John 14:23 , how do we understand this?

zoidar · Jul 5, 2020

John 14:23
Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him.

It sounds like we first have to keep Jesus words (commandments?) before we can be born again (God the Holy Spirit takes his abode in us). :scratch:

What's your understanding?

LoveGodsWord · Jul 5, 2020

God only holds us accountable to what we know, not what we do not know *Acts of the Apostles 17:30-31; James 4:17. We start off as babes in the Word of God *1 Peter 2:2 before we are weaned off the milk to receive the meat of Gods Word and grow in God's grace *Hebrews 5:13-14. The milk of the word of God represent the first principles of salvation *Hebrews 5:12 which are repentance from dead works and faith in God's Word *Hebrews 6:1.

God teaches us the meat of His Word through his Spirit as we continue in repentance from dead works and faith in His Word as we ask him to be our guide and teacher *Isaiah 28:9-10; John 8:31-36; John 14:26; John 16:13; 1 John 2:27. This is God's new covenant promise to those who continue to believe and follow God's word *John 8:31-32; Hebrews 8:11.

So why all the above background? At every step of our christian growth in God's Grace we stand perfect before God by faith as we continue living up to all the knowledge that God reveals to us. As God teaches us more and more from His Word he calls us to believe and follow it. Salvation is always conditional on believing and following God's Word (living up to all the knowledge God has revealed to us) and also what he continues to reveal to us as we grow in a knowledge of His Word.

If at any stage we reject Gods' Word we are no longer living by faith and whatsoever is not of faith is sin but as we live by Faith in Gods' Word this is what it means to "keep" God's Word and abide with Christ. God's love and grace and protection for his children is always conditional (present tense) to believing and following God's Word, that is, what he has revealed to us at any stage as we grow in Grace (the knowledge of His Word).

God bless.

ViaCrucis · Jul 5, 2020

I'd say it means to trust and believe what He's said. "Hold fast to My word" sounds a lot like, "believe what I've told you"

-CryptoLutheran

Akita Suggagaki · Jul 5, 2020

Love and obey. Pretty simple.

dqhall · Jul 5, 2020

Reading the Gospels on a regular basis might help you remember Jesus’ words. I think some of the passages are better than others. This does not support the theory that there are no errors in the Bible. Finding Jesus’ teachings to put into practice is better than merely reading the word.

Hammster · Jul 5, 2020

If you are my child, you will obey me.

Hope that helps.

Nova2216 · Jul 5, 2020

You are correct.

Read (Jn 14:14,21) and (Jn 3:3-5)

(Acts 2:38,47 ; 8:5,12,13,26-40 ; 22:16)

(Gal.3:27) (Rom.6:3-6).

Baptized into Christ.

One must be in Christ (or the body / church) to be saved.

Salvation is only in Christ. (2Tim.2:10)

-57 · Jul 5, 2020

Even if you are His child you will find you slip into disobedience.

Hammster · Jul 5, 2020

Wow. Just like my children. Crazy, right?

Pavel Mosko · Jul 5, 2020

No I see it as complimentary to the verses "I stand at the door and knock" Revelation 3:20.

I see it it as kind of complimentary relationship, synergy, theosis. (Which in some western circles is considered semi-Pelagian).

Synergism - Wikipedia

Gregorikos · Jul 5, 2020

No, we have to be born again before we can keep his words. We have to know him to love him, and we can't know him until we are born again.

concretecamper · Jul 5, 2020

Through Baptism, we are made part of the Body of Christ. We receive His grace as a free gift.

Now being a part of His Body, we are to live the way He commanded. If we do, God is with us.

Paul4JC · Jul 5, 2020

Jn 14:23 Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.

Strong's Concordance
téreó: to watch over, to guard

Interlinear
5083 [e]
tērēsei
τηρήσει ,
he will keep
V-FIA-3S

Prov 4:20 My son, pay attention to what I say; listen closely to my words. 21 Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart;

JIMINZ · Jul 5, 2020

My understanding is First things First.

Mark 16:16
He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned.

Becoming Baptized after Believing would constitute keeping Jesus words, and we receive the New Birth through the Indwelling of the Holy Spirit at that specific time.

Phil W · Jul 5, 2020

You are correct.
Peter adds..."Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." (Acts 2:38)
How many times did Jesus command repentance from sin?
He also commanded baptism in His own name.
If we are washed of our past sins by the blood of Christ at our baptism, and have turned from sin, our sanctified body will fit to be be the abode of the Holy Spirit.

zoidar · Jul 6, 2020

Thanks for the responses, interesting!

zoidar · Jul 6, 2020

My thought exactly. But then why does it say "love and keep" first, then "we'll make an abode with" ?

FutureAndAHope · Jul 6, 2020

Yeah I don't know. But I do believe it means that "some" people fit this criteria. Those who attempt to live the right way God will show himself to them. But we have to remember the word of God says, "it was not that we loved God, but God loved us". The example of the thief on the cross, he had lived his life in a criminal way, yet received Christ with a heart change. It is certainly not a legalistic obedience to commands that brings salvation, but a genuine heart change.

klutedavid · Jul 6, 2020

Everyone sins, so what is the difference?

klutedavid · Jul 6, 2020

Depends if your referring to the ten commandments, the two greatest commandments. Or the commandments listed in one John.

That is impossible. One cannot bear any fruit before one has been grafted into Christ. One cannot possibly love others, unless they first receive the Holy Spirit.

All bear the bad fruit before they are reconciled to Jesus. Everyone is lost before that reconciliation that Jesus accomplished.

So how do we know someone is a Christian, how do we know we are a Christian?

By the fruit you and they bear.

How do you know you are truly a believer in Jesus Christ? By the fruit you bear!

Have a look in the mirror and see if you are patient, kind, gentle, sympathetic, loving towards others, e.t.c. That is the fruit that the apostles defined.

You can obey a commandment and whatever that commandment might be. Yet still be a cold, detached, judgmental, unforgiving, brutal, unkind person.

One must be growing as a Christian and bearing the fruit of the Holy Spirit.

And above all, we are saved only by the grace of God in the end.

John 14:23 , how do we understand this?

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