Love = Keeping God’s Commands

I have been diving deep into the nature of the believer lately and understanding the righteousness of Christ in us.  For many familiar with the subjects of salvation and sanctification know that the book of Romans gives the best foundation concerning:

(1) Who man is without Christ, Romans 3:9-19 // A SINNER
(2) Who man is trying to keep the law without Christ, Romans 7:7-24 // A POWERLESS SINNER
(3) Who man is in Christ, Romans 8:1-16 // A NEW RIGHTEOUS CREATION.

However, the book that I would like to discuss here is 1 John.  The entire book is based on love for God and others. The Beloved Apostle John in this powerful letter applies the foundations of good doctrine to practical holy living on the basis of pure love.  1 John deals more with God’s commands and sin in the believer’s life than any other book.  Why?  Love compels the obedience of man to God.

1 // Love for God Results in Keeping All His Commands, 1 John 2:5-7, “5 But if anyone obeys his word, God’s love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him: 6 Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.”

2 // Love from the Father Makes Us His Pure and Holy Children, 1 John 3:1,  “How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.”

3 // Love for Our Brothers Displays the Perfect Character of God, 1 John 3:10, “This is how we know who the children of God are and who the children of the devil are: Anyone who does not do what is right is not a child of God; nor is anyone who does not love his brother.

4 // Love from God Drives Out All Our Fears, 1 John 4:18, “There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.” 

5 // Love for God Makes All The Commands of God Joyous, 1 John 5:3-4, “3 This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, 4 for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.”

I would like to close out with this example:  Imagine you are a glass of pure water the day you accept Christ.  All your sins are washed away and everything in your heart is made new and pure, Ezekiel 11:19-20.  Now imagine the world and it’s sin is like dirt.  How much dirt would you desire in your pure water?  None, right!

However, most Christians believe even after they receive Christ and His forgiveness they are still a “dirty glass of water” that Jesus is trying to make clean, instead of believing what the Scriptures teach, that they are a “pure glass of water” learning how to remain pure, Romans 6:8-14.  Therefore, what is the “secret” to remaining pure and holy… LOVE. 

1 John 4:13-17, “13 We know that we live in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. 14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 15 If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God.

16 And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. 17 In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him.”