Why We Should Obey God" Tom Russell, 2026-04-12 AM

Abraham’s promise unfolds as a promise to faith, not merely to physical descent. Scripture portrays circumcision as the seal of the righteousness Abraham already possessed by faith, making him father of all who share his trusting walk. Examples beyond Israel—Melchizedek, Jethro, Ruth—demonstrate that God chose those who embraced faithful obedience, not merely those of a particular bloodline. Paul and the prophets insist that the law functioned as a tutor to point toward Christ, not as an alternate path to justification.

The text warns against presumption: even good works lose their saving value when offered with the attitude that they obligate God. The law of Moses required faith to access the promised sacrifice; adherence to ritual without the faith the law intended becomes meaningless. Jesus stands uniquely as the anointed propitiation, the single sacrifice that reconciles sinners to the Father; no national or institutional identity substitutes for union with him.

Historical responses to that claim carry consequences. Rejection of the Messiah led many to reinterpret prophecies or to abandon the hope of a personal deliverer, producing theological confusion and, in some cases, hardened unbelief. Attempts to displace God’s ordained plan—whether through human schemes like Hagar and Ishmael or through appeals to lineage—resulted in anguish and failure.

Obedience appears not as a burden that earns God’s favor, but as the appropriate response to grace. Grace instructs believers to deny ungodliness and live righteously; obedience thus manifests the transforming power of faith. Repentance and baptism arise as deliberate human responses to the gospel call, demonstrated by the repentant crowds in Acts who chose to be baptized and were added to the faithful community.

The biblical pattern repeatedly calls people to choose. From Joshua’s challenge to serve the Lord, through Elijah and Jeremiah’s appeals to repent, to New Testament invitations to obey Christ, the Scriptures portray salvation as involving personal responsibility. Obedience neither boasts before God nor creates indebtedness; instead, it fulfills the duty of the disciple and evidences the reality of grace. Final judgment will vindicate righteous endurance and expose persistent disobedience, making the call to repent and obey urgent and decisive.

Key Takeaways

• 1. Faith, not bloodline, secures blessing The covenantal promise identifies faith as the qualifying mark of Abraham’s true children. Circumcision served as a visible seal of righteousness already present by faith; therefore spiritual kinship always traces to trust and faithful obedience, not merely ancestry. That distinction reframes identity: belonging to God results from walking in Abraham’s faith, not from any hereditary privilege. [07:22]
• 2. Obedience participates in salvation Christ becomes the source of eternal salvation for those who obey him, showing that salvation invites a willing response. Obedience functions as the lived fruit of faith—necessary not to coerce God but to enter the new life he provides. This participation respects grace while affirming human responsibility to respond. [93:13]
• 3. Grace instructs; obedience responds God’s grace appears to all while simultaneously training believers to deny ungodliness and live righteously. Instruction forms the moral framework within which obedient response proves genuine conversion. Obedience therefore completes, rather than cancels, the purpose of grace: to reshape hearts toward God. [95:07]
• 4. Repentance requires a human choice Biblical invitations to repent presuppose that humans must turn—God waits and appeals rather than overriding will. The crowd’s decision in Acts to change heart and be baptized exemplifies repentance as an intentional, accountable act. The necessity of choice underlines both the seriousness of sin and the dignity of response. [101:05]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [01:01] - Transition to Genesis study
• [02:05] - Abraham's seed and blessing
• [06:53] - Faith, not lineage, defines children
• [09:24] - Presumption undermines righteous works
• [12:32] - Human attempts to alter redemption
• [16:46] - Christ the one propitiation
• [18:01] - Law as tutor to Christ
• [33:35] - Hebrews on faith's character
• [81:50] - Obedience, choice, and responsibility
• [93:13] - Obedience tied to salvation
• [101:05] - Repentance and Acts 2 response
• [118:48] - Judgment and reward for obedience

1. According to Romans 4:11-12, what was the purpose of Abraham’s circumcision, and how does it relate to faith? [07:22]
2. In Acts 2:36-38, what specific actions did Peter tell the crowd to take after they were convicted of their sin?
3. How does Hebrews 5:9 connect obedience to eternal salvation? [01:33:13]
4. What examples from outside Israel (like Melchizedek or Ruth) show that God’s chosen are defined by faith, not lineage? [05:46]

1. Why does Paul emphasize that Abraham’s righteousness came before circumcision in Romans 4? What does this reveal about the relationship between rituals and faith?
2. In Acts 2:38, why do you think repentance and baptism are linked as responses to the gospel? How do these actions demonstrate a “human choice” in salvation? [01:41:05]
3. Hebrews 5:8 says Jesus “learned obedience.” How does His example challenge the idea that obedience is optional for believers?
4. The sermon warns against “presumption” in good works (e.g., pride in baptism or repentance). Why might even righteous acts become meaningless with this attitude? [09:24]

1. How would you evaluate your own “walk in the footsteps of faith” (Romans 4:12)? Are there areas where you rely more on routines or rituals than on active trust in God?
2. Repentance requires a deliberate choice to turn from sin. What is one habit or mindset you need to intentionally surrender to God this week? [01:35:07]
3. The sermon mentions that obedience is the “lived fruit of faith.” What practical step could you take to align your daily actions more closely with what you believe?
4. Have you ever struggled with pride in “doing the right things” (e.g., attending church, serving)? How can you guard against viewing obedience as a way to “earn” God’s favor? [09:24]
5. The crowd in Acts 2 responded to conviction with urgency. Is there a decision related to faith or obedience you’ve been delaying? What would it look like to act on it today?
6. Reflect on a time when you saw God’s grace “train you to live righteously” (Titus 2:12). How did that experience shape your understanding of grace and obedience?