John 14:15 – “If you love me, keep my commands.”
“If.” A definition from Thayer’s Greek Lexicon and quoted by Strong’s Concordance is “A conditional particle which makes reference to time and to experience, introducing something future, but not determining, before the event, whether it is certainly to take place.”
If means something that is to be found out in the future. “If you go to the party” is a question which means you may go to the party and you may not. “If you finish the marathon” is a question which means you may or may not finish the marathon. Here “if” speaks of a potential to happen or not to happen. The condition applies to “whosoever, whatsoever, whomsoever…”
Here the “if” is relating to a person. A person who potentially loves Jesus. What Jesus is expressing with the single word “if” is that a confession of love of Jesus by a person is not yet established as true. It has the possibility of being true, and a possibility of not being true. He is saying that whether or not someone loves Him is conditional. It is something that will be found out.
What is it conditional upon? How does one show that one really loves the Lord? By both action and inaction. By action, if we keep the commands of Jesus, our actions, how we live our lives, will be in obedience to the teachings of Jesus. By inaction because if our lives are not bearing the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) it is indicative that God is not having an effect upon our lives. If there is no change in action, there is no change in heart, if there is no change of heart, there is not submission to God, if there is no submission to God, then one is not His child. Jesus gave a strong teaching in Matthew 25:31-46 concerning this truth. He plainly taught that the people who love Him, who have Him within their heart, will reveal their love of Him by the acts of love that are expressed by them. Those who do not do the acts of love that Jesus Himself would do, do not love Jesus.
So what has Jesus commanded? Let’s think about what He said was the greatest commandment. The commandment that covered all commandments. The commandment to love. He said in Mark 12:28-31 that loving God with all that we are and loving others as much as we love ourselves are the two greatest commandments. In fact, in Matthew 22:40 Jesus said that all the law depends on “The whole Law of Moses and the teachings of the prophets depend on these two commandments.” Whether or not we murder, or steal, or gossip, or are sexually lascivious, or any other sin, depends on how much we love Jesus. Yet what the preceding verses also show is that not having the action of love when it is needed, shows a lack of love. Withholding good from those whom we can do good for, is a lack of Godly love within (Proverbs 3:27). Certainly we agree that, from His love, God did not withhold good from us. So if we have His love within ourselves, then we will not willfully withhold showing love for others (James 1:27).
The love of God is not passive. It is full of action and all who bear the name of Jesus know that the love of God brought forth action that gave the gift of salvation to all who are called and who are desirous to receive it.
If we know that Jesus is God. If we understand and treasure His sacrifice for us that fully provides eternal peace with God, then we will obey Him. Remembering we are talking about God, not men. If we love God, if we acknowledge who He is, we will obey Him. And what did Jesus reveal to us as the highest calling of love? To love God first, foremost and above all. Also to love our neighbors. Let us fulfill 1 John 4:7 “ Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.” In doing so, we obey Jesus and show that we be know and belong to God, as is related in 1 John 4:8 “He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.”
Love Jesus and show it by obeying Him. His high calling to us is one of love. Let’s obey Jesus and love God with everything that we are and love each other endlessly. By doing this, we reveal that we are God’s children. That we are God’s very own family! Praise God! We have every reason to love as God loves because He has greatly loved us! Praise God!
Love necessitates action. Lack of action reveals lack of love (assuming action is allowed). Let’s obey Jesus, it will show in how much we love.
Psalm 150:6 – Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!
Micah 7:7 – But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me.
Micah 6:8 – He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God.