If You Love Me

30 Days in John - day 15

John 14:15-31

This section of John 14 begins with words that can sound heavy if we are not careful:

“If you love me, you will keep my commandments,” (Verse 15).

That idea get repeated three more times in this text. If we pull that sentence out of its setting, we might think Jesus is telling us to earn His acceptance by our obedience. But when we read it in context, a different picture emerges.

The emphasis in this passage is not on performance, but on presence. Jesus was going away, but He was not leaving the disciples alone. The Spirit; the Comforter would come. He would not merely dwell with them; He would dwell within them. He would teach them. He would remind them. He would give them Christ’s peace.

Jesus says it memorably: “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you,” (verse 18). These are not the words of a distant master demanding performance. They are the words of a Savior promising His presence.

The concern at the center of this part of Jesus’ Upper Room Discourse was how His departure would change His relationship to His followers. What He taught the disciples and everyone who has believed in Him since, is summarized in verse 28: “I am going away, and I will come to you.”

Jesus was crucified, buried, resurrected, and He ascended into heaven. But He came to His people again through the Holy Spirit. The Comforter, a word which in the original language means One who comes alongside to help, has come. He has been sent by the Father into the world to live with and to dwell within those who know Jesus.

And it is in this context that Jesus talks about how keeping His word is a sign of loving Him. Jesus is not saying we earn His love by our obedience. What He is saying is that obedience flows from His indwelling presence.

Obedience is the fruit of relationship not the root of it.

This is not meant to make us doubt ourselves. It is meant to deepen our faith and relationship with Christ.

So instead of asking, “Have I done enough to prove I love Jesus?” we should ask, “Has His presence begun to change what I desire?”

Do we want to obey Him? Do we grieve when we fail? Do we find ourselves drawn to His word?

Those are not signs of earning love. They are signs of life.

And that life is the work of the Spirit who now dwells within us.

In that, we can take comfort.