November 22
“For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome. For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world – our faith. Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” 1 John 5:3-5.
As Christians, we say that we love God. In response to that remark, someone will say, “Prove it!” How do you prove that you love God? John answers this question: “This is the love of God, that we keep His commandments.” God has given Ten Commandments for all people. If we really love God, then we will want to do those things that please God, as it is written in the Ten Commandments.
The Lord Jesus summarized the Ten Commandments with the words: “’You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great Commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two Commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets,” Matthew 22:37-40. Love God above all things, and love your neighbor as yourself.
Can you imagine a child saying to his or her parents, “I really love you, but I am not going to do anything that pleases you!” Such an expression of love would be a blatant lie!
John elaborates, “His commandments are not burdensome.” The Commandments of God have been given for our good. The Commandments are not intended to make life miserable for anyone. God promises to bless those who keep His Commandments. Therefore, we should love and trust in Him and willingly do according to His Commandments.
Christians are born of God. God the Holy Spirit has called us to faith in Jesus Christ. “No one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit,” 1 Corinthians 12:3. We are born again into the family of God by faith in Christ Jesus. With our Christian faith, we are able to conquer the temptations of our sinful flesh and of the sinful world in which we live. John writes, “For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world – our faith.” Our faith enables us to say, “I love God above all things, and I love my neighbor as myself.”
The faith of which John is speaking is not some trust that we have in our own ability or in ourselves. He is speaking of saving faith. “Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” Saving faith trusts that Jesus is the Son of God, true God with the Father and the Holy Spirit, whom the heavenly Father sent to become also a true Man. As the God-Man, Jesus fulfilled the Law of God in our place. He took the sins of the whole world upon Himself and carried them to Calvary’s cross, where He poured out His holy, precious blood to wash away all sins for all people. He died to redeem us, and then He rose from the dead.
To make God’s forgiveness our very own, we are invited to believe and trust in Jesus, who loved us and gave Himself for us. He conquered sin, death, and the devil for all people. Believe in Him!
“Jesus calls us; o’er the tumult
Of our life’s wild, restless sea,
Day by day His sweet voice soundeth,
Saying, ‘Christian, follow Me.’
Jesus calls us from the worship
Of the vain world’s golden store,
From each idol that would keep us,
Saying, ‘Christian, love Me more.’
In our joys and in our sorrows,
Days of toil and hours of ease,
Still He calls, in cares and pleasures,
‘Christian, love Me more than these.’” Amen.