In John 14, Jesus repeatedly tells us that obeying him equates to loving him. If I claim to love Jesus but don’t obey him, I need to question my claim of loving him.
If you love me, keep my commands.
Jesus, John 14:15
Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.
Jesus, John 14:21
Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.
Jesus, John 14:23-24
Taking a personal inventory of my behavior helps me see if my love for Jesus is genuine or just lip-service.
Am I obeying Jesus’ Commands?
- How do I handle insults and rejections because of Jesus? (Matthew 5:11-12)
- Am I letting my light shine so people may see my good deeds and glorify God. (Matthew 5:16)
- Am I lashing out in anger, or making sure my words are kind and loving, even when I am upset? (Matthew 5:21-22)
- How I deal with someone who is upset with me? Do I reconcile with them and settle matters quickly? Do I forgive others? (Matthew 5:23-25)
- Am I lusting? (Matthew 5:27-28)
- Do I condone divorce? (Matthew 5:31-32)
- How do I treat people who hurt me? (Matthew 5:38-39)
- Am I praying for my enemies and showing them love? (Matthew 5:43-47)
These are just the start of the commands. Matthew 5-7 has many more, in addition to Jesus’ other commands in the Gospels. I need to know what Jesus commands by reading the Bible, meditating on it, and memorizing it. And then I need to put my love for him into practice by obeying, with the help of the Holy Spirit.
Becoming Mary 