY our Lord and walk in the Spirit as He did.  After all, Jesus did say, “I can do nothing on My own initiative. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is just, because I do not seek My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me” and “He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me.”  Jesus is “THE WORD” of God the Father.

Jesus said, “He that hath ears to hear, let him hear” and “Take heed what ye hear: with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you: and unto you that hear shall more be given.”  What an incentive to listen!

The idea is this: Not only does “hearing” include obeying; YOU CANNOT OBEY APART FROM HEARING.  God the Father spoke from heaven and said, “This is my beloved Son: hear him.”  If Jesus is our Lord we MUST obey Him and to obey Him WE MUST HEAR HIM.  “Why do you call me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say?”  “He that is of God heareth God's words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God.”  Of His sheep, He said, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.”  The method of following is to “hear” His voice.  Jesus said that is what characterizes my sheep.

The obedience OF FAITH is significant since “faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word (rhema) of God.”  Even in the Old Testament we are told that God spoke to His people and then they acted in faith.  I like the way the Amplified Bible puts it in Hebrews chapter eleven: “Prompted, actuated by faith Abel”  “Prompted by faith Noah”  “Urged on by faith Abraham”  “These people all died controlled and sustained by their faith”.  In other words, it is not so much that they “had” faith, as it was that FAITH HAD THEM.

It is still true today, when men “hear” the word God speaks, it has the power to accomplish in them what God has spoken.  After all, God did say, “So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.”  Paul tells us, “For the Word that God speaks is alive and full of power, making it active, operative, energizing, and effective.”

“There was a man which had his hand withered.”  This man had never in his life stretched forth his hand, but when he heard Jesus say to Him “Stretch forth thine hand;” he stretched forth his hand.  With the word of command came the power to perform.  The Word went forth and with it the “energizing and effective” power to do it.

The power of His command is so great that the dead respond.  When Jesus “cried with a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, come forth’”  ”He that was dead came forth.”  That is the power of word Jesus speaks.  What will happen in our lives if we make it the primary concern of our lives to “HEAR HIM” as God said.

Martha came to Jesus when she was very, very busy DOING THINGS.  She said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to do all the serving alone? Then tell her to help me.”  Her sister, Mary, had chosen to SIT AND LISTEN to Jesus.  Jesus responding to Martha’s complaint said, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things; but only a few things are necessary, really only one, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”

With all the busy-ness of the average Christian life, I wonder what of the “so many things” we concern ourselves, we could throw out and lighten our load so we could begin to “HEAR HIM.”  Notice that Jesus told Martha of what was “necessary” there was “really only one” thing.  Mary had chosen that.  She “sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word.”  Jesus said, “Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”  Hermann Cremer in his Biblico-Theological Lexicon says “the good part” is to be interpreted “that which is to her advantage.” 

If you chose that which Jesus says is to your advantage, you will stop most of what you feel you ‘MUST’ do today.   Instead you may want to sit with your open Bible and an open heart and mind to LISTEN TO HIM.  Remember, the Scripture admonishes us “Without faith it is impossible to please and be satisfactory to Him. For whoever would come near to God must necessarily believe that God is whatever you need and that He is the rewarder of those who earnestly and diligently seek Him out.”  This is not an afterthought.  This is not something you might get around to doing.  This is the “really one thing” Jesus said is “to your advantage.”

That necessary FAITH comes when you HEAR HIM.  Then your life will be filled with THE OBEDIENCE OF FAITH.

Now that we have DEFINED OBEDIENCE, our next article will be to APPLY THE OBEDIENCE OF FAITH TO OUR EVERY DAY CHRISTIAN LIVING.  What do you think when you have slipped?  What do you feel when you have ungodly thoughts enter your mind?  How do you handle it when it becomes so blatantly obvious that in your flesh “dwelleth no good thing”?  How does THE OBEDIENCE OF FAITH come into the picture then?

Go to FAITH APPLIED article for some answers to this question.

Click here to read HOW TO HEAR GOD

Click here to read FAITH APPLIED

Click here to read THE OBEDIENCE OF FAITH

Click here to read article on SEEING GOD.

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