For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous (1 John 5:3).

Jesus had told His apostles, and all His disciples for all time, that "if ye love me, keep my commandments." He continued, "He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them he ii is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him" (John 14:14, 21, 23). And, to the contrary, He said, "He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings. . ." (John 14:24).

Many years later by the Holy Spirit, John told us again that our love of God is demonstrated and proven by keeping His commandments. We are to cultivate a deep and abiding faith "which worketh by love" (Gal. 5:6). Paul further defines such a faith as "the keeping of the commandments of God" (1 Cor. 7:19). There is no love of God, no respect for Him and His Son, if our will is not yielded to Their will. He who does not obey does not have the love of God abiding in him. Seven hundred years before Jesus came, the prophet Micah stated the basis of all acceptable obedience to Jehovah when he said, "He hath showed thee, O man, what is good: and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God" (Mic. 6:8). Saving faith is always that faith which loves God and sincerely does His will, willingly and cheerfully. God's commandments "are not grievous" (burdensome, heavy, hard to keep). God has not required the impossible of us. Every commandment can be kept if we want to keep them. A command is "grievous" when we don't want to do it. Genuine love for God makes obedience enjoyable.

Two brothers, one crippled and the other healthy, became lost while walking in the woods. The cripple tired quickly and had to be carried on the shoulders of his younger and small brother. He was carried some distance. Upon finding freedom they were met by a stranger who observed the situation and said, "My, that must have been quite a burden!" "No sir," the lad said, "He's my brother!" God's commands are like that. Because they are what they are, they are not burdensome. This is the love of God.

Guardian of Truth XXVII: 14, p. 435
July 21, 1983