Introduction

There are five types of love that are found in scriptures. In future articles, I might explore these other types. For now, we will look at the type of love that is used in John 14:15, “If you love Me, keep My commandments.”

Definition of Love

The version of love found in this verse is Agape. Here is the definition: This is divine or unconditional love, the highest form of love that is selfless and giving. It’s the love that God has for us and that we are called to have for one another. It’s not based on conditions or feelings but is a deliberate choice to love others as God loves us.

Albert Barnes Commentary on John 14:15, This is the only proper evidence of love to Jesus, for mere profession is no proof of love; but that love for him which leads us to do all his will, to love each other, to deny ourselves, to take up our cross, and to follow him through evil report and through good report, is true attachment. The evidence which we have that a child loves its parents is when that child is willing, without hesitation, gainsaying, or complaining, to do all that the parent requires him to do. So the disciples of Christ are required to show that they are attached to him supremely by yielding to all his requirements, and by patiently doing his will in the face of ridicule and opposition, 1 John 5:2-3

Oh, How I love Jesus!

I’m sure you’ve heard people say that there isn’t a pattern of worship in the New Testament; how there’s no commands given. “The New Testament is just love letters from Jesus!” If this were true, then why did Jesus say, “If you love Me, keep My commandments.” (Jn. 14:15) Surely, there are commandments given in the New Testament.

If you go back to the Sermon on the Mount, looking closely at Matthew 5:21f, Jesus tells what the Old Law says, then He adds the phrase, “But I say to you…” This is Jesus giving law. How do we know this? The answer is found at the end of His sermon, And so it was, when Jesus had ended these sayings, that the people were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes. (Matthew 7:28-29)

Here’s the difference, the scribes read the law and gave the sense of it. Jesus told them what the law said, and then He gave them a better command.

For example, Jesus said, “You have heard that it was said to those of old, You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” (Matthew 5:27-28) Here, he’s not changing the law (Ex. 20:14) but taking it to the next level. Adultery is still wrong but so is looking at a woman with lust in your heart. In other words, to fantasize about her, sexually, is a sin.

He didn’t destroy the law but came to fulfill it (Mt. 5:17-18). Which He did when he died on the cross (Col. 2:14-15).

You Must Do Something

Essentially what Jesus is saying is, “If you love me, then prove it!” We can’t just say it and have it be accepted. We have to show that we love Jesus through our actions.

If you look at Hebrews 11, known as the Heroes of Faith chapter, not only did those mentioned have faith in God, but they did something to prove it. Let’s look at a couple examples.

By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith. (Hebrews 11:7) Everyone should be familiar with the story of Noah and the ark. God told him he was going to destroy the world with a massive flood and had Noah build an ark to save animals and all of the people who came along.

Had Noah simply had faith in God that he would save him, he wouldn’t have built the ark but just waited out the flood. This sounds ridiculous and yet, there are millions of people in the religious world who believe that faith is all you need to be saved.

Let’s look at another example, By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, of whom it was said, “In Isaac your seed shall be called,” concluding that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also received him in a figurative sense. (Hebrews 11:17-19)

Again, someone did something to prove their faith. Abraham was told to do something, and he did it. It’s true, that God stopped him from sacrificing his son, but Abraham made the effort to go through the process. As James wrote, You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only. (James 2:24)

Conclusion

As the apostle John wrote, 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. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome. (1 John 5:1-3)

If you’re not keeping the commandments of God, then you do not love Him or His son, Jesus. You need to prove your love to Him every day.