Dictionary of Bible Themes  »  8000 The life of the believer  »  8700 Threats to the life of faith  »  8718 disobedience

The refusal to obey someone, especially someone in a position of authority. Scripture insists on the need to obey God at all times.

Disobedience enters people's hearts for various reasons

Disobedience comes through greed and lust

Genesis 3:6 See also Genesis 3:11-12; Exodus 16:19-20; Joshua 7:20-21; 2 Samuel 11:2-4

Disobedience arises from impatience

Exodus 32:23 See also Numbers 20:10-11; 1 Samuel 13:8-14

Disobedience comes through fear

Jeremiah 43:2-7; John 7:13; John 12:42; Galatians 2:12

Disobedience results from pride and arrogance

Leviticus 10:1 See also Exodus 5:2; 2 Chronicles 26:16

Unbelief is disobedience

Hebrews 3:12 See also Jeremiah 7:23-28; Romans 11:30-32 Ro 11:20 makes it clear that the disobedience spoken of here was unbelief; Hebrews 3:18-19; Hebrews 4:2,6

Lack of love is disobedience

John 14:24 See also 1 John 2:9; John 3:15

Disobedience to God leads to punishment

Punishment is applied to individuals

Genesis 3:17-19 See also Genesis 3:23-24; Leviticus 10:1-2; Numbers 20:12; 1 Samuel 28:18; 2 Samuel 12:14; Jonah 1:10-12; Ephesians 5:5-6

Punishment for the disobedience of unbelief

2 Thessalonians 1:8-9 See also Hebrews 2:2-3

Nations are also punished

Genesis 15:14 See also Acts 7:7

Deuteronomy 11:26-28; 1 Samuel 12:15 See also Exodus 32:35; Deuteronomy 28:15; Isaiah 13:11

Disobedience, like all sin, can be forgiven

Romans 5:19 See also Ephesians 2:1-5

See also

5483  punishment
5813  conceit
5883  impatience
6155  fall of Adam & Eve
6178  hardness of heart
6218  provoking God
6222  rebellion against God
8453  obedience
8744  faithlessness as disobedience
8834  unbelief
8840  unfaithfulness to God