If you keep My commandments, you will remain in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and remain in His love.
The Father loved Christ as Mediator and gave all things into His hand; Christ abode in that love by keeping His Father's commandments. As the Father has loved Him, so He loves us, and we abide in His love by keeping what He commands.
AI summary
Commenting on John 15:9-17
Obedience to Christ is not the root of His love but its fruit, sprung from the Spirit's free grace in us. Many stumble here: they fear His commandments demand a perfection beyond our reach, so His love becomes useless. But Christ speaks of the desire for holy life, not sinless performance; righteousness is freely imputed to us, and through pardon our imperfect duties are accepted.
AI summary
Keep His commandments to abide in the sense of His love, not to earn it. Your obedience proves your love to Him and keeps you assured of His unchanging love for you. Constant keeping of His word is both the evidence and the means of remaining in that sweet apprehension of His love.
AI summary