Obedience, the Proof of Our Love.

     In 1 John chapter 2 we find another passage of scripture that show us if we are truly born again or not.

     By this we have come to know Him if we keep His commandments. The one who says, "I have come to know Him," and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him; but whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected. By this we know that we are in Him: the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked.
                                       1 John 2:3-6 NASB

     Jesus has shown us that the one who loves Him will obey His commands.

     "If you love Me, You will keep My commandments."

     "He who has my commandments and keeps them is the one who loves me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will disclose Myself to him."

     "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make our abode with him. He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine, but the Father's who sent Me."
                    John 14:15, 21, 23-24 NASB

     You see, if we truly love someone, we will be absorbed in pleasing that person. If we truly love Christ from the heart, we will be careful to do what He commands us to do, not out of a sense of duty or slavish fear, but because we desire to please Him. The things that Christ desires are the things that we desire, because our highest goal as Christians is to see Jesus Christ glorified.
     An individual who claims to know and love Jesus, and yet ignores and disobeys His clear teachings in the scriptures is nothing but a selfish fraud, caring only about themselves. Such a professor is deceived and lost in their sin and selfishness.

     "Why do you call me 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do what I say?"
                                   Luke 6:46

     Jesus teaches us that it is useless to claim Him as Lord, and yet to live in disobedience to His commandments. He compares it to a builder who builds a house without a foundation upon sand, When a storm arose the house was destroyed (Luke 6:49).
     Matthew records this same passage with the warning that Jesus will reject all those who claim Him as Lord, but do not obey Him (Matthew 7:21-23).
     So how does your salvation line up with these words? Do you have a living faith that causes you to willingly obey Christ because He is the love of your life, or is your faith a dead empty faith that will lead you all the way to hell (James 2:26)?