Title
This Is the Love of God
Scripture
If you love Me, keep My commandments.
(John 14:15)
Devotional
Repeatedly we hear these words throughout the scriptures, “This is the love of God, that we keep His commandments.”(1) If we truly love God, keeping His commandments will not be grievous to us. (2) If we love Him, we will do those things that please Him. We will praise and worship Him, talk to Him, follow Him and by all means obey Him. If I love God, I will not be afraid to ask Him to guide and lead me in the ways that I should go. Here is what I have learned: the more I do His will and keep His commandments, the more I love Him, and the more I love Him, the more I desire to obey Him. Do you love Him? Do what He says, or at least, do what you know. Do you want to love Him more? Seek to obey Him and you will. Loving God and obeying God go hand-in-hand. Here is what else I have learned: the more I fear Him, the more I love Him. I know that in our carnal understanding equating love and fear may sound senseless, but godly fear and love are inseparable.
(1) John 14:21, 23; 15:10; 1 John 5:3; 2 John 6, (2) 1 John 5:3
Thought For The Night
“When does proper desire become coveting? I think we can put the answer down simply: desire becomes sin when it fails to include the love of God or men. Further, I think there are two practical tests as to when we are coveting against God or men: first, I am to love God enough to be contented; second, I am to love men enough not to envy.” Francis Schaeffer, (1912-1984), apologist, great author, his works are a must read.
Evening Text
John 14:15: “If you love Me, keep My commandments.”
Looking for Answers
-
Are we not to love God more than anything or anybody?
-
If someone were to ask, “do you love God?” and likewise ask, “how do you know you love Him?” how would you honestly answer?
-
Is it a hard thing to keep the commandments of Christ? Consider 1 John 5:3.
Evening Study Guide
Defining: “Commandment”: Noah Webster’s 1828 dictionary states, “By way of eminence, a precept of the Decalogue, or moral law, written on tables of stone, at Mount Sinai; one of the ten commandments. Ex. 34.”
Referencing: “This is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, that as you have heard from the beginning, you should walk in it,” 2 John 1:6.
Applying: It is hard to keep the commandments if we do not know them, and it is impossible to love God without keeping them. Therefore, know and keep the commandments, and you will know and love God.