Listening and obeying

The Bible says a great deal about listening to God’s voice. When we read his Word we need to be attentive listeners. When we hear his Word taught we need to be asking “How can I change because of what I have heard?”

Author Ken Ramey captures this truth well,

Listening is hard work because application is inherent in it. You have to connect the information to your life, and do something about what you hear. . .”

 He goes on to explain,

A proper response to God’s Word begins by having an open, receptive heart. But it is not enough to just humbly and gladly accept the Word. You must act on it. You must be reactive to the Word. A chemical reaction is when chemicals undergo change. Perhaps you remember those high school chemistry experiments, when the test tube boils over after mixing two chemicals together. When you hear and receive God’s Word, it should immediately elicit some kind of reaction. It should produce some change in you.

There is an inseparable relationship in the Bible between listening and obeying. Throughout the Scripture, listening is equated with obeying. In many passages, a direct connection is clearly made between listening and obeying (Exod. 15:26; Deut. 6:3-5; Luke 6:47; 8:21; 11:28). They are like two side of the same coin. They are synonymous terms. In fact, there is a direct lexical link between the words “hear” and “obey” in both the Old and New Testament. The Old Testament word for “hear” is sama. This is the same Hebrew word used for “obey.” There is no separate word for “obey” in the Old Testament. In the New Testament, the Greek word for “hear” is akouw. The word for “obey,” is hupakouo, which literally means “to hear under,” is a derivative of the word for “hear.” The implication is that, in God’s mind, hearing and obeying are one in the same.1

Connecting listening with obeying is essential.  Understanding the meaning of these words is so helpful. Hear again the author’s conclusion of his word study:  The implication is that, in God’s mind, hearing and obeying are one in the same.

Doing what God’s Word says is not optional if we are to grow in Christ. It is far better to think of the doing part as the examination at the end of the instruction to determine if you have learned what God is teaching.

For additional study consider: Deuteronomy 8:1-3; 11:13-15; Isaiah 55:1-3; Proverbs 1:33; Luke 11:28

1. Expository Listening by Ken Ramey

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