Obedience and Love

"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 grievous" (I Jn. 5:2,3). So here we see clearly that we love God's people if we love God, and we love God IF we keep his commandments. And maybe most importantly, we see that keeping God's commandments is not a hard thing to do, at least not for those who truly love him. Now God's "commandments" are far more than ten. God's commandments are his will, and his will and laws [commandments] are written into our hearts and minds by his Spirit if and when we receive his Spirit (Jer. 31:33; II Cor. 3:3). So it isn't even possible to keep the commandments of God if we have not received his holy Spirit, which is to say baptized with his Spirit (I Cor. 12:13; Rom. 6:3,4; Gal. 3:27). And it also becomes evident that if we haven't been baptized with the holy Ghost, it isn't possible for us to love God; which serves to good reason, seeing that the scripture says that "the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghost" (Rom. 5:5). So then, if you are trying to love God and keep his commandments, and have not received the Spirit, it is going to be a "grievous" experience.

What it takes to receive the holy Ghost is to turn away from wrong, believe on Jesus, and yield yourself completely to him. In other words, you have to have a fully made up mind to do God's will instead of your own. And that is exactly what it takes to continue in the faith after receiving the Spirit, if you expect to keep the first love, joy and peace of the experience; not to mention if you expect to be saved in the end (Gal. 2:6; Mat. 24:12,13; Heb. 3:6,14). So the point here is this: If you are having a hard time trying to do everything the right way before God, you just don't have a fully made up mind to do so. The holy Ghost IS the will, or commandments, or law of God; whichever way you prefer to say it. That is how God's law is written on our hearts and minds when we receive it. And the holy Ghost gives us the natural desire and the power to keep the commandments of God (Col. 3:1,2; Acts 1:8). You simply cannot prefer your will over God's will and receive the Spirit, and you cannot prefer your will to his AFTER receiving the Spirit, and prosper spiritually (Job 9:4). So if it becomes a hard thing to do what is truly right in the sight of God after receiving the Spirit, the only reason is not having a fully made up mind. So if this is what is going on, then what is the solution? As a song I love says, "If you don't have a willing heart, ask him to give you one." I don't know about you friend, but I love the love, and peace, and joy that comes with letting God have his way. Amen.