Why is it so bad to disobey God?

Answer:

Why is it so bad to disobey Him? And why was it so bad that Adam and Eve decided to disobey God?

Sin or “disobeying” God is actually way worse for us than it is for Him. God never has and never will need us to obey Him. He is not a Mario character that needs power-ups to win or to make it to the next level. You see, sin will always be death for us. But sin is always our choice at the same time, "Truly, this only I have found: that God made man upright, but they have sought out many schemes" (Ecclesiastes 7:29).

Sin is the worst possible thing that we could encounter. It separates us from God because of who He really is. God being totally sinless, totally pure, totally awesome, and totally sovereign cannot be associated with a kind who chooses sin which leads to death (Romans 6:23), simply because of what God’s origins are of what we just discussed.  Such as in James, "Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death. Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren" (James 1:13-16).

Note the: “nor does He Himself tempt anyone,” because God cannot be associated with sin nor does He want to. This brings me to another characteristic about God.

Couldn't God have let it go and let them do what they want?

God is a loving God. He is not a mad scientist who created something then experiments on his creation out of fun or spontaneity just to see the breaking points.  He is a father and we are His children. Let me ask you this: If God never told Adam and Eve that they were doing wrong, knowing that then sinning would lead to death, would that be a loving father?

”My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD, Nor detest His correction; For whom the LORD loves He corrects, Just as a father the son in whom he delights“ (Proverbs 3:11-12).

He would be stepping aside and watching His creation and children literally going along their own way to hell.  It would be like a mother giving her kid money or candy every time he or she broke the law when the mother knew that it would lead to imprisonment or death by the country one day. Is that a loving mother?

When I was new in my faith and didn’t know much about the Bible I struggled to know why God has us follow so many “laws” or “rules”. I wondered in my head, “If God is a loving God then why can’t he let me have a life!?” This utterly led to my rebellion and I had chosen to go my own way and to not follow God anymore. After lots of pain and short satisfaction I encountered in the world when I had fallen, I knew that what I was doing was damaging for my body and my soul’s eternity. When I came back to the Lord I asked myself that same question again. I came to the conclusion through the Word (when I actually took the time to read it) that the reason why God places laws, rules, or advice in front of us because it is the best thing for us, the same as a parent does for a child. As long as we continue to strive towards Him and His ways we become better people and ultimately more like Him. Proverbs 3:6 says: "In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight."  

“For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. The saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works.” (Titus 3:3-9).

In the end, yes! God could have just left us alone. But He chose out of His own mercy and love for us to be a father and take care of His children. Telling us right from wrong to save us from death even while we were still sinners and had death upon us.

"God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8).

by Leia Ann Feaster