The power of “IF”

 

"If ye love Me, ye will keep My commandments" (John 14:15. R.V.).

Jesus  never enforces our obedience; He tells us very emphatically what we ought to do, but He never takes means to make us do it. We have to obey Him out of a oneness of spirit and a resolved mind. That is why whenever Jesus talked about discipleship, He prefaced it with an IF— "If any man will be My disciple, let him deny himself," let him give up his right to himself to Me. Our Lord is not talking of eternal positions, but of being of value to Himself in this order of things; Never interpret these words apart from the One Who uttered them.

The Lord does not give me rules, He makes His standard very clear, and if my relationship to Him is that of love, I will do what He says without any hesitation. If I hesitate, it is because I love someone or something else in competition with Him. Jesus Christ will not force me to obey Him, I must obey Him; and when I do obey Him, I fulfill my spiritual destiny.

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Pastor Lucious G. Buggs, IV

Servant