Commanded to love

By keeping the Lord’s commandments we abide in his love, just as he kept his Father’s commandments and so abode in His love. Earlier (John 14:15,23) the Lord had explained that a disciple’s love for him was made evident by their keeping his commandments, even though that might involve privations. This is the practical test of true love. Like faith, love does not exist in a vacuum. James laid down the challenge with regard to faith:

“What doth it profit, my brethren, if a man say he hath faith, but have not works? can that faith save him? … Even so faith, if it have not works, is dead in itself. Yea, a man will say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith apart from thy works, and I by my works will shew thee my faith.” (James 2:14,17)

One could substitute ‘love’ for ‘faith’ in this passage and it would be equally true. Yet, however difficult it may be to comply with these commandments, the intention is that ultimately they will result in joy and that to the full. Later, the Lord would explain that they would encounter sorrow (16:20-22) while the world rejoiced, but ultimately they would experience immense joy.

(Excerpt from: We Beheld His Glory, page 318, by Brother John Hellawell)

Preceding

יהוה , YHWH and Love: Four-letter words

More-Letter-Words

Love one another; just as I have loved you

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Worthy partakers of the body of Christ

Today’s thought “Clothing yourselves with the right attitude” (May 16)

Breathing and growing with no heir

Loving the Word