Pastor Ralph Posted March 30, 2015 Report Share Posted March 30, 2015 Q2. (John 14:15, 21-25) How is obedience to Jesus linked to loving him? When Jesus emphasizes obedience, what keeps this from being the heavy burden of a new legalism? Can we love Jesus and not obey him? If so, how? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JanMary Posted April 11, 2015 Report Share Posted April 11, 2015 Q2. (John 14:15, 21-25) How is obedience to Jesus linked to loving him? Because He loved me first, died for me, saved and redeemed me, I want to obey Him. He lives in me and more and more gives me the desire to do His will. As a new believer I obeyed out of fear...having had abusive parents who beat me and threatened to kill me if I disobeyed. As I've walked with Jesus these many years, I want to see Him smile...want to please Him, as I've learned He's always acting in what's in my best interest. When Jesus emphasizes obedience, what keeps this from being the heavy burden of a new legalism? The Law was designed to show our sinfulness and need for a Savior. It had to be obeyed to please God. In Christ, obedience refers to the simplicity of what He boiled the entire law down to: To love God with all my heart, soul and mind, and to love my neighbor as myself. He loves through me, even when I don't feel loving, when I ask. I love Isaiah 26:1 (Lord, You will ordain peace for us, for all that we have accomplished, YOU HAVE DONE FOR US.) Can we love Jesus and not obey him? If so, how? Yes, we can, and I have done. I'm thankful He's a very gentle and patient teacher. He's trained me to hear His voice. I remember in the early days I was sorting laundry and as I put an all white polo shirt with a tiny red trim on the pocket, in with the whites, I felt a strong impression to put it with the colors. I thought "That little strip of trim won't hurt anything", and put it in the white load. My husband and son had pink socks and underwear for quite awhile, and I realized that was the Holy Spirit trying to make my life easier, but I discounted His voice with my "superior" knowledge. His still small voice over the years has trained me to listen...which I believe saved me from being raped or murdered one day as I sat in my car enjoying the gorgeous fall color in a desolate spot in a canyon in the country with only one lane in or out of the parking lot. My back was to the "in" and I heard "Go now!". I started the car, circled the turnabout and passed a car moments before I'd have been trapped if I'd hesitated for even a moment. A man was driving, and when our eyes met, the hair on the back of my neck stood up. I don't know how else to describe it, but I was looking at the face of evil! I shuddered and drove away thanking the Lord for His warning and for His many lessons in obedience. But I've also knowingly and willfully sinned, and grieved Him, wanting my way more than His. He's been faithful to train that rebellion out of me, through loving and shepherding me in gentleness and wisdom. He's caused me to want what He wants, and that is to know and love Him more and more, and to love others with more of His grace and goodness. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jen Posted April 13, 2015 Report Share Posted April 13, 2015 Q2. (John 14:15, 21-25) How is obedience to Jesus linked to loving him? When Jesus emphasizes obedience, what keeps this from being the heavy burden of a new legalism? Can we love Jesus and not obey him? If so, how? You obey the one you love! If obedience is done in love then it cannot be legalism. Legalism is something you have to do, when done in love it is because you want to do it. When I have not followed the urging of the Spirit I have suffered a very heavy heart, sadness for not listening. I want Him to be pleased with me and I want to listen and learn of Him and to Him. This journey is a learning journey and we are not perfected yet, we may not recognize yet His voice in some situations, however we should know (we do know) what is right and wrong in major sins (indeed in most) and if we deliberately cross that line there will be heavy consequences to pay. However there is forgiveness with Jesus, if we get caught in a transgression, we can go back to the cross. We live with the shame or regret however if we are truly His He paid it all for us on the cross. God bless! Jen Romans 15:13 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blezed Posted April 13, 2015 Report Share Posted April 13, 2015 (John 14:15, 21-25) How is obedience to Jesus linked to loving him? 1. Obedience to Jesus is a form of action. It is a commitment and conduct. One cannot truly love Jesus if they do not obey his commandments. When Jesus emphasizes obedience, what keeps this from being the heavy burden of a new legalism? Can we love Jesus and not obey him? If so, how? 2. Lack of obedience is simply lack of love. This is nothing new, you either love Jesus in the willingness of obeying his commandments or you don't. I do not believe that you can love Jesus and not obey him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoiKosum Posted April 13, 2015 Report Share Posted April 13, 2015 (John 14:15, 21-25) How is obedience to Jesus linked to loving him? When Jesus emphasizes obedience, what keeps this from being the heavy burden of a new legalism? Can we love Jesus and not obey him? If so, how? Love and obedience go hand in hand. Loving one another is one indicator of being a disciple. Observing Jesus' teachings in the way we live our lives is an indicator of our love for him. If we love someone, we don't have difficulty doing the things we know they want. Keeping Jesus' teachings can be one clear evidence of our love. Yes, we can love Jesus and not obey Him. Obedience sometimes comes about by other motives than love. For example: - We can obey out of fear of getting caught and being punished. - We can obey out of hope for advancement and favor. - We can obey out of a sense of moral uprightness (which could edge into self-righteousness) without any real love for Jesus. Jesus says that if we love him, we will obey or keep his commandments and his teachings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
haar Posted April 13, 2015 Report Share Posted April 13, 2015 Q2. (John 14:15, 21-25) Q. How is obedience to Jesus linked to loving him? A. Loving Jesus leads us to obey Him. Q. When Jesus emphasizes obedience, what keeps this from being the heavy burden of a new legalism? A. The motive is the main difference. Obedience out of love is relational compare to when we obey for reasons such as fear, attracting some personal recognition or self righteousness. Q.Can we love Jesus and not obey him? If so, how? A. No. When do not obey Jesus, we do not love Him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clarence Posted April 14, 2015 Report Share Posted April 14, 2015 Q2. (John 14:15, 21-25) How is obedience to Jesus linked to loving him? When Jesus emphasizes obedience, what keeps this from being the heavy burden of a new legalism? Can we love Jesus and not obey him? If so, how? Jesus said "if you love me you will obey me".../..."Keep my commands" (14:15, 23). Obeying him and wanting to please him because we love him and want to please him. One cannot love Jesus and not obey him. However, sometimes-often I do not obey him. Perhaps this is where grace comes in to its own. Grace is a gift of God (Eph 2:8, 9). It is easy to think sometimes that God puts heavy expectations on us, it is often we put huge expectations on ourselves. Jesus said that his burden is light (Matthew 11:30). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delivered Posted April 14, 2015 Report Share Posted April 14, 2015 Q2. (John 14:15, 21-25) How is obedience to Jesus linked to loving him? Obedience is an important part of “faith”, they will know us by our “fruits”; A heart that is receptive to the Holy Spirit brings forth a newness to life, it is because, the Holy Spirit makes God’s laws become even more real to him, thereby, we become a living testimony, a new creation that brings truth to the promise of God, Adonai, that He would put his Spirit on all his people, fulfilling the promise of Jesus, that God's laws will be written on the heart. Q3. When Jesus emphasizes obedience, what keeps this from being the heavy burden of a new legalism? The Holy Spirit is a Spirit of truth, truth that expounds the meaning and brings life to God's laws, his commandments; obedience reveals a faithful servant, one whose "desire" is to please the Master, not out of that of "legalism," because one has to, but because it is the desire of the heart, to do so. Q4. Can we love Jesus and not obey him? It would be incorrect to think of salvation as "easy," one that requires good intentions, with no matter to that of commitment: Those "if's" are there for a reason, they are conditional on our commitment, I often wonder, how it can a believer look at God's laws as a yoke, a burden of some kind, when in reality it is how we do acknowledge his right to direct our lives, seeing he has given to us his commandments we should obey them, not the yoke of legalism prescribed by men, for those laws would be unbearable, whereas, the laws of God spring forth from that of "LOVE". We, being a new creation in process, are why we need the Holy Spirit, it is in those times when we do trip up and fall, that the Spirit of God is there to bring conviction to the heart. I am thankful for those times I was in need of the convicting teaching of the Spirit, as obedience to its voice is what turned the direction of my life around, it is called, and has always been, that of God's grace and mercy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quilter Posted April 15, 2015 Report Share Posted April 15, 2015 Question 2 If we are not obedient to our Savior then we can not love him. Love is commitment and the way we live our daily lives. If we love him we will read his word and tell others about him. If we truly love him we will give our life to him and faith that he will take care of us and find a place to worship him. The big thing is reading his word and obey it and live our lives through the reading of the word. WE have to love and commit our lives to him in order to obey him.We can not love Jesus Christ is we live our lives with out him. There is no way that we can love Jesus and not obey him. Jesus saves the deepest revelations of himself to those that who love and obey him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hanks Posted April 16, 2015 Report Share Posted April 16, 2015 Q2. (John 14:15, 21-25) How is obedience to Jesus linked to loving Him? When Jesus emphasizes obedience, what keeps this from being the heavy burden of a new legalism? Can we love Jesus and not obey Him? If so, how? Truly loving Jesus requires that we do as He has taught us. We do this not because they are His commandments but because of our love for Him and for our neighbours as well. Once we have accepted Him as our Lord and Saviour there is real desire to please Him. This we can only do by being obedient to His teachings. This is not only about reading the Bible, going to church, or doing good deeds; it is about our love for Him and so we willingly do these things and more. In actual fact we often find we cannot do enough for Him. This has nothing to do with a new, or any other type of legalism. Jesus links obedience with genuine love for Him, even going on to say not only will He love those who love Him, but that the Father Himself will also love them. So it is impossible to love Jesus and at the same not obey Him. We must remember whose words are to be obeyed – the words of Jesus are also the words of the Father who sent Him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RebeccaMallinson Posted April 18, 2015 Report Share Posted April 18, 2015 Obedience is linked to loving Jesus because we know that he loves us more than we can ever love him. Therefore we must show our gratitude by our obedience. We know how much he wants to welcome us into his Kingdom. It is possible for us to sin even though we love Jesus. However, we must repent, like the lost sheep or the prodigal son. If we fail to do so, this is demonstrated in our behaviour to those who are created by Him in his own image. Obedience under these circumstances cannot become legalism because we are talking about obedience from the heart, not from a set of impersonal rules. Once again Jesus sets us the example, as at the end of this chapter (verse 31) he says that he does as the Father commands him so that the world may know that he loves the Father. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lighthouse2014 Posted April 18, 2015 Report Share Posted April 18, 2015 Q2. (John 14:15, 21-25) How is obedience to Jesus linked to loving him? When Jesus emphasizes obedience, what keeps this from being the heavy burden of a new legalism? Can we love Jesus and not obey him? If so, how? Truly loving Jesus will cause us to obey his commandments. We love Him and know what he wants, therefore our outward display of love for others will acknowledge we are obeying his commands. When Jesus emphasized obedience to his commands, our love for him will keep us from legalism. If we simply obey him we are emphasizing a legalism, thus we are trying to work our way into heaven instead of loving which will led us to be obedient. If we say we love Jesus and obey him not then we simply do not love him. We may say we love Jesus but there is too much clutter in our lives to fully devote our love to him. If we truly love him we will ask him to help us, to help us increase our love in him and devote our lives to him for his purpose in our lives. Or we can say we love him because of who he is and his representation of the God Head, this is not a personal relationship. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pickledilly Posted April 20, 2015 Report Share Posted April 20, 2015 Under the New Covenant, believers have one overall obligation – the mandate of love. Jesus said all previous requirements of the Old Covenant can be summed up in the commandment to love God with all your being and love your neighbor. I think that when you focus on loving God with all your heart, soul, and mind, the rest develops naturally as your new outlook on life. You cannot rightly love others apart from rightly loving Him. When you love God wholeheartedly, you just cannot steal or murder or lie or use/abuse people or ignore the needs of others. Anyone who is not growing and demonstrating godly love to others simply does not truly love Jesus and is deceiving self to claim otherwise. Obedience to this call to love isn’t a legalistic burden, but is a way of life that gives evidence of your love for God and a joy in desiring to please Him. In the grace of the New Covenant of Christ, He does not value obedience motivated by ritual or duty, but obedience born of our overflowing and grateful love for Him. In the imperfections of our ability to love, we often fail Jesus in this obedience. While our relationship with Him can suffer from that, by God’s grace toward us does not depend on that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeteD Posted April 23, 2015 Report Share Posted April 23, 2015 Lesson 25 Q 2 We are loved by our Savior, Jesus. He is our Lord. Although we could for a time obey his teachings with different motives than love, I don't believe we could sustain this obedience since eventually our self interest would conflict with the obedience / lifestyle that Jesus is asking from us. Love is the relationship dynamic they can sustain our will toward God and provide the impetus and desire to obey. Any other motive for obedience is unable to produce and Jesus' commands become a burden we are unable to bear. Love for God ultimately precedes our will to follow Jesus and to keep his commands. Since we will to do it based on love it is not a burden - - - simply said, we want to do it from our very core. Yes even though we love Jesus, our love is not perfect and our response to his love is not perfect and hence, one's will does not carry through perfectly this side of heaven. Unfortunately all of us fall short in many ways. We must constantly seek Jesus and forgiveness. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grace2free Posted May 12, 2015 Report Share Posted May 12, 2015 Q2. (John 14:15, 21-25) Q. How is obedience to Jesus linked to loving him? A. John 14:21 1st. That true love to Jesus will produce obedience. See John 14:15. 2nd. That those who love him will be loved of the Father, showing that there is a union between the Father and the Son. 3rd. That Jesus also will love them, evincing still the same union. Religion is love. The love of one holy being or object is the love of all. The kingdom of God is one. His people, though called by different names, are one. They are united to each other and to God, and the bond which unites the whole kingdom in one is love. Q. When Jesus emphasizes obedience, what keeps this from being the heavy burden of a new legalism? A. By loving God and by loving one another. Q. Can we love Jesus and not obey him? If so, how? A. Obeying Jesus teachings in the way we live our lives indicates our love for him. (John 14:15) (Matthew 25:35-36, 40) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stanley Tavaziva Posted May 19, 2015 Report Share Posted May 19, 2015 Q2. (John 14:15, 21-25) How is obedience to Jesus linked to loving him? When Jesus emphasizes obedience, what keeps this from being the heavy burden of a new legalism? Can we love Jesus and not obey him? If so, how? Love and obedience go hand in hand. Does obeying Jesus' commands introduce a new legalism in the place of grace? No. But just as loving one another is one indicator of being a disciple (13:35), observing Jesus' teachings in the way we live our lives is an indicator of our love for him. We need to love God and love one another Jesus said that his followers show their love for him by obeying him. Love is more than lovely words; it is commitment and conduct. If you love Christ, then prove it by obeying what he says in his Word. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
royk Posted June 12, 2015 Report Share Posted June 12, 2015 Q2. (John 14:15, 21-25) How is obedience to Jesus linked to loving him? When Jesus emphasizes obedience, what keeps this from being the heavy burden of a new legalism? Can we love Jesus and not obey him? If so, how? We can believe that we are doing something right, using our old rules before we were saved. Jesus said "forgive them father they don't know what they are doing." But at some point awareness via the Holy Spirit has to take over, as we evolve and are shown the truth. The more we study the Bible and feel His love and learn it in our minds, the more chance we have of deciding to do the right thing, not the old thing. it is a transformation process and we are led by God to do this naturally, not forcibly. Though we might notice pain in having to change our ways, this is also God's plan, and it is all about love and obedience as a good child, to make Him happy about our new ways. It is the Holy Spirit taking over, as we learn to will this by prayer, meditation and slower decision making. We give up control and let Him lead us, oh what a job to learn and love and obey. Live is easier for us "18 I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19 Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20 On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you." (14:18-20) As we slowly get to this point, we really seek to follow, and hear Him as much as possible. What a joyful revelation, learning how to let go and let GOD! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe_Applegarth Posted October 1, 2015 Report Share Posted October 1, 2015 How is obedience to Jesus linked to loving him? Living in Jesus’ love is to keep His commands. Keeping His commands is confirmation of our love for Him and that love is revealed to the world around us not just in words but in our deeds as well. When separated, love and obedience will both die! When Jesus emphasizes obedience, what keeps this from being the heavy burden of a new legalism? Simply put, legalism is “Thou Shalt Not” period! Obedience to Christ Jesus isn’t legalism and the Bible isn’t simply a feel good document filled with sage advice that we can either choose to accept or ignore without consequence. Scripture tells us in no uncertain terms exactly what’s expected of us and the consequences for failing to obey. What differentiates it from legalism is that the Scripture also tells us how to avoid the pitfalls. By demanding obedience, Jesus isn’t set on our destruction nor is He trying to impose His will upon us by requiring obedience (even though He could). He loves us so much that He gave His own life for us and, rather than trying to destroy us, He’s simply trying to keep us from destroying ourselves. Undeniably, our love for Christ can’t exist without obedience, nor can we be truly obedient without that love. Salvation is reserved for those who obey the Lord's commands and when “we choose” to put our faith and trust in God, He will bring us to the understanding that He, and He alone, knows what is best for us and that He will never lead us astray. If we really love God, we'll always do what He asks of us but, we are all human and because we are we will never have the strength to obey under our own power, it’s only through the power, and strength of Christ Jesus that we can. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Jerry Posted October 2, 2018 Report Share Posted October 2, 2018 The obedience to Jesus is linked to loving him because we don’t want to hurt those who we love and therefore we don’t want to disappointment Jesus. I think that when Jesus emphasized obedience he is talking about the love that we are going to give him. I don’t think that we can love Jesus and not obey him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Godswriter Posted June 1, 2019 Report Share Posted June 1, 2019 Q2. (John 14:15, 21-25) How is obedience to Jesus linked to loving him? When Jesus emphasizes obedience, what keeps this from being the heavy burden of a new legalism? Can we love Jesus and not obey him? If so, how? Obedience is linked to loving Christ through the fact that when you choose to obey His word; we learn to trust Him with all we have and we learn to love Him enough enough so we don't disobey Him. When He emphasizes it, He uses it to state that true obedience is when we love Him enough to obey Him. There is no way we can love Him and not obey. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paula Price Posted November 20, 2019 Report Share Posted November 20, 2019 "If you love me , keep my commandments". Love is required for obedience. Obedience is required for salvation. Salvation is required to achieve Heaven. This is the will of God. Jesus is the way, the truth and the light, the life,. It is belief in Him that eternal life is possible to those who BELIEVE. This is the promise of God. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lisema Ralitsoele Posted August 29, 2020 Report Share Posted August 29, 2020 Q2. (John 14:15, 21-25) 1. How is obedience to Jesus linked to loving him? Obedience to and loving Jesus are linked in that we can only be his followers, true Christians, by walking in his steps; and we can only do so by keeping his Good News in our hearts. And when this happens we automatically act out his commandments without any stress, proving that he is in us and we are in him. Therefore we love him, we love ourselves and we love each other and there is overall peace and contentment. 2. When Jesus emphasizes obedience, what keeps this from being the heavy burden of a new legalism? Jesus’ emphasis on obedience is not an autocratic declaration characteristic of communist countries. It is a recommendation uttered from deep love and given because he wants us to experience the true peace and joy that is in his heart. It cannot be the heavy burden of a new legalism because it emanates from our free will and we become obedient joyfully and voluntarily. “Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them” Psalm 119:165. 3. Can we love Jesus and not obey him? Absolutely Not! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonathan Edwards Posted December 15, 2021 Report Share Posted December 15, 2021 A man or woman will do their utmost to obey Christ. They have the gifts of piety, fear of the Lord and wisdom to live the Christain life. A sincere believer will have a tender conscience. I am reminded of this when I read the Song of Solomon; love is crucial in the spiritual life. St Augustine and St Mary of Egypt are two great examples of what love can do ! They were converted from lives of sin and spent their remaining days living in holiness. A person who has a genuine love for the Lord will not want to go back to Egypt. He or she will be anointed from above; a new song, evangelistic zeal and holiness--will be integral in their lives. A heart full of the love of God makes obedience to God's laws---a joy not a burden. St Augustine stressed the importance of love in fulfilling the commands of Jesus Christ. When we have this love; we will have new desires and new goals! St Mary of Egypt was living in terrible sin prior to her conversion. The day she gave her to Christ in Jerusalem; she was transformed. She spent her earthly pilgrimage in prayer and fasting. Moses the Black-another testimony of God's transforming love. A very tough and sin loving man became a converted child of God ! No burdensome legalism---to pray and fast in the deserts--was sublime joy for them. Having a true love for Christ, a man will have an urgency to be a genuine disciple. St Paul is such a great example of this. It was in the desert that God tutored Paul. What a time! Alone with God ! So new converts need the "school of the desert". As they study the Bible and suffer at times, they lose the old appetites for the old life. Paul was in the desert for some time; God is very patient with us as we grow in sanctification. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irmela Posted September 6, 2022 Report Share Posted September 6, 2022 Q2. (John 14:15, 21-25) How is obedience to Jesus linked to loving Him? When Jesus emphasizes obedience, what keeps this from being the heavy burden of a new legalism? Can we love Jesus and not obey Him? If so, how? When we love someone, we desire to live in such a way that pleases that person. We in fact strive to make the person happy. Our desire as children was to please our parents and see the pride and joy on their faces when they said, this is my son / daughter. We wanted to obey them because we loved them. Just so, because we love Jesus, we strive to obey Him. When we failed, I know from my side, I felt terrible. Like I had failed them. Just so also when having been disobedient to Christ, I have felt incredibly guilty, knowing I had failed the One Who had laid down His life for me. It is not legalism to follow Christ or to be obedient to Him. One can see that not being obedient to Him has regrettable consequences (feeling guilty, battling with depression because of having failed, needing to start over again, losing ones credibility, etc). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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