I. Love For God V. 3

A. Shown By Obedience

1. Compare/contrast with 1 John 1:6

a. John 14:15 If you love Me, keep My commandments.

2. Loving God means that one will consciously try to walk in consistent obedience.
3. Conscious, consistent disobedience is inconsistent for one who says they love God.
4. Love for God ought to be emotional, but it’s not only emotional; it is practical

B. Obedience Is Not Burdensome

1. Burdensome- heavy, grievous, severe, stern, violent, cruel, unsparing.
2. So many believe that obeying God is not a worthwhile effort.

a. They say that resisting temptation is too hard.
b. They believe the lie that sin isn’t that bad, and that it is easier to give in.

3. Obedience does take effort, but it doesn’t create a burden, it brings freedom.

a. In war, soldiers fight extremely hard to eventually enjoy their freedom.
b. Sometimes they fight to gain freedom; God gives freedom to the Christian
c. We don’t fight for freedom, but we do fight to walk in it and to avoid sin.

4. Sin creates bondage. Romans 6:5-23 uses the word slave 9 times re. sin.

a. The soldier that won’t fight will eventually find himself a prisoner.

b. He may complain about the harshness of the battle, the poor living conditions, the lack of comfort, and he persistent effort needed.
c. The soldier fights because he knows that as difficult war is, being a prisoner of the enemy is worse.

C. The Wisdom & Blessings Of Obeying God

1. It is wise to obey God because has your best interest in mind.

a. We may not always feel or understand that.
b. That is why we must walk by faith, and not by sight.
c. We need to remember the revealed character of God, and His past help.

2. Holy Spirit leads the Christian into truth. We obey because we are prompted to.

a. John 16:13-15 13However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. 14He will glorify Me, for He will take of what is Mine and declare it to you. 15All things that the Father has are Mine. Therefore I said that He will take of Mine and declare it to you.

3. His commandments are not burdensome compared to religious legalism.

a. Legalism from a church or denomination regarding clothes, hair, makeup, day of worship, dietary laws, religious duties that are expected, mandatory financial giving, spiritual manifestations that are overvalued and expected, etc.

1. Religion can put unrealistic/burdensome expectations on people
ii. This is what the Pharisees did to the Jews in the days of Jesus.
iii. Matthew 23:1-4 The Pharisees created religious burdens
iv. Matthew 11:28-30 Jesus was the opposite of them.

b. The unrealistic expectations which we put on ourselves.

i. Don’t think certain thoughts, desire certain things, or feel certain emotions.
ii. Christians are to control their thought lives, desires, and emotions, but we cannot completely control what enters our heart & mind.
iii. We are often self condemning and burdened by the fact that we are tempted. Temptations do require active resistance, but…
iv. Sometimes we wrongly feel defeated simply b/c we’re tempted.
v. That is a burden that is self generated, and is not from God.
vi. Example- Guy that used to feel guilty b/c his arms fatigued during worship and he had to put them down.

4. We obey out of love and thankfulness for temporal blessings & eternal life. When we experience God’s love, it provides additional motivation to obey Him.

II. Faith In God Overcomes The World V. 4, 5

A. There Is An Overcoming That Is Needed

1. Overcomes- to have victory. Literally- constantly overcoming the world.
2. That implies that there is a spiritual battle to be fought and won.
3. What is that battle against?

a. The world- A world system that gives us a different standard for loving others than what God says.
b. The flesh- The flesh is inclined to be selfish rather than giving.
c. The Devil- Satan seeks to distort our thinking about who we should love or not love, and what that looks like.

B. The Christian Overcomes By Faith

1. V. 4- Whatever– literally: each, every, all.
2. Whoever is born of God speaks of that one who surrenders their life to Christ and is born again by the Spirit of God.
3. As the Christian walks with God, they are able to overcome the world.
4. The Christian is one who uniquely has victory over the world, especially in the area of loving one another. We can love with a righteous and spiritual love.
5. Agape love isn’t simply the absence of sin in our relationships

a. Agape love isn’t experienced by others when we just stay away from alcohol, or clean up our language, or change other bad habits. We can experience change in those areas, but never extend agape love.
b. Love isn’t experienced when we live morally, stop gossiping, or quit coveting. We can do all those things & live in isolation, or just be tolerant

6. One of the greatest overcoming that can take place in the life of a Christian is that they are changed to love other people.

a. 2 Corinthians 5:16, 17 16Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer. 17Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.