If you keep My
commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s
commandments and abide in His love.
John 15:10 New American Standard
Bible (NASB)
If we attend to what Jesus
orders us to do, we will not depart from His love, in the same way that He has
obeyed and remains in God’s love. It is possible to obey without love, but it
is not possible to love without obedience. This does not mean that if we do not
do what God commands that He doesn’t love us. The word for love used here is
agape which is God’s unconditional love. This verse is not putting conditions
on God’s love, but rather defining the context if you will. Note that the
translation of “keep” is “will not depart from.” It is referencing both our
love for God and God’s favor or blessing. Nothing can separate us from God’s
love per se (Rom 8:38,) but we can cease to show love for God and can cease to
receive His blessing. Even when Jesus was saddled with the combined sins of the
world, God still loved Him. Again, agape love is unconditional. We show God our
love by our obedience, so if we keep His commands we show our love for Him. If
we make it a life habit, our primary goal, we will never depart from showing
our love or from receiving His favor. Also this does not mean that if we always
do what is right nothing bad will happen to us. That is not what blessing
means. Blessing is that joyful satisfaction in a right relationship with God
independent of circumstances. We can’t earn anything, but our actions bring
about consequences. Good for good and bad for bad. The natural result of
keeping His commands is abiding in His love. Do you abide in His love? Is it
your desire to show your love for Him through obedience?
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Translations of Greek and Hebrew words taken from
blueletterbible.org
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