Articles
If You Love Me
If You Love Me
The way I let people know that I really love them is to be as selfish as I can. I do everything that I want to do when I want to do it, the way I want to do it. Even when the one I love, has explained to me, that when you never do anything that I ask you to do, it is difficult to believe you really love me.
So, I do my best to explain, by doing the things I think are important, when I think they should be done, and how they should be done, you should know I love you.
I am sure as you read my words above, you thought, "WOW, that doesn't make any sense at all", and you would be right. As far as a way of showing my love, it doesn't make any sense at all. We don't show our love to another by being selfish and doing only the things we want to do and when we want to do them.
Thus, it should not seem strange when Jesus said, "If you love me, keep my commandments". As a matter of fact, as you read John chapter 14, you will notice four different times Jesus makes this very point. Note in verses 15, 21, 23, this very fact is stated. Then in verse 24, it is stated in the reverse, "He that does not love me, does not keep My Word".
We are the ones that have given ourselves to the Lord. Now day by day we are making every effort to live a life pleasing to Him. Of course, the only way to live a life pleasing unto Him is to follow His Word. Remember, "If you love me keep My commandments".
Please note also, the words from, Hebrews 5:7-9 "In the days of His flesh, He offered up both prayers and supplications with loud crying and tears to the One able to save Him from death, and He was heard because of His piety. Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered. And having been made perfect, He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation".
With this thought from Hebrews, let me point out too, that if God would not change His plan to save His Only Son from death, He is not going to change His plan to save us. In all things, we need to be obedient to Him, just as Christ was obedient.
"If You love me keep My commandments".
Dick Brant
