Love and Obedience

If you really love God then you will love the people of God, the church. A churchless religion is not a biblical one.

Love and Obedience

"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. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments."

(1 John 5:1-2)

I am a churchman. I love the universal Big C Church, and I love the little c church: local churches in cities and communities. I have served as a pastor of local churches for almost 30 years. I believe it is the highest calling that God gives an individual. God has allowed me to serve the dear people at Great Hills Baptist Church in Austin, TX for a little over 16 years. I have shared with them that if they will keep me, this will be my last church that I will pastor. (Some people might say "never say never." Well, of course, if God calls you to do something then you must.) In my mind, I want this to be my last church. I love our people, and it is too hard to start over! It takes many years to build trust.

In the last part of verse 1, John says the person who loves God also loves those who have received the new birth. This is another eloquent way of restating the social test of love. The RSV puts it this way, "Everyone who loves the parent loves the child."

If you really love God then you will love the people of God, the church. A churchless religion is not a biblical one. Remember, the word translated as love is agape. You love with sacrifice. How can you love others, sacrificing for them, if you never meet with them and find out about them? It would be like telling someone how much you love your wife, but you never go home to see her. Do you really love her? The local church, especially meeting in smaller groups, provides great opportunities to show genuine love and sacrifice for each other. Christianity is not about a weekly pep rally but is about loving others and getting involved in their lives.

In 1 John 5:2, he combines the social and moral tests. For John, love for God and love for others are inseparable. I interpret the verse this way: one knows he loves the church because he loves God, and that love for God is seen in the fact that he obeys God's commandments. Let me illustrate this truth with prayer. If you really love people, you will pray for them. By praying for them to God, you are demonstrating your love for God because you are keeping one of His commandments: to pray for others.

It is inconceivable to say that one loves God but does not keep His commandments. Jesus said in John 14:15, "If you love Me, keep My commandments."

A true follower of Christ has been born again, and because of the new birth, he or she believes in Jesus, loves others (especially the church), and obeys God's commandments.