[1 John Series 5] Our Love and LifeSample

Keeping God’s commands

Guarding a prisoner. Keeping a military secret from falling into the wrong hands. As strange as these tasks may seem, God thinks you are the one for the job. Going further in our study of 1 John, we find the phrase “whoever keeps His word.” The Greek word from which the word keeps is translated means “to hold or protect something of importance.” It was used for guarding a prisoner. How important was that for the guard? Absolutely, hugely important.

We also find that same word in a couple other verses of Scripture you may be familiar with. Peter says in his first letter that we have an inheritance that is imperishable, uncorrupted, and unfading, kept in heaven for us. And in 2 Timothy, in the end of his life, Paul said that he had kept the faith.

When John says, “whoever keeps His word,” it means God’s word is important, real, and true. We keep it as we would guard a prisoner or the most valuable thing we can think of. And when we do so, the love of God is perfected or completed in us. When what we say and what we do connect, an amazing thing happens. We begin to walk with joy in the power of God, and we come to realize He is in us and we are in Him. 

If you have never trusted Christ as your Savior, consider what has been offered to you. Come to this relationship. Jesus died on a cross for you. When you keep His word, walking in intimacy with Him, your life is going to be made complete.

Jesus said that if we have His commands and keep them, we love Him, and we will be loved by the Father (John 14:21.)Do you see intimacy here? He also said that if we keep His commands, we will also be loved by Him and that He will reveal Himself to us. Keeping God’s commands will bring intimacy to our relationship with God. And walking in faith and obedience will keep us closer together.

If you feel like you don’t have an intimate relationship with Christ, say, “I am going to keep His commands. I’m going to trust Him.” In doing so, you will be able to have greater intimacy with Him.