Oh how quick we all want to rush to say "YES" of course I do! Is this quick response to protect and preserve yourself; your reputation? Have you really examined yourself prior to making such a claim? Is your response in accordance to your own perception or the Bible? Is it in comparison to those around you? Does it come from a humble or prideful position of heart?
Let's look at what Jesus said:
John 14:15 - If you love me you will keep my commandments.
John 14:21 - Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me.
Since Jesus is our Master and Lord by profession of our lips, we must ask ourselves:
- Do we know what he commands us?
- Have we truly received Him for all that he is according; both Savior and Lord?
- Can we say we love Him and decide to disobey? Will He be fooled?
- Do we love as the world loves and convince ourselves "we are saved" without Biblical evidence and obedience to Christ?
Jesus makes clear those who don't love Him in order to repeat the proof of Faith found in obedience.
John 14:24 - Whoever does NOT love me does NOT keep my words.
*One's relationship with the Word of God (Bible) is a big piece of evidence; we must 1st "know" his words. In addition, those who love Him will be excited to "know" His Word!
John 14:26 - The Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your rememberance all that I have said to you.
*Have you received the Helper? Are you sure? If so, and you claim faith in Jesus, the above would hold true in your life. This gift of the Helper is 100% essential to confirming that one is Saved, but also the very engine that alone can OBEY God's Commands! Without Him/Helper (without Faith to receive Him), you are entirely hopeless and remain under condemnation with only a perceived obedience of your own works that would Never save you! He who has not received the Helper is NOT saved at all.
We are to imitate Jesus - He is our example. Let's look at two scriptures that illustrate His example for us:
John 14:10-11 - ...the words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves. Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do!!
*Keys: Jesus Spoke Truth from the Father as commanded. Jesus did the Fathers works of righteousness; the source - God. Jesus boldly states that those who believe in Him will do the same. Meaning, they too, must work of the basis of the same source: God's word, God's works, God's authority, God's given Spirit in order to do such!!
Lastly, we see this clearly in:
John 14:31 - I do as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may "KNOW" that I love the Father!
*Keys: Servanthood. Reason is to Seek and Save the Lost. Demonstrating Love by obedience. Not His will, but the Father's be done.
May we all be encouraged by such clear Scriptures the Lord has given us. It should be forever clear just through this small teaching that He who Loves doesn't just love by saying it, but by demonstrating it with obedient, fruit-bearing, Holy Spirit driven Faith in Jesus Christ!
Someone who IS saved - ACT"S"AVED! God bless you all.
1 comment:
Well said- thank you for infusing so much scripture into this site- I love the power of God's Word and the beauty of Jesus' name is more and more astounding to me each day.
On an entirely separate note, I should give you a hand with your template for this blog- in the Firefox browser it doesn't wrap correctly and a lot of your text is obscured. Call me sometime, I should be able to help remotely.
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