If.

This post is a little more of an admonition than a declaration. I will be using some scriptures in John that are a little out of order, but there is purpose to this.

John 15
Verse 10: 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.
11: These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.
12: This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.
13: Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
14: Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.
Chapter 14
Verse 15: If ye love me, keep my commandments.
21: He that hath my commandments and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.

First of all, some of the things I've already blogged about came into this. I wanted to remind you (and myself) that all of this is connected. When love is speaking of Truth with a capital T, it's all connected.

I also included my highlighted moments of the scriptures, trying to translate to you how I read those scriptures, with italicized things being general highlighting, bold being circled words, and yellow meaning things that give me joy.

Ye are my friends if ye do whatsoever I command you; if ye keep my commandments ye shall abide in my love; if ye love me keep my commandments; He that hath my commandments and keepeth them, he is is that loveth me.

How do you show your parents that you love them? You obey them. How do you show a teacher that you care about them and their subject? You do the homework, you listen in class, ie. you obey them. (Student teaching really does take over my entire brain most of the time.) So how do you show Christ that you love Him? You keep his commandments. Why does he give commandments?

Why do your parents give you rules? Because they love you and want you to be safe and happy. Why do teachers give you work and homework? Because they love you and want you to learn. Why does Christ give us commandments? Because He loves us and desperately wants us to be able to live with Him and Our Father again. So desperately.

But that isn't all, He doesn't just give us a long-off promise that we will gain eternal life, though that is the ultimate gift. In verse 21 of chapter 14 He says "...he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and I will manifest myself unto him." We receive the love of two perfect beings who see us outside of time, they see our potential and our abilities that we can't even comprehend. We also receive the promise that Christ will manifest Himself unto us. What glorious promises.

Ye are my friends. If.