The night before His crucifixion, Jesus reminded the disciples of some important matters. In John 14:21, He pointed out the connection between love and obedience, saying, “He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me.” In other words, loving the Lord and obeying Him are inseparable.
What commands are we to obey? Jesus said the greatest commandments are: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind” and “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Matt. 22:37-39). The Holy Spirit will show us how to live these out. When we let go of a selfish attitude and put someone else first, when we show forgive- ness instead of anger, or when we demonstrate a thankful heart in the midst of hard circumstances, we are expressing our love for Jesus.
Jesus’ life on earth was one continuous expression of love for the heavenly Father (John 14:31). To follow His example requires a heart that desires to please Him, a will that is bent toward obedience, and a mind that consistently seeks direction from Him. Develop the habit of asking yourself two questions: What does obedience to God look like in this situation? and What can I do to obey God more fully?
Did you know that the purpose of God’s salvation isn’t just to save you from hell and get you into heaven? His priority is to shape you into the image of Jesus (Rom. 8:29). But God doesn’t do everything for us—we have to participate in the process with Him. Sadly, however, a lot of Christians have a passive attitude that tolerates sin and makes excuses.
When you got saved, you began your walk with Jesus, but you also stepped into spiritual warfare with Satan. The last thing our enemy wants is someone who loves the Lord and tells others about Him.
Yet many believers don’t live a holy life. In fact, some of them look and act just like the unbelieving world. In today’s passage, sexual immorality is one area of compromise that the apostle Paul addressed specifically. But in truth, we should abstain from anything that interferes with godly living.
Have you allowed something in your life that shouldn’t be there? If so, distance yourself from it now. You don’t want a thread of sin to become a rope, then a chain, and finally a cable that traps you in a stronghold. Turn back to the Lord, and let your sanctification continue.
God’s plan for us is greater than we can imagine. But not many people realize that. We usually get so preoccupied with the demands of life that few of us give much thought to what it will mean to be sanctified.
Sanctification is a process. When we get saved, God sets us apart for Himself. Then throughout the rest of our life, He works to conform us to the image of His Son Jesus. We all struggle with sin, but when we die, our spirits will ascend to heaven and be completely sinless. Then we’ll see Jesus as He truly is, and we won’t struggle with “all that is in the world” (1 John 2:16).
However, as great as this will be, it’s not the final step. Some day Jesus will descend from heaven and bring the souls of those who have died in Christ. They will be united with their resurrected bodies, and believers who are still alive on the earth will be changed (1 Thessalonians 4:14-17; 1 Corinthians 15:51-54). Then sanctification will be complete—spirit, soul, and body.
Then, spotless and without blame, we will walk in the Lord’s presence for eternity. Knowing this, how will you live today? The promise of salvation isn’t meant just to give hope, but to encourage us to live a holy life.
Hope is a belief or expectation that something will happen. If it doesn’t, we may experience discouragement, depression, or even despair.
So how can we remain hopeful? First, remember the reason for our confidence: our relationship with Jesus. At salvation, we’re born into a living hope (1 Peter 1:3)—God made us a new creation, and we are no longer slaves to sin (2 Corinthians 5:17). His Spirit lives in us. We’ve been made co-heirs with Christ, and our true home is in heaven with Him.
Second, spend time in the Word. Romans 15:4 says that the Bible was written to give us encouragement and hope. The Psalms can be especially helpful in difficult times because they express the writers’ real feelings and provide comfort.
Third, rely on the Lord’s faithfulness. Trusting Him will always turn out for our good.
Believers shouldn’t react to trials the way the world does. Instead, we are to live by faith— “confidence in what we hope for” (Heb. 11:1 NIV). When circumstances overwhelm you, focus on Jesus. Look for encouragement in His Word and be reminded of what is yours in Christ (Eph. 1:3-8).
You and I know there are many people in the world who reject the Bible’s authority. But have you considered that some of them are Christians? Many believers unwittingly do this when they choose which parts of the Bible to believe and which parts to throw out.
But the truth is that the Bible is the very Word of God—spoken to and through His messengers, passed down through time, and relevant to every generation. It’s God’s magnificent revelation of Himself to the world, and everything He said was intentional.
We cannot break up Scripture or pull pieces out of context without the risk of altering its meaning. In 2 Timothy 3:16, we read that every word of the Bible is God-breathed and valuable. That means no part of it was written without a specific purpose, so whatever portion we’re reading, we should pay attention to surrounding verses, the book’s intended audience, and historical context.
Do you ever choose which parts of the Bible you want to believe and follow? Let’s bravely ask the Holy Spirit to show us any sections of Scripture we may have thrown aside—and to help us trust in the authority of God’s Word.
