Salvation is Forever: Session 5 – Keeping His Commandments

Notes:

Keeping His Commandments    See Session Slides Here

1 Jn.2:3-4. Some say that only those who keep the 10 commandments are saved. But:

  • When the apostles taught the doctrine of salvation they made it clear that it is apart from the law. E.g. Rom. 3:20; Gal.2:16. Jesus fulfilled the law on our behalf.
  • Paul said those who taught that the law is needed in addition to faith in Christ are accursed.
  • The law is a heavy burden. We need to keep free of it and make sure we don’t put it on others, Acts 15:10, 24;  Gal.5:1.
  • In comparison, Christ’s yoke is easy. Matt.11:28-30. See 1 Jn.5:3.

So what commandments are referred to here? See 1 Jn.3:22-24. There are two commandments:

1) That we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ

  • The gospel is not an invitation, but a command to stop trusting in our own efforts and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ (1 Peter 4:17;  2 Thes.1:7-8). The Holy Spirit convicts men of sin. Sin is not breaking the 10 commandments, but not believing in Christ.
  • How did Jesus and the apostles answer the question, ‘What shall we do to be saved?’ See Jn.6:29; Acts.2:38; 16:30-31. (See Rom.16:25-26.) They never called for obedience to the 10 commandments. They called for obedience to the gospel (Acts 6:7).
  • The new covenant would does not replace one set of rules with another. It calls us to obedience to the faith. ‘Through Him we have received grace and apostleship for obedience to the faith among all nations for His name…’ (Rom.1:5).

 2) That we should love one another

  • 1 Jn.2:3-5. John is not saying, ‘You get saved by keeping the commandment to love one another.’ It’s the other way round. When we obey the gospel we are born again and become partakers of the divine nature. God is Love. Therefore, believing the gospel will result in us loving our brothers and sisters. Faith works through love.
  • The Christian life begins with faith and is brought to completion in love. 2 Pet.1:5-7.
  • Religion will always try to work from the outside in. You behave to become. God works from the inside out. John is saying if you do not obey the commandment to believe in Him then the truth is really not in you and love will not flow out of you. ‘You must be born again.’
  • Under the old covenant you are given a set of rules. Under the new covenant God writes His laws on the inside. The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, etc.
  • 1 Jn. 2:7. The old commandment is not the 10 commandments. It is singular. See 1 Jn. 3:11. It is the command Jesus gave, which is not new (about 60 years old). But it is new in that it is the distinguishing mark of the new covenant. That love comes from Him, not you. 1 John 4:19. To the degree that we understand and experience His love, to that degree we are empowered to love.  1 Jn.3:10,14; 13:35. Matt.5:43-44.
  • Jesus summarised the law with this word. Paul calls this the law of Christ (Gal.6:2). Grace believers are not lawless. They have a higher law than the 10 commandments.
  • 1 Jn.3:11. This is the message. Jesus: ‘This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you’ (Jn.15:12). Paul: ‘All the law is fulfilled in one word, even this: “You shall love your neighbour as yourself”’ (Gal.5:14). ‘If you really fulfil the royal law according to the Scripture, ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself,’ you do well’ (Jas.2:8). It’s not that there are no other messages in God’s Word, but if they become central then they are error.
  • 1 Cor.13:1-13  Let everything be tested by this.
  • The cycle of love: God is love (Jn. 4:7-8); God’s love was manifested (Jn. 4:9-10); God’s love is perfected in us (Jn. 4:11,12&17). In Christ the only thing that counts is faith working by love Gal. 5:6.


# Answers to this quiz are found in the notes above. Click on quiz to commence. Only correct spelling is recognised. A minimum 70%  correct is required to advance to the next session.