Part 15: Obedience - Love Expressed
Grows from
1 John 2:4
“He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.”
“One who says, ‘I know him,’ and doesn’t keep his commandments, is a liar, and the truth isn’t in him.”
Key passages
John 14:15
“If ye love me, keep my commandments.”
“If you love me, keep my commandments.”
John 14:21, 23
“He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. … Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.”
“One who has my commandments and keeps them, that person is one who loves me. One who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him, and will reveal myself to him.’ … Jesus answered him, ‘If a man loves me, he will keep my word. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.”
John 15:10
“If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.”
“If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, even as I have kept my Father’s commandments and remain in his love.”
1 John 2:3-5
“And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.”
“This is how we know that we know him: if we keep his commandments. One who says, ‘I know him,’ and doesn’t keep his commandments, is a liar, and the truth isn’t in him. But God’s love has most certainly been perfected in whoever keeps his word. This is how we know that we are in him.”
1 John 5:3
“For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.”
“For this is loving God, that we keep his commandments. His commandments are not grievous.”
Romans 1:5
“By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name.”
“Through whom we received grace and apostleship for obedience of faith among all the nations for his name’s sake.”
Romans 6:16
“Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?”
“Don’t you know that when you present yourselves as servants and obey someone, you are the servants of whomever you obey, whether of sin to death, or of obedience to righteousness?”
Hebrews 5:8-9
“Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him.”
“Though he was a Son, yet learned obedience by the things which he suffered. Having been made perfect, he became to all of those who obey him the author of eternal salvation.”
Philippians 2:8
“And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.”
“And being found in human form, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to the point of death, yes, the death of the cross.”
1 Samuel 15:22
“And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.”
“Samuel said, ‘Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the LORD’s voice? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams.”
Acts 5:29
“Then Peter and the other apostles answered and said, We ought to obey God rather than men.”
“But Peter and the apostles answered, ‘We must obey God rather than men.”
What Scripture says
- Loving Christ = keeping His commandments (John 14:15, 21, 23).
- Knowing Him is proven by keeping His commandments (1 John 2:3-5).
- The love of God is that we keep His commandments — not burdensome (1 John 5:3).
- “Obedience to the faith” — purpose of receiving grace and apostleship (Rom 1:5).
- Slaves of whom we obey: sin → death, or obedience → righteousness (Rom 6:16).
- Christ Himself learned obedience and became obedient unto death (Heb 5:8; Phil 2:8).
- To obey is better than sacrifice (1 Sam 15:22).
- Obey God rather than men (Acts 5:29).
Connections
- To Love — love is shown in obedience (John 14:15; 1 John 5:3)
- To Faith — “obedience to the faith” (Rom 1:5)
- To Humility — Christ humbled Himself, became obedient (Phil 2:8)
- To Jesus — He is the example (Heb 5:8; Phil 2:8)
- To Righteousness — obedience leads to righteousness (Rom 6:16)
- To Truth — keeping word means truth is in him (1 John 2:4)
Prayer
Dear Heavenly Father, to obey is better than sacrifice. Forgive us for the times we have known Your will and not done it.
Lord Jesus, You said that if we love You we will keep Your commandments. You learned obedience and became obedient to death. Help us to obey You out of love, and remind us that Your commandments are not burdensome.
In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.