Many people sincerely say:
“I love Jesus.”
That is a wonderful confession.
But Scripture raises an important question:
HOW DOES JESUS SAY OUR LOVE FOR HIM IS DEMONSTRATED?
Jesus answered plainly:
“If ye love me, keep my commandments.”
(John 14:15, KJV)
Notice the connection:
LOVE CHRIST
↓
KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS
Jesus did not separate love from obedience.
He connected them.
LOVE IS MORE THAN WORDS
It is possible to say that we love someone while refusing to listen to what that person says.
Jesus addressed that very problem:
“And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?”
(Luke 6:46, KJV)
Notice the contradiction:
CALL JESUS “LORD”
↓
REFUSE TO DO WHAT HE SAYS
Jesus asks:
WHY?
Calling Him Lord means acknowledging His authority.
But acknowledging His authority while refusing His commands is inconsistent.
JESUS AGAIN CONNECTED LOVE AND OBEDIENCE
Jesus said:
“He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me…”
(John 14:21, KJV)
Who does Jesus identify as the person who loves Him?
The person who:
HAS HIS COMMANDMENTS
↓
AND
↓
KEEPS THEM
Later in the same chapter Jesus said:
“…If a man love me, he will keep my words…”
(John 14:23, KJV)
Then Jesus gave the opposite:
“He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings…”
(John 14:24, KJV)
The contrast is unmistakable.
LOVE FOR CHRIST
↓
KEEPS HIS WORD
LACK OF LOVE FOR CHRIST
↓
DOES NOT KEEP HIS WORD
JOHN TAUGHT THE SAME THING
John wrote:
“And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.”
(1 John 2:3, KJV)
Then:
“He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.”
(1 John 2:4, KJV)
Those are strong words.
A profession of faith cannot substitute for obedience to Christ.
John later wrote:
“For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.”
(1 John 5:3, KJV)
Again:
LOVE
↓
OBEDIENCE
OBEDIENCE DOES NOT EARN GOD’S LOVE
Does keeping Christ’s commandments mean that we earn salvation?
No.
We could never purchase the blood of Christ through our works.
Salvation is possible because of God’s grace.
Paul wrote:
“For by grace are ye saved through faith…”
(Ephesians 2:8, KJV)
But grace does not eliminate obedience.
The same New Testament that teaches salvation by grace also says concerning Christ:
“And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;”
(Hebrews 5:9, KJV)
Christ is the author of salvation.
We are not.
Yet those receiving that salvation are described as:
“THEM THAT OBEY HIM.”
FAITH ITSELF MUST OBEY
James wrote:
“Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.”
(James 2:17, KJV)
And:
“For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.”
(James 2:26, KJV)
Biblical faith is not merely believing facts about Jesus.
Biblical faith trusts Him enough to do what He says.
THE BIBLICAL PATTERN
HEAR CHRIST
↓
BELIEVE CHRIST
↓
LOVE CHRIST
↓
KEEP HIS COMMANDMENTS
↓
CONTINUE IN HIS WORD
↓
REMAIN FAITHFUL TO HIM
Jesus did not teach:
LOVE ME
↓
THEN DECIDE WHICH COMMANDMENTS YOU THINK ARE NECESSARY
He taught:
“If ye love me, keep my commandments.”
(John 14:15, KJV)
That principle applies when Jesus teaches us about salvation.
It applies when He teaches us about worship.
It applies when He teaches us about the church.
It applies when He teaches us how to live.
We cannot separate:
JESUS THE SAVIOR
from:
JESUS THE LORD.
So perhaps the question should not merely be:
“DO I LOVE JESUS?”
We should also ask:
“DOES MY OBEDIENCE SHOW THAT I LOVE JESUS?”
Don’t answer according to emotion alone.
Don’t answer according to what you have always been taught.
Open your Bible.
Read John 14.
Read Luke 6.
Read Hebrews 5.
Read 1 John 2.
Read 1 John 5.
Compare your life and religious practices with the words of Christ.
Then ask:
AM I SHOWING MY LOVE FOR CHRIST BY KEEPING HIS COMMANDMENTS?
“If ye love me, keep my commandments.”
(John 14:15, KJV)
ALLOW SCRIPTURE TO INTERPRET SCRIPTURE.
The Biblical Pattern
Biblical Studies & Books by Kevin L. Walker
TheBiblicalPattern.com
The Biblical Pattern 