What Happens If We Do Not Obey the Gospel?
Luke 6:46 — KJV
“And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?”
Jesus’ question asks us to examine whether our conduct agrees with what we profess. Calling Him Lord acknowledges His authority. Obeying Him gives that acknowledgment substance.
Where does Scripture speak of obeying the gospel? What does obedience have to do with loving Christ? Can someone truthfully claim to be a Christian before obeying His gospel? Jesus and His apostles answer these questions, and Jesus identifies the standard by which our response will be judged.
Take the Gospel Warning Seriously → Show Love by Keeping Christ’s Words → Examine Your Claim to Know Christ → Obey the Gospel from the Heart → Prepare for Judgment by His Word.
Take the Gospel Warning Seriously
Where does Scripture speak of obeying the gospel?
Three passages explicitly connect the gospel with obedience. The KJV wording in Romans 10:16 makes this connection just as directly as the warnings in 2 Thessalonians and 1 Peter.
Romans 10:16–17 — KJV
16. “But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report?”
17. “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”
Paul uses Isaiah’s question about believing the report to explain why the gospel was disobeyed. Refusing to believe the message is itself a failure to obey God’s call. Faith begins with hearing His word and responds to what He has revealed. The conversion accounts show what that response includes.
What will happen to those who disobey?
Paul wrote to Christians who were enduring persecution. He assured them that the Lord would bring relief and execute righteous judgment.
2 Thessalonians 1:7–9 — KJV
7. “And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels,”
8. “In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:”
9. “Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;”
Paul names the people under judgment and states the consequence. Those who remain in disobedience to the gospel will be lost. The warning gives urgency to hearing and obeying while we have opportunity.
Peter also addressed Christians who were suffering.
1 Peter 4:16–19 — KJV
16. “Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.”
17. “For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?”
18. “And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?”
19. “Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.”
Peter directs suffering Christians to trust God and continue doing good. He also asks us to consider the end of those who disobey the gospel. The two passages agree that our response to Christ has eternal consequences.
Show Love by Keeping Christ’s Words
Jesus explained how love for Him is expressed.
John 14:15 — KJV
“If ye love me, keep my commandments.”
John 14:23–24 — KJV
23. “Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.”
24. “He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father’s which sent me.”
Jesus connects keeping His words with loving Him. He also identifies the source of His teaching. His words come from the Father who sent Him, so rejecting them reaches beyond a disagreement with a human teacher.
John makes the same connection.
1 John 5:3 — KJV
“For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.”
The question is whether we love Christ enough to submit when His teaching calls for a change. A person may admire Jesus and speak warmly about Him. Jesus gives the test by which that claim must be examined.
Paul also describes what happens when people refuse to love the truth.
2 Thessalonians 2:10 — KJV
“And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.”
In this setting, deception finds a welcome among people who refuse the truth that could lead them to salvation. Loving the truth means receiving it when it corrects us as well as when it encourages us.
John’s Gospel identifies the seriousness of unbelief.
John 3:18 — KJV
“He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”
John 3:36 — KJV
“He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.”
Read with Romans 10:16, these passages show that belief is essential to receiving the gospel. Read with John 14, they direct believers to take Christ’s words seriously enough to keep them.
Examine Your Claim to Know Christ
Who becomes a Christian?
Acts 11:26 — KJV
“And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.”
The name Christians was given to disciples. Earlier in the account, Acts 11:21 describes people believing and turning to the Lord. Paul explains how people put on Christ.
Galatians 3:26–27 — KJV
26. “For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.”
27. “For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.”
Faith and baptism into Christ belong together in Paul’s explanation. Those who have never obeyed the gospel of Christ have yet to become Christians. Claiming the name cannot establish the relationship Scripture describes.
What does John say about a false profession?
1 John 2:3–6 — KJV
3. “And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.”
4. “He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.”
5. “But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.”
6. “He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.”
Yes, John calls the person who claims to know Christ while disregarding His commandments a liar. He gives the reason in the passage. The person’s disobedience contradicts the profession.
John supplies the test of the claim. The conversion passages supply the instruction for coming into Christ. Together they answer the person who claims to be a Christian while refusing the gospel by which Christ calls people to Himself.
Paul makes a similar point concerning the disobedient teachers discussed in Titus 1.
Titus 1:16 — KJV
“They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.”
Their works denied the very relationship they professed. Jesus applies the same test of obedience to those who address Him as Lord.
Matthew 7:21 — KJV
“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.”
How should Christians respond when they sin?
John also tells people who have fellowship with Christ how to deal honestly with sin.
1 John 1:7–9 — KJV
7. “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.”
8. “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.”
9. “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
A Christian who sins must acknowledge it, turn from it, and depend on Christ’s blood for cleansing. John’s promise of forgiveness gives the Christian a reason to confess and receive correction. The person who has yet to enter Christ needs to hear and obey the gospel. Each passage gives the response appropriate to the person it addresses.
Obey the Gospel from the Heart
What is the gospel?
Paul identifies the saving message the Corinthians had received.
1 Corinthians 15:3–4 — KJV
3. “For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;”
4. “And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:”
Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose again. His death provides the basis for our forgiveness.
Matthew 26:28 — KJV
“For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.”
We hear the word and believe in the risen Christ. Peter’s preaching at Pentecost shows what convicted hearers were instructed to do.
Acts 2:38 — KJV
“Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.”
Philip’s teaching of the Ethiopian shows confession before baptism.
Acts 8:37–38 — KJV
37. “And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”
38. “And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him.”
Romans 6 explains how the believer’s response corresponds to Christ’s saving work.
Romans 6:3–4 — KJV
3. “Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?”
4. “Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.”
In repentance, we turn from sin. In baptism, we are buried with Christ into His death and rise to walk in newness of life. His blood provides the forgiveness that Peter connects with repentance and baptism in His name.
Paul describes the change this way.
Romans 6:17–18 — KJV
17. “But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.”
18. “Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.”
Obedience from the heart brings a change of service. The person who has obeyed the gospel must continue in Christ’s teaching, as the believers at Pentecost did in Acts 2:41–42.
Prepare for Judgment by His Word
Jesus identifies the standard that will judge the person who rejects Him.
John 12:48 — KJV
“He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.”
This brings us back to the question in Luke 6:46. The Lord whose instructions we hear today is the Lord whose word will judge us in the last day.
That gives us a standard for examining our profession now. Have we obeyed what He requires for entering Christ? Are we continuing in what He teaches His disciples to do? When His word exposes a wrong, do we receive the correction and act on it?
Scripture-Comparison Table
| Part of the pattern | KJV passages | What the passages establish |
|---|---|---|
| Take the Gospel Warning Seriously | Romans 10:16–17, 2 Thessalonians 1:7–9, 1 Peter 4:16–19 | Scripture speaks explicitly of gospel obedience and warns of the end of those who disobey. |
| Show Love by Keeping Christ’s Words | John 14:15, 23–24, 1 John 5:3, 2 Thessalonians 2:10 | Love for Christ is expressed in keeping His teaching. Receiving the truth matters for salvation. |
| Examine Your Claim to Know Christ | Acts 11:26, Galatians 3:26–27, 1 John 2:3–6, Titus 1:16, Luke 6:46 | Scripture identifies who belongs to Christ and exposes professions contradicted by disobedience. |
| Obey the Gospel from the Heart | 1 Corinthians 15:3–4, Acts 2:38, Acts 8:37–38, Romans 6:3–4, 17–18 | The gospel announces Christ’s saving work and calls for a response that leads to a new life. |
| Prepare for Judgment by His Word | Matthew 7:21, John 12:48 | The Lord requires obedience. His word will judge our response. |
Personal-Examination and Application Table
| Part of the pattern | Question for examination | Faithful response |
|---|---|---|
| Take the Gospel Warning Seriously | Have I considered what Scripture says about the end of those who disobey? | Give the Lord’s warning the attention it deserves today. |
| Show Love by Keeping Christ’s Words | What instruction am I resisting even though I say I love Christ? | Receive His teaching and act on it. |
| Examine Your Claim to Know Christ | Does my claim to belong to Christ agree with the passages on entering Him and walking with Him? | Compare my response with Scripture and correct what is missing. |
| Obey the Gospel from the Heart | Have I heard, believed, repented, confessed Christ, and been baptized into Him for remission of sins? | Submit to the response Christ teaches and begin walking in newness of life. |
| Prepare for Judgment by His Word | Am I willing to let the word that will judge me correct me now? | Confess and turn from sin as a Christian and continue faithfully in His teaching. |
The Connected Biblical Pattern
Take the Gospel Warning Seriously → Show Love by Keeping Christ’s Words → Examine Your Claim to Know Christ → Obey the Gospel from the Heart → Prepare for Judgment by His Word.
The warnings teach us to take our response seriously. Christ’s words teach us how to express love. The conversion accounts show how we enter Him, and John’s instruction shows how we continue to walk in the light. The same word that directs us now will judge us in the last day.
Conclusion
Jesus asks why we call Him Lord while failing to do what He says. John calls a profession contradicted by disobedience a lie. Paul and Peter warn of the end of those who refuse the gospel.
Christ has made the way of salvation known. Hear His gospel, believe in Him, repent of your sins, confess Him, and be baptized into Him for the remission of sins. Then continue walking in His word and receive His correction whenever you need it.
Let Christ’s word settle the question of what it means to belong to Him. That word will judge us in the last day.
Open the Scriptures. Examine the teaching. Follow what God has revealed.
THAT IS THE BIBLICAL PATTERN.
ALLOW SCRIPTURE TO INTERPRET SCRIPTURE.
The Biblical Pattern
Biblical Studies & Books by Kevin L. Walker
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