“He who has MY commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.” John 14:21″ NKJV.

Jesus’ entire life and will was aligned with His Father’s Will showing His total allegiance to the Father’s Word and commandments. Jesus also said He disapproved of any attitude that would reduce respect for or teach less than full obedience to the entirety of God’s revealed Word (Matt. 5:17-19).

From this text, John 14:21, Jesus clearly links His disciples’ love for Him as Savior with their will to keep His commandments, we can conclude Jesus’ clear intent: if we love Him, we will love His Father’s Word, also.

Jesus declares in John 5:39 “You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me.” Jesus is declaring that the knowledge of the Scriptures is the pathway to knowing Him well. After His resurrection, He unveiled the fullness of His person as revealed in the OT: And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He explained to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself (Luke 24:27).

These texts teach us to follow Christ, to know Him, and to grow in insight as people walking with the Resurrected Lord, this as an ongoing requirement in a sincere commitment to hearing, heeding, and studying the Bible. Loving the bible is loving our Lord. Do you love it?

Tomorrow: True growth requires God’s Word.