Why is obedience to the Gospel important?

Obedience to the Gospel is a command from God, not a mere suggestion, as articulated in 2 Thessalonians 1:8. To obey the Gospel means to submit to God's way of salvation through faith in Christ. Disobedience, in contrast, leads to spiritual death and separation from God. The weight of our accountability before God's command reveals the seriousness of our need for salvation. As we understand our inability to obey without divine intervention, we are called to cry out for God's mercy, which He promises to provide through the work of Christ.