If you truly love the Lord Jesus Christ-then you earnestly study and endeavor to please Him by a life of universal obedience.
Love is always desirous to please the person beloved; and it will naturally lead to a conduct that is pleasing.
This, then, you may be sure of, that if you truly love Jesus-then it is the labor of your life to please Him.
The only way to please Jesus, and the best test of your love to Him-is obedience to His commandments.
This is made the decisive mark by Christ Himself:
John 14:23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.
John 14:24 He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me.
Jesus repeats this theme over and over in different forms: John 14:21 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.
John 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.
John 15:14 Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.
This is love for God, says John; that is, it is the surest evidence, and the natural, inseparable effect of our love to God, that we obey His commands.
John 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.
1John 5:3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.
That is, they will not seem grievous to one who obeys them from the principle of sincere love.
Here, then, you who profess to love the Lord Jesus-here is An Infallible Test for your love!
Do you make it the great aim of your life to keep His commandments?
Do you honestly endeavor to perform every duty which He has required-and that because He has commanded it?
And do you vigorously resist and struggle against every sin, however constitutional, however fashionable, however gainful-because He forbids it?
And is the way of obedience pleasant to you?
Would you choose this holy way to Heaven, rather than any other-if it were left to your choice?
Your not loving God-If it continues, will certainly lead you to Hell.
You are fit for no other place!
Where should the enemies of God be-but in an infernal prison?
There is the same propriety in throwing you into Hell-as in shutting up madmen in bedlam, or rebels in a dungeon!
Why, you are devilized already!
You have the very temperament of devils!
Enmity to God is the grand constituent of a devil-it is the worst ingredient in that infernal disposition...
And this you have in your hearts, and, as it were, incorporated with your habitual temperament!
And what do you think will become of you?
Judge for yourselves-must you not be doomed to that everlasting fire, which was prepared for the devil and his angels-whom you resemble?
1Co 16:22 If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha.
~Samuel Davies
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