Commentary on the Gospel of John

                                    Chapter Fifteen

                                                                                                                                               Verses 9-14

In verse nine, Jesus turned from preaching about His disciples relationship with the world, and He began to preach about their mission to the world. He also began to teach about His personal relationship with His disciples through the presence of the Holy Spirit within their inner beings. Jesus taught His disciples, and His Church, that to the same extent that His Father loved Him, He loved His disciples. Such a truth is awesome beyond words!

Jesus gave four commandments to His disciples and His Church: that they should love God with all their heart, soul, and mind, and their neighbor as themselves; believe in Him as their Savior, and love each other. Matthew 22:36-40; John 6:28-29; John 13:34. Humans who practice Jesus' commandments will no longer need the Ten Commandments because of the love that God puts into their hearts. Romans 13:8-10. The Ten Commandments were given to inform unbelievers that they are sinners in need of God's salvation by grace. Galatians 3:22-25. Believers saved by grace should still study the entire Word of God, including the Ten Commandments, because that information happens to be a part of the preaching of the gospel. II Timothy 3:16-17.

Jesus taught His disciples, and His Church, that His disciples had to keep His commandments in order "to abide in my love." This statement does not mean that Jesus stops loving backsliders and lost sinners. Jesus meant that His believers who closely follow Him and keep His commandments will often feel the presence of His Spirit within them, especially when they worship Him. Jesus further informed His disciples that He abides in His Father's Love because He has kept His Father's commandments. Jesus meant by this statement that He had become the perfect and innocent sacrifice to take away the sins and evil of mankind because Jesus would rise from the dead victorious over all sin and evil, and all the works of the Devil, because the Devil had no claim on Him as the Devil had on sinful humans. The Devil would not be able to hold His innocent Spirit in Hell. Jesus also meant that when He gives His Spirit to His believers saved by grace, He gives them His own perfect righteousness which will provide them with an acceptance by God to Heaven that they could never attain on their own. II Corinthians 5:21; Romans 8:14-17.