Does someone automatically obey?
Does someone automatically obey?
Someone does not automatically obey
Being willing:
Someone has to be WILLING to become OBEDIENT, as it is written: "our fathers were not WILLING to-become OBEDIENT, but they-rejected (him) and turned(-away) in their hearts to Egypt" (Acts 7:39).
Presenting themselves:
Someone has to PRESENT THEMSELVES as slaves to OBEDIENCE, as it is written: "Do-you not know that (to) whom YOU-ARE-PRESENTING YOURSELVES (as) slaves to OBEDIENCE, you-are slaves (to) whom you-are-obeying — whether (slaves of) sin (leading) to death, or (slaves of) obedience (leading) to righteousness?" (Romans 6:16).
Learning:
Someone can LEARN OBEDIENCE, as it is written about Jesus that "although being (a) Son, (He) LEARNED OBEDIENCE from (the things) which He-suffered" (Hebrews 5:8).
Being reminded:
Someone may need to be REMINDED by someone else to be OBEDIENT, as it is written: "BE-REMINDING THEM to-be-subject (to) rulers, (to) authorities; TO-BE-OBEDIENT" (Titus 3:1). There would be no need to remind someone to be obedient if that person would be automatically obedient anyway without that.
People received grace and apostleship to make other people obedient... and yet these other people can be disobedient
People received GRACE and APOSTLESHIP to make other people OBEDIENT, as it is written: "we-received GRACE and APOSTLESHIP FOR (THE) OBEDIENCE (of) faith AMONG ALL THE GENTILES" (Romans 1:5).
These people are working to make other people obedient. But it is possible for these other people to not yet be obedient to them, suggesting that obedience is not automatic.
God can hold His hands toward people... and yet they can be disobedient
It is possible for God to hold out His hands to people the whole day and yet for these people to be disobeying, as it is written: "with-regard-to Israel He-says, “I-HELD-OUT MY HANDS THE WHOLE DAY TOWARD (A) DISOBEYING and contradicting PEOPLE”." (Romans 10:21).
This suggests that it is not because God is holding His hands toward people that they will be automatically obedient.
Further evidence someone does not automatically continue in obedience
The conditional continuance of OBEDIENCE can explain why Peter used the conditional particle "IF" in connection to DISOBEYING when he wrote about "husbands" (1 Peter 3:1) that "IF any ARE-DISOBEYING the word, they-may-be-gained without (a) word by the conduct (of their) wives" (1 Peter 3:1). This could allow for the possible that they may have obeyed before disobeying here.
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