Obedience to God accords him glory.

By Msgr. John Wynand Katende

Posted on: Friday 25th September 2026

In the Gospel of Matthew 21:28-32, Jesus poses a question to the Jewish religious leaders on the meaning of obedience to God. He illustrates it by teaching using the parable of two sons. One promptly promised to obey his father, but ended up disobeying. The other began by disobeying, but repented and obeyed. The first one is discredited because he obeyed only in theory, but the second, eventually, obeyed in action. The ideal son would have been the one who obeys immediately.

The context of the message is that though the religious leaders knew a lot about God and His will, they were merely playing lip service, but not really obeying Him. They may be likened to practical atheists who claim belief in God, but refrain from subscribing to His principles, as expressed in the Scriptures and Church teaching. Jesus, rather, commended sinners who repented and truly obeyed God’s will.

Human experience shows that obedience is a very difficult virtue to observe. It really runs counter to many of the ingrained values like pride, self-reliance, autonomy, and individualism. As it was with Eve, in the Garden of Eden, Satan wants us to believe that God's commands are restrictions keeping us from the good life. Yet, Genesis 1 describes God as a powerful and loving provider who creates everything we could possibly need and so much more.

Spiritual maturity, on the other hand, appreciates that true obedience is motivated not by fear of punishment, or expectation of reward, but it operates in the freedom of God’s grace and love. It proves that one has received and valued His love. "If you love Me, keep My commandments" (John 14:15). This nature of love is more than an emotion; it is an active choice to align one’s life with God's will. When we love God, His commands are, then, not heavy burdens: Just as we do to parents and superiors, loving and obeying God honors Him. 

Acknowledging that our life is the ultimate gift from God helps us understand the meaning and need for obedience. Jesus joyfully obeyed his Father because He loved Him and wanted to please Him. During His childhood and growing years, He placed Himself under the daily care and household guidance of His parents, despite being the Son of God. He continued to honor His mother throughout His life, providing for her care even while dying on the cross by entrusting her to His disciple John. 

Christian obedience requires surrender and death to self. Jesus obeyed even when that caused his death—death on a cross (Philippians 2:8). When we do this, we are allowing God’s will to be done in our lives. This was the life-style of Mary, the mother of Jesus. Perhaps this explains why the vow of obedience is central to religious life and priesthood.

Conclusively, disobedience may appear to be freeing, but it brings bondage, death, and destruction. God’s ways may seem restrictive, but they provide freedom and promote love and joy. A life of obedience to God is a better life. But obedience to God is about more than good behavior; it is about a growing relationship of love and trust. God wants a personal relationship with us, and He molds our character in the process. He does this for His honor and glory. Obedience is the response to salvation. My obedience is, therefore, not an attempt to earn or add to my salvation, but to give glory to God (Matthew 5:16).