Remaining In Christ's Perfect Love
"As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full." John 15:9-11
Christ has one great charge for believers—to continue or to remain in His love. Jesus said that it is up to the believer to continue in His love. How? By doing what any person does when he wants someone to love him. The person draws near to the person he loves: he does good and tries to please the person. So it is with the believer. The believer continues in the love of Christ by drawing near and doing good and seeking to please Him—very simply by obeying His commandments.
Christ always loves; His love is always there. But it is up to man to walk in that love. A man can never know and experience the Lord’s love unless he walks in it.
Abiding or remaining in the love of Christ has a standard, a supreme example: it is Christ Himself. He was perfectly obedient to God; therefore, He continued in the Father’s love. We are to look at His obedience as our prime example.
Study Questions:
- Is drawing near to God something you do regularly? Is that difficult for you? If yes, why do you think that is?
- Is it hard for you to believe that Christ’s love is always there?
- There may be times when you feel like you fail at walking in His love, know that you are not alone. And know that God is full of grace. Meditate on this scripture. Let Christ’s never failing love for you stir up affections in your heart. And then ask yourself how you can better walk in God’s love.
Other verses: John 14:21, Colossians 2:6, 1 John 2:6
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