When our forebears, Adam and Eve, came from the hands of their Creator, they were both perfect. “Everything that God had made was the perfection of beauty, and nothing seemed wanting that could contribute to the happiness of the holy pair.” 1 The man was big, strong, and healthy. He was happy in his sinless state. “And the Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden; and there he put the man whom he had formed” (Genesis 2:8). In this fragrant environment of paradise, all the conditions were placed before man for a life full of happiness and joy. “Obedience, perfect and perpetual, was the condition of eternal happiness. On this condition he was to have access to the tree of life.” 2

Today also, we are given precious promises on the same conditions as in those former days. The Lord says to us, “If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land” (Isaiah 1:19). And the psalmist writes, “Oh that my people had hearkened unto me, and Israel had walked in my ways! I should soon have subdued their enemies, and . . . have fed them also with the finest of the wheat: and with honey out of the rock should I have satisfied thee” (Psalm 81:13–16). In another verse we read: “O that thou hadst hearkened to my commandments! then had thy peace been as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea” (Isaiah 48:18).

Our well-being or our failures, our life and death depend on our willingness or unwillingness to obey God. “Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse; a blessing, if ye obey the commandments of the Lord your God, . . . and a curse, if ye will not obey the commandments of the Lord your God” (Deuteronomy 11:26–28).

Unfortunately, man became disobedient. Through sin he was separated from God and became subject to death. “By transgression Adam lost Eden. By the transgression of God’s commandments man will lose heaven, and an eternity of bliss.” 3 However, “as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous” (Romans 5:19).

Christ, “though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered” (Hebrews 5:8). As a child He was subject to His parents (Luke 2:51). “And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross” (Philippians 2:8). At His baptism in the Jordan River He said to John, “Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness” (Matthew 3:15). And of Himself He said, “I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me” (John 5:30). About His life it is written, “Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared” (Heb­rews 5:7). He Himself said through the psalmist, “I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart” (Psalm 40:8). At the end of His earthly ministry, when the greatest decision was before Him, He prayed in Gethsemane to the Father, “nevertheless, not my will, but thine, be done” (Luke 22:42).

Christ’s life was, as we can see, a life of constant prayer and strict obedience. His obedience was not forced but rather was derived from love. Christ’s suffering had only one purpose, “And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him” (Hebrews 5:9). The apostle Peter writes in his first epistle, “For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps” (1 Peter 2:21).

“Jesus, our great example, in his life and death, taught the strict­est obedience. He died, the just for the unjust, the innocent for the guilty, that the honor of God’s law might be preserved and yet man not utterly perish. Sin is the transgression of the law. If the sin of Adam brought such inexpressible wretched­­ness, requiring the sacrifice of God’s dear Son, what will be the punishment of those who, seeing the light of truth,” 4 set at naught the commandments of the Lord?

Society today is characterized by disobedience. The prophet writes, “The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant” (Isaiah 24:5). This is why there is “no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land” (Hosea 4:1). Unbelief is on the increase and true love is waxing cold. The law of God has been changed by man. Instead of the Sabbath of the Lord, men have introduced a false sabbath, and many heathen teachings and customs have crept in among professed Christians. People in these last days are indifferent toward their own religious profession (2 Timothy 4:3). They wish to have a religion according to their imaginations and tastes, a kind of faith that does not require obedience to the word of God. There are also those who follow a religion based on forms and sacrifices which are not acceptable in the eyes of God. The majority want to live a life of comfort and irresponsibility, yet they want to enjoy all the privileges and blessings that belong to the true children of God, including eternal life. But this attitude is self-deceptive. The word of God says, “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves” (James 1:22). In the sermon on the mount Christ said, “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, . . . and then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity” (Matthew 7:21–23).

In the time of the end God has called a special people to “repair the breach” (Isaiah 58:12) made in the law of God. In his description, pointing to the last events to take place on earth, John the Revelator wrote, “Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus” (Revelation 14:12). These are the repairers of the breach who have been called to proclaim the threefold message, who are patiently waiting for the second coming of Christ in power and glory, and who show obedience to all the commandments of God. Their attitude is, “Death before dishonor or the transgression of God’s law should be the motto of every Christian.” 5

“There have ever been two classes among those who profess to be followers of Christ. While one class study the Saviour’s life and earnestly seek to correct their defects and conform to the Pattern, the other class shun the plain, practical truths which expose their errors.” 6 After the first Christians passed from the stage of action, and apostasy crept into the church, there were some in the period of Thyatira who would not accept new teachings and practices. In the period of Sardis there were also some who had “not defiled their garments.” In the period of Philadelphia, the true believers were those who refused to belong to the “synagogue of Satan.” And in our time, which corresponds to the period of Laodicea—which is characterized by lukewarmness—there are people who consent to be educated on the basis of Revelation 3:18–20. The distinction between these two classes of believers, the obedient and disobedient, will become evident under the proclamation of the third angel’s message. “In the issue of the contest all Christen­dom will be divided into two great classes—those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus, and those who worship the beast and his image and receive his mark.” 7

This is the time to which Christ referred when He said, “Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them” (Matthew 13:30). This is to take place in our days. All those who are not prepared to obey the law of God will be united under the banner of Babylon the great. “They point to their own numbers, wealth, and popularity, and look with contempt upon the advocates of truth as few, poor, and unpopular, having a faith that separates them from the world.” 8

But God loves the few, poor, and hated defenders of the truth. In 1844 He sent an angel from heaven with a specific warning message to the world. It is this message that is to be proclaimed in the spirit of Elijah and which will compel men to decide between life or death—the third angel’s message (Revelation 14:9–11). The servant of the Lord writes, “Said the angel, ‘The third angel is binding, or sealing, them in bundles for the heavenly garner.’ ” 9 This work is going on now. Bundles are gathered and sealed for heaven and bundles are grouped together for the fire. Under the final test it will happen that “while one class, by accepting the sign of submission to earthly powers, receive the mark of the beast, the other choosing the token of allegiance to divine authority, receive the seal of God.” 10 Our willingness or unwillingness to obey God plays a decisive role in this process. Dear brother and sister, on which side will you be found?

Our life is characterized by years of disobedience to the commandments of God. Under the influence of sin, our forefathers formed wrong habits which we have inherited and increased through our own sinful life. These bad habits disqualify us for a place in the kingdom of glory. In our own strength we are not in a position to cross the abyss which separates us from God, not even by making the greatest sacrifices, or by showing the strictest obedience to God’s law. Neverthe­less, when Christ was asked by a young man, “What good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?” His answer was “keep the commandments” (Matthew 19:16, 17). Why is this necessary? It is because the law reveals our sins (Romans 3:20). By obeying the law of God we are to stop sinning. In this sense the law is an aid toward sanctification. “In the light of the law the sinner is convicted as was Paul.” 11 Please read Romans 7:7, 8.

When we admit that we are sinners, then we feel a desire to become free from sin. We become anxious to obtain salvation from sin (Matthew 1:21). But it is only Christ that can save us with our consent and cooperation. It is then that we turn to our Saviour and seek to maintain uninterrupted connection with Him. He has promised to forgive all our past sins on condition of repentance, and as we look unto Him as the Author and Finisher of our faith, we are “changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord” (2 Corinthians 3:18). We become “partakers of the divine nature” (2 Peter 1:4). We receive power from above to overcome sin, which weakens our willpower to do what is right in the eyes of God. He grants us power to obey Him, by which we are enabled to develop good habits.

“We shall be individually, for time and eternity, what our habits make us. The lives of those who form right habits, and are faithful in the performance of every duty, will be as shining lights, shedding bright beams upon the pathway of others; but if habits of unfaithfulness are indulged, if lax, indolent, neglectful habits are allowed to strengthen, a cloud darker than midnight will settle on the prospects in this life, and forever debar the individual from the future life.” 12

“Obedience and submission to God’s requirements are the conditions given by the inspired apostle by which we become children of God, members of the royal family. Every child and youth, every man and woman, has Jesus rescued by His own blood from the abyss of ruin to which Satan was compelling them to go. Because sinners will not accept of the salvation freely offered them, are they released from their obligations? Their choosing to remain in sin and bold transgression does not lessen their guilt. Jesus paid a price for them, and they belong to Him. They are His property; and if they will not yield obedience to Him who has given His life for them, but devote their time and strength and talents to the service of Satan, they are earning their wages, which is death. Immortal glory and eternal life is the reward that our Redeemer offers to those who will be obedient to Him. He has made it possible for them to perfect Christian character through His name and to overcome on their own account as He overcame in their behalf. He has given them an example in His own life, showing them how they may overcome. ‘The wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.’ ” 13 “Under the covenant of grace God requires from man just what he required in Eden—perfect obedience. The believing sinner, through his divine Substitute and Surety, renders obedience to the law of God. Christ kept the law perfectly, and through Him the believer shall not perish, but have everlasting life. He says, ‘I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.’ Mercy granted to man is the reward of the merit of Christ, ‘who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.’ Through the plan of salvation, God can be just, and yet be the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus.” 14

“Eternal life is the reward that will be given to all who obey the two great principles of God’s law–love to God and love to man. The first four commandments define and enjoin love to God; the last six, love to our fellow men. Obedience to these commands is the only evidence man can give that he possesses a genuine, saving knowledge of God. Love for God is demonstrated by love for those for whom Christ has died. While enshrouded in the pillar of cloud, Christ gave directions regarding this love. Distinctly and clearly He laid down the principles of heaven as rules that His chosen people were to observe in their dealings one with another. These principles Christ lived out in His life of humanity. In His teaching He presented the motives that should govern the lives of His followers.” 15 Therefore, let us be obedient by the grace of God!