The Challenge from Eden
To my mind 'obedience' is easy to say but ridiculously hard to do. Becoming obedient is no 'flash in the pan', rather it is an inexorable mountain climb that must be conquered.
... I will walk humbly all my days because of the anguish of my soul (Isaiah 38:15b)
... he who has suffered in his body has done with sin (1 Peter 4:1b)
... Jesus learned obedience from what He suffered (Hebrews 5:8b)
In Eden God instructed Adam; only one rule and it was the simplest to obey. Adam and Eve both failed and were both expelled.
And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the Tree of the Knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.” (Genesis 2:16-17)
The challenge in Eden was to stay in obedience, the challenge since Eden is to move into obedience.
The challenge in Eden was to live obedience, the challenge since Eden is to learn obedience.
The Last Word:
If Jesus learned obedience through suffering how much moreso me!