Would God’s Requirement To Obey Necessitate Perfect Obedience?

When discussing with denominational believers (publicly and privately), many times they will make the argument that if we have to obey God to be saved, that would mean we have to obey perfectly (never commit a single sin our whole life) to be saved. Not so.

Their alternative “faith only salvation” doesn’t really solve the problem. They agree a faith too weak to obey will not save. Passages like John 14:15 (“If you love me, you will keep my commandments” – NASB, ESV) prove that. So if the faith that saves will lead to obedience, just how much obedience does it have to lead to before the faith is complete (James 2:22b) enough for salvation? Does the faith strong enough to save have to lead to perfect obedience, or will a half way obedience suffice? So whether we think salvation is by faith only or conditioned upon both trust and obedience (II Thess 1:8), we still have the issue of degree – just how much faith exactly is required?

The main thing those who make this argument are forgetting is the concept of forgiveness. It is true nobody lives perfectly (Rom 3:23), but those who take advantage of the death of Christ (I Cor 15:3) are forgiven of their sins. Of course, repentance is always required for forgiveness (Luke 13:3, Acts 3:19, 8:22, II Pet 3:9), and many professing Christians are not willing to repent of (quit) their sins. Many believers continue in their sin, and want false assurance that they will be saved anyway.

Another thing being forgotten is the guarantee that all true seekers will find (Matt 7:7, 5:6). When one looks at cases in the Bible of true seekers, for example Cornelius (Acts 10), Paul (Acts 22), and Apollos (Acts 18), they were never forgiven in their sins without turning from them (Ezek 18:21-22, Prov 28:13). Instead, they were always given an opportunity to learn about their sin and to turn from it (Acts 26:20).

Let’s consider as an illustration the parent child relationship. Are children required to obey their parents? Of course (Eph 6:1). But does that mean they have to have perfect obedience their whole childhood to please their parents? Obviously not. Does the fact that no child perfectly obeys mean that total obedience (Deut 5:29, James 2:10) is not required in the first place?  No, but when children disobey, they are required to correct their misdeeds. It works the same way in our relationship with God (II Pet 3:9).

There are many passages that condition our justification / eternal salvation upon obedience, and that should answer our question – not hypothetical scenarios. Consider these two for starters:

· James 2:24 Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.

· Heb 5:9 And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him

Also consider this longer list when you have time – https://bibledebates.wordpress.com/2010/02/17/passages-that-prove-obedience-is-necessary-to-salvation-and-not-just-faith-alone/

Obedience is required for justification from sin because God said that it was. That should settle it.

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