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- If You Think Obedience Is Optional... You Haven't Read Your Bible
If You Think Obedience Is Optional... You Haven't Read Your Bible
Why salvation requires more than "just believing"
Daniel Macaraeg
June 06, 2025
You won’t enter the Kingdom of God by accident.
You’ll enter by obedience.
Grace isn’t a free pass. It’s a second chance.
And what you do with that chance — matters.
Wait… Isn’t salvation by faith?
Absolutely.
But not by a dead faith — or faith that is alone.
“Faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.”
—James 2:17
Christ said the same thing, long before James [his real name is Yaʿaqov] ever wrote it:
“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.”
—Matthew 7:21
He didn’t say, “He who believes in Me.”
He said, “He who does the will of My Father.”
That’s obedience.
That’s how we’ll enter the Kingdom of God.
Not because obedience earns our salvation…
But because genuine faith always produces it.
Grace is not a license to sin
The modern gospel says: “Obedience is legalism. Just believe and you’re saved.”
But Paul warned against this exact lie:
“Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, no homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.”
—1 Corinthians 6:9–10
That’s New Testament. Post-crucifixion. Written to believers.
Because salvation is not the reward for disobedience.
Yahshua (Jesus) is not your Savior if He’s not your Lord
The Bible calls Him both:
Savior – the One who saves
Lord – the One who commands
You can’t accept one and reject the other.
If Christ isn’t ruling you, He’s not saving you.
Why obedience matters
Again, obedience is not about earning salvation.
It’s about proving repentance. Living faith. Kingdom loyalty.
“He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him.”
—Hebrews 5:9
That verse doesn’t say “all who believe.”
It says “all who obey.”
God is not saving rebels. He’s building a family. A Kingdom. A government.
And the only ones who will rule with Christ later…
Are those who’ve already chosen to live under His rule now.
So no — obedience is not optional.
It’s the test of your faith.
The fruit of your repentance.
The proof of your allegiance.
Salvation is a gift.
But only to those willing to obey the Giver.
For more information, you may want to read our article on BiblicalTruths.com: Is “Once Saved, Always Saved” a Biblically Correct Doctrine?
Tomorrow: Truth #7 — You’re Being Trained to Rule
(Your purpose isn’t just to be saved. It’s to help govern the world with Christ.)
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