Obey and Abide

Twenty-One

Obey and Abide

If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love.

—John 15:10

In our previous meditation, reference was made to the entrance into a life of rest and strength. This life has often come through a true insight into the personal love of Christ and the assurance that love indeed meant that He would keep the soul. In connection with that transition, and the faith that sees and accepts it, the word surrender or consecration is frequently used. The soul realizes that it cannot claim the keeping of this wonderful love unless it yields itself to a life of entire obedience. It also knows that the faith that can trust Christ to keep it from sinning must prove its sincerity by venturing to trust Him for the strength to obey. In that faith, it dares to give up and cut off everything that has hitherto hindered it. It promises and expects to live a life that is well pleasing to God.

This is the thought we have here in our Savior’s teaching. After having spoken of a life in His love as a necessity—because it is at once a possibility and an obligation—He states what its one condition is: “If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love.” This is surely not meant to close the door to the abode of His love that He had just opened up. It does not even approach the suggestion, which some are too ready to entertain, that as we cannot keep His commandments, we cannot abide in His love. No, “Abide in My love” is a promise.

God: Four Tests 5:1–21

A. Test 1: Being Born Again,DS1 5:1–5

1. Proof 1: Believing Jesus is the Christ

a. Proves one’s love for God

b. Proves one’s love for other believers

Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.

2. Proof 2: Loving God & obeying His commandments

a. Proves one’s love for God’s children

b. Proves one’s love for God

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 commandents are not grievous.

3. Proof 3: Conquering the world

a. Proves one’s faith

4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.

b. Proves one really believes Jesus is the Son of God

5 Who is he that overcometh the world but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?

Love for the Book

"O How I Love Thy Law" Psa. 119:97

Spurgeon's love for the Bible is happily illustrated in the following, found on the copy he used:

"C. H. Spurgeon, 1856.

"The lamp of my study—"The light is bright as ever, 1861.

"Oh, that mine eyes were more opened, 1864.

"Being worn to pieces, rebound 1870. The lantern mended and the light as joyous to mine eyes as ever."

Mark the growing appreciation of the Book. In 1856 the Word was the "lamp of my study;" in 1861 his appetite is as keen as ever; in 1864 his prayer is intense for opened eyes, and in 1870 "the light as joyous as ever." May we have a like appreciation. If we love the Word of the Lord, we shall be like the Psalmist in Psalm 119.

1. Delight in God's commandments, "which I have loved" (v. 47).

2. Lift up our hands in appeal, for we shall say, "my hands also will I lift up unto Thy commandments which I have loved" (v. 48).

3. Meditate in God's law "all the day," and say, "O how I love Thy law" (v. 97).

4. If we love

Keep from it—James 1:27. The place of separation is the place of power. To "keep unspotted" means not to be stained, therefore we must not be near the world, but keep from the range of its mud-slinging.

2. Take Christ's victory over it. His Word is, "I have overcome the world," therefore He bids us "Be of good cheer" (John 16:33). See the three references to Christ and "this world" in John's Gospel—John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11.

3. Believe you have got the victory over it. "This is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith" (1 John 5:4, 5); and the reasons are, because we have been begotten of God, and because we believe in the Son of God.

4. Recognise the Lord's indwelling presence. "Ye... have overcome them, because greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world" (1 John 4:4). The Lord within keeps the world without.

5. Remember, the world is an enemy, and the injunction is not to have fellowship with it—James 4:4; for if we do, we side with an enemy and make ourselves