Demonstrating Love For God

I John 5:1-5

When I was a senior in high school, my mom would keep kids. There was this one little girl that stole my heart. I would come in from school and we would play. Sometimes I would help put her and the other kids down for naps. There was one day we walked across the yard to my grandparents' house, and I told the kids that they had to stay outside under the carport. Of course, they ran in the house. I put them in timeout and all the kids were fine with it, except the little girl. She began to cry. My heart melted and I couldn't continue their punishment. She had me wrapped around her finger and she knew it. She wasn't my daughter, but I would have done anything for her. I can only imagine how God feels about His Son.

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Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves Him who begot also loves him who is begotten of Him. 2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments. 3 For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome. 4 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. 5 Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

I John 5:1-5

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Anyone who is saved loves Jesus. That doesn't mean that we love Him perfectly. Our love for Him must grow. However, it is impossible to have experienced the grace and forgiveness that we receive at salvation and not love the one who gave us that gift. John tells us that if we love the Son, we love the Father that sent the Son. Loving Jesus is the key to loving God. It would be hard to tell any parent that you love them, but you hate their kid. They are not going to find that love believable.

John then says that the way that we demonstrate our love is by obedience. We must "love God and keep His commandments" (v.2). This is exactly the same thing that Jesus said in John 14:15. If I tell my parents that I love them, but I constantly do the opposite of what they tell me to do, they are not going to truly believe my words. Obedience demonstrates commitment. Commitment to any relationship is a sign of love. Obedience also shows service and sacrifice. In other words, you put the other person above yourself. That is love.

John tells us that God's love is demonstrated through the commandments that He gives us. His commandments are not burdensome. There are times where we might not want to do what God commands us to do, but when we are obedient, we learn that his commandments were for our wellbeing. They are never given to cause us harm.

Our victory as believers is that we have overcome this world. "The world" means the powers that govern, ultimately going back to the demonic forces that influence lost people to do the will of Satan. It is also the same power that tempts Christians to be disobedient to God. At salvation, we gain the victory over the world. It is through that victory that we already have that we can overcome the temptations of this world.

God wants us to love Him. We love Him by loving His Son. It is through that love that we keep His commandments and then we have victory over those things that want to harm us. This victory begins with salvation but continues all throughout our lives as we grow in our love of God and in His grace.

Father, thank you for not being a tyrannical God. You want that which is best for us. You gave Your Son that we could have live. Now, you want us to demonstrate that love by our actions. This is always for our good if we will only trust you. Increase our faith!