All this talk of laws, and commands and obedience can be unsettling at times, ya know? I mean…it hints of ‘legalism’ or believing we are ‘saved by works’. I thought we are ‘saved by faith, and grace alone?’ 

 I get it. Honestly, I really do. 

 Let me address first of all the ‘unsettling’ part. 

 IF you sense something causing anxiety within you, maybe irritation, or unease and discomfort…simply because of some verses you read or hear, you might want to take a step back and ask yourself as to Why? 

 It’s just scripture verses and we are told that the Word is sharper than a two-edged sword that can ‘pierce’ deep within our soul and spirit and reveal intents of the heart. (Heb 4:12) 

 Is it possible that something ‘else’ lies deep within that takes offense to the Word? That would be worth examining in itself. (Ever have someone turn on all the lights in a room where you were sleeping comfortably in darkness?) 

 The other point I want to address is you may have noticed that the intent of all these postings the past few months are shared to encourage people to do as Paul admonished in 2 Cor 13:5 and to ‘examine ourselves’ to see if we are ‘really in the faith and is Christ Jesus in us?’ I’m leaving it up to God to sort out who is saved and who isn’t. That is way above my pay grade. 

 My focus is more on whether we are ‘abiding in Him’. That is really all that matters. Abiding in Him is a very good place to be. To Not be abiding in Him is NOT a good place to be. 

 Now, back to the talk of commandments and law. 

 Let me again go on record here to state that following: the law justifies no man, nor does it make them righteous nor are we ‘saved’ by keeping some law. 

 Yet, when certain men inquired of Jesus as to what was necessary to inherit eternal life, He always pointed them back to the Law. (Matt 19:16-21; Luke 10:25-28) 

 Jesus Himself made it clear that He did not come to do away with the Law, rather He came to fulfill it Himself. (Matt 5:17) 

 The Law is not a ‘bad’ thing. Funny though, how it can stir up discomfort when it’s addressed. You know, sort of like that feeling you get when you are flying down the highway well above the speed limit and you see a black car hidden in the shade off the road marked ‘State Police’. Personally speaking, when I’m traveling within the limit, seeing ‘the law’ has no effect on me. It’s when I’m violating the law, that my heart rate increases and anxiety wells up within me. But I digress…. 

 So modern teaching today implies we need not be concerned or worried about the ‘law’ of God because we’ve been told we are ‘under grace’. It’s all about ‘faith’ and ‘believing’ and we need not be concerned with ‘keeping commandments’. Or ‘obedience’ it would seem. 

 Yet…just when we thought we were free of all that ‘legalism’, Jesus drops this bombshell on us: 

 “A new commandment I give to you….” (John 13:34) 

 Say what? Another one? He’s giving us another law or commandment? 

 Has he been spending too much time in Washington DC where He has nothing better to do than to write more laws? What is this one going to be, the ‘11th Commandment’? 

 Let’s finish the verse. “…you are to love one another…” 

 Oh…that doesn’t sound bad…it kind of fits in with ‘love God with all your heart and love your neighbor as yourself’…which is how He summed up all the law when asked. 

 Whew…ok…we got that! 

 Wait…the verse has more. 

 “…you are going to love as I have loved you…”

 …pause…. 

 Well…that might complicate some things. 

 So allow me to present this question up for your consideration: HOW…can any of us love anyone…the way Christ loves us…unless…we have HIS divine nature within us? 

 And how has this worked out for you with your ‘old’ nature that seemingly gets in the way of doing this (loving others) all the time. You know, that ‘old man’ who has pride issues and selfish issues and anger and impatience and strife and envy and greed issues. The list can go on and on. Jesus didn’t admonish us to be ‘good ole boys and girls’ and get by on your pleasant personality when you were having a good day and around other people who loved you and affirm you. 

 God demonstrated His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Rom 5:8) Now go back and in place of the word ‘sinners’, add “hostile and rebellious towards God, ungrateful and selfish, self-seeking as we fulfilled the lust and passions of our own fleshly self centered lives’. 

 He still…laid down His life for us. Praying at times…”Father forgive them, they don’t know what they are doing.” (Luke 23:34) 

 Yeah…that’s the kind of love we are to demonstrate towards others which will identify who is truly a disciple of Jesus. (John 13:35) 

 And this you can be sure of: You cannot fulfill this commandment unless something is done with your old nature. It has to be dealt with if you plan on being a partaker of His divine nature that Peter writes about. (2 Pet 1:4) 

 Dying to self, or putting to death the deeds of the fleshly sin nature, is Not an option. 

 I leave you with these words from John in his first letter, chapter 2. 

 Now by this we know that we know Him, IF we keep His commandments. 

 He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a LIAR, ..and the truth is not in him. 

 But whoever keeps His word, truly, the love of God is perfected in him. 

 By this we know that we are in Him. He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked. … 

 Yeah…this does not happen on its own. 

 Something radical has to change within you. 

 Welcome to ‘Taking Up Your Cross” class 101. 

 See you tomorrow.