Discovering Christ's Commandments

John 15:9-10, "As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love."

This week we are going to be consulting the Scriptures for an explanation of what Jesus calls, "My commandments." We want to know whether His directives are different from the Old Testament Ten Commandments, or the same. Another objective is to be able to recognize and identify His commandments as we read and study the New Testament. Finally, we will endeavor to discover their significance for our lives today.

John 13:34, "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another."

1 John 2:7-8, "Brethren, I write no new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you have had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which you heard from the beginning. Again, a new commandment I write to you which thing is true in Him and in you, because the darkness is passing away, and the true light in already shining."

1 John 5:2-3, "By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome."

Romans 13:9, "For the commandments, 'You shall not commit adultery,' 'You shall not commit murder,' 'You shall not steal,' 'You shall not bear false witness,' 'You shall not covet,' and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'"

Some Specific Commands

The Lord Jesus, Who is our Master and our "Commander," has given certain imperatives to His disciples, which are specific precepts for us to heed. In order to learn what these commands are, we must go to the gospels. Here are a few of Jesus’ commands:

Matthew 4:17, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."

John 14:15, "If you love me, keep my commandments."

Matthew 18:10, "Take heed that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that in heaven their angels always see the face of My Father who is in heaven."

Luke 12:15, "Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses."

John 3:7, "Do no marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again.'"

Matthew 4:19, "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men."

When Jesus said, "Follow me," He was expressing the goal of God in all creation -- God walking with man in perfect fellowship. If we attend to His Words, if we carefully observe the Lord's directives, and if we regard them uppermost in our hearts, then we keep His commandments. The Lord still desires the intimacy of abiding for each of His children. It is true that He wants the same fellowship with us as He once had in the garden with Adam and Eve.

He has provided a way, and by His grace we walk with Him. Amen.