Deeper by Dane Ortlund
Week 9: Chapter 8 — Obedience
Read Chapter 8 of Deeper by Dane Ortlund. Key passages: John 14:15; Romans 6:17–18; 1 John 5:3.
Previewing Week 9 of Deeper
Read 3 of 8 discussion questions below. Unlock the complete 11-week guide when you’re ready.
Ortlund arrives at the place many Christians started — obedience — but insists it must be understood in its right order and proper motivation, or it becomes the very thing that stunts rather than promotes growth.
Discussion Questions
8 questions1.Ortlund is careful to insist that obedience is not the *root* of the Christian life but the *fruit*. Why does this distinction matter so much? What goes wrong — spiritually, emotionally, relationally — when obedience is treated as the foundation rather than the overflow?
2.Jesus says in John 14:15: "If you love me, you will keep my commandments." Notice the direction: love produces obedience, not obedience produces love. Where in your own spiritual life have you tried to reverse that order — doing the right things in hope that love and affection for Jesus would follow?
3.Ortlund draws a contrast between obedience driven by fear of punishment and obedience flowing from delight in Christ. In your most honest assessment, what most motivates your obedience on a typical day — fear, duty, desire for approval, or genuine love for Jesus? How do you feel about that answer?