If You Love Me, YOU WILL Keep My Commandments
If You Love Me, YOU WILL Keep My Commandments February 23, 2025
According to the dictionary the word “if,” when used as a conjunction, can mean the following: provided that, presuming that, supposing that, assuming that, or as long as, given that, or in the event that.
Substituting “if” with its meaning we have the following: Provided that you love me, Presuming that you love me, Supposing that you love me, Assuming that you love me, As long as you love me, Given that you love me, or In the event that you love me.
It’s pretty clear what Jesus is saying when He mentions the word “if,” isn’t it? Having a sincere, genuine, appreciative love for Christ and for all that He has done, is doing and promises to do for us is the motivating factor behind our desire to keep all His commandments. He is our loving Master; we are His loving servants, bound to Him for eternity. We are no longer our own for we have been bought (purchased) with a price (the blood of Jesus shed on the cross); therefore we are to glorify God in our body (I Corinthians 6:20).
No preacher, elder or member of the church should have to continually try and convince members of the church to keep God’s commandments unless, of course, these members are babes in Christ (new converts). Either we love God enough to do His commandments or we don’t. John the Apostles states it plainly, “We love because He first loved us” (I John.4:19). He also states that if we love Jesus enough to keep His commandments then we truly have come to know Him (I John.2:3). It is pretty clear what Jesus meant when He states that we’ll be known to be His people by the fruits we produce. Here Jesus clearly warns any of His people who claim to know Him that He doesn’t know them when they fail to do (accomplish) the will of His Father (Matthew 7:15-27).
Now here’s the difficulty. God’s commandments are not always easy to keep. For example, we are to love and forgive those in the church that we don’t like or find difficult to get along with. We are to pray for our enemies and those who persecute us. When we know that our brother has something against us we are to take the initiative to go to him as soon as possible and especially before we worship God with the hope of reconciliation. Do we keep these commandments?
The Christian life, the abundant life, is about coming to know God fully by engulfing ourselves in His will and His word. It is letting go of the world’s influence and desires and embracing ourselves with the love of God. Our life in Christ is all about the Lord. Every decision we make should be centered around Him. He’s our number one priority in all matters of our life. Only when this attitude is put into action will one experience a meaningful and purposeful life. (Brian)
“Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you;
Abide in My love.”
(John.15:9)