Commanded!

Commanded!

John 15:12 AMPC

[12] This is My commandment: that you love one another [just] as I have loved you.

As Jesus was coming to the end of his earthly and public ministry, He spent some private moments with His disciples, teaching them about the principles of His kingdom, and the expectations of God for those who were followers of Christ. There were quite a lot of lessons Jesus laid out, covering the whole of chapters 13 to 17 of John, but we will focus on 2 dimensions of the principles of God's kingdom, as laid out in the verse above. The first is this: we can have our different views of who God is, but the truth is He is like a dictator, but a benevolent and gracious one at that. He will not force Himself on anyone, or go against the exercise of your freewill, but be sure that whatever He asks you do is not the topic of negotiation or compromise. Yes, He will not compel you to do it, but I wonder what kind of child expects to get the father's approval and blessing by consistent and persistent disobedience. 

How do I make my father happy, that is, if indeed He is my father, if I do not regard His Word or instructions for my life? There is a reason why the word 'commandment' is used in the verse above, as it makes clear what the source or backing of the authority for the instruction is. I cannot claim the benefits or blessings of a kingdom to which I am not subject, or whose laws I do not obey. I cannot swear allegiance to a king, and then flout his rules, or choose the ones I will obey, whilst disregarding the others. In the same way, God is a King; in fact, the only King whose kingdom has no end, and who cannot be dethroned. His laws are not subject to custom or tradition, and no amount of enlightenment, education, earnings, energy or empowerment can change what God calls wrong into right. Are you a citizen of God's kingdom? Have you accepted His Lordship and authority over your life? 

The second dimension is the instruction to love. Tied to the first dimension, I also cannot choose who to love or when to love. It just asks me to love one another. He does not say the person I have to love must show himself to be worthy of the love, but I love just the same way that He has loved me. If He just gave the instruction, with no personal example or guidance to help me, I would have struggled, but in His mercy, He showed me the perfect example of what this love looks like. At a time when I did not even know I needed help, He came through for me. He loved me with all my baggage, took care of my past, brightened my present and secured my future. If God's love could do this, what lie of the devil should I believe? I note that you cannot force anyone to obey God's command. It has to come from a place of personal conviction. Remember: we do not have forever on this earthly plane to make up our mind. The time is NOW. Have you met this Jesus? His love is all you need. God's time of favour is here.