Jesus was the Son of God, but he still suffered, and through his sufferings he learned to obey whatever God says. This made him the perfect high priest, who provides the way for everyone who obeys him to be saved forever. God made him high priest, just like Melchizedek.

The great and perfect example or model for us is Jesus Christ Himself, as it is written in Hebrews 5:8-10. And we as His followers should follow His example. Our Lord Jesus demonstrated His true love for God by living a perfect life, fulfilling the mission for which He became human, and obeying God totally in all of His earthy life. He was always humble, sharing God’s truth and being obedient to the will of God.

Obedience is an important and blessed virtue, a value of the Christian life. It is a manifestation of will and strength, which emphasizes a person’s striving for perfection and the wisdom of the mind. Christian obedience has nothing to do with being like slaves or conformity, as many people think. At the heart of obedience lies the mystery of human struggle, unwavering faith, and trust in God.

Many Christians think obedience lies in visiting the church, attending church services, and even performing rituals. But they do not live the life that the Word of God commands and that God wants.

In the Gospel of Mark, Jesus Christ says, “You are all hypocrites. Isaiah was right when he wrote these words from God about you: ‘These people honor me with their words, but I am not really important to them. Their worship of me is worthless. The things they teach are only human rules.’ You have stopped following God’s commands, preferring instead the man-made rules you got from others,” (Mark 7:6-9).

It does not matter how religious a person is. What is important is that his heart shows an obedience to the Lord and an eagerness to live according to His Word.

By Pastor Mamikon Abgaryan, Bible League International staff, Armenia