I often hear works-salvationists quote
John 3:36 in the NASB and "stress" the word "obey" to imply that we are saved by obedience/works which "follow" saving belief in Christ. In regards to "does not obey the Son" in the New American Standard translation of the Bible, this does not mean that receiving eternal life is received based on the merits of our obedience/works which follows believing in the Son, but
obey by choosing to believe in the Son.
*If John wanted to make obedience the central theme in salvation here, he would have said: "He who believes
and obeys the Son has eternal life," but that is not what John said.
To obey the Son here is to choose to believe in the Son.
The King James Version renders this same verse as: He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that
"believeth not the Son" shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. The NIV says
"rejects the Son" and the CSB says,
"refuses to believe in the Son."
The Greek word translated as "believeth not" in that verse is "apeitheo" and it means: "not believe, disobedient, obey not, unbelieving." Strong’s definition of apeitheo is "
to disbelieve willfully and perversely." In the context of 3:36, to "not obey the Son" means to
reject the Son by refusing to believe in the Son. *Not to be confused with multiple acts of obedience/works which "follow" believing in the Son unto salvation.