Love and Obey

Love and Obey

John 14:15 says “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” I used to think that was saying that my keeping of His commandments was the proof that I loved Him and that if I failed that test, I was probably not saved, or at least I was in danger. I do not think that is what the verse means, however. I think it is a statement of fact. Those who love Him keep His commandments. Paul says it like this, Romans 6:18 “and after being freed from sin, you became slaves to righteousness.” (NASB 2020)

John 15:10 is really saying the same thing. It says, “If you keep My commandments, you will remain in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and remain in His love.” (NASB 2020)

Think of it this way. How did Jesus keep the Father’s commandments? He lived by faith in the Father. He lived life in the Spirit. Father’s love for Jesus was not conditioned upon Jesus’s performance. He loves Jesus because Jesus is His Son. Jesus remined in the love of God, He abode there, He dwelled in His love.

That’s exactly how it is with us. We are His children. We have been born of the Spirit. We live, abide, remain, in His love.

We walk by faith and not by sight. In so doing, we obey His commandments. We believe Him, and we love others. We can’t help it. His love is poured all over our new hearts and we are slaves to righteousness.