(MORE ON THE VITAL FINAL TEST OF LOVE)

Obedience: The Final Test of Love for Christ

By A.W. Tozer

      He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me. . .
and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.      --  John 14:21

        The final test of love is obedience, not sweet emotions, not willingness to
sacrifice, not zeal, but obedience to the commandments of Christ!

        Our Lord drew a line plain and tight for everyone to see. On one side He
placed those who keep His commandments and said, "These love Me." On the
other side He put those who keep not His sayings, and said, "These love Me not."

        The commandments of Christ occupy in the New Testament a place of
importance that they do not have in current evangelical thought. The idea that our
relation to Christ is revealed by our attitude to His commandments is now
considered legalistic by many influential Bible teachers, and the plain words of
our Lord are rejected outright or interpreted in a manner to make them conform to
religious theories ostensibly based upon the epistles of Paul.

        The Christian cannot be certain of the reality and depth of his love until he
comes face to face with the commandments of Christ and is forced to decide what
to do about them. Then he will know!

I think we should turn for a while from finespun theological speculations about
grace and faith and humbly read the New Testament with a mind to obey what we
see there.

        Love for Christ is a love of willing, as well as a love of feeling, and it is
psychologically  impossible to love Him adequately unless we will to obey
His words!

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Yours in Christ,
Paul N. F.