Many of Christ's teachings reveal the importance of obeying Him in everything He teaches both before and after conversion. For our mutual benefit, let us collect together several of these and consider their implications.

1. True love for Jesus means we will obey His teaching. "If a man 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" (John 14:23). The reverse of this is also true, "He who does not love me does not keep my words" (verse 24).

By this standard how many Christians really love Jesus? Oh, we will obey Him on those things where we believe He is right or where it does not offend our private sense of propriety. But what about those matters where we disagree? Like remarriage without adultery beforehand? Or private lust via contemporary pornography?

2. Genuine discipleship is dependent on continual ' accepting and practicing Jesus' teaching. "If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples" (John 8:31).

This should stand as a continuing warning to those who are already Christians. Once the emotion of conversion has passed, it is easy to let down the guard and not examine conduct and motives as carefully as we once did. Many who accept the doctrine that apostasy is possible, conduct themselves as if they thought the opposite.

3. Successful prayer requires obedience to His will. "If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you" (John 15:7).

Every person wants his prayers answered or he would not pray in the first place. Yet how many people guarantee the failure of their prayers through their refusal to heed His words in their daily lives?

People often think that if they had lived in the first century, they would have opposed the murder of Jesus. Yet these very same people reject much of what he taught either by their words or their deeds. But think a second! Why did the Jewish leaders do their foul deed? For the same reason that people disobey Jesus! "You seek to kill me, because my word finds no place in you"(John 8:37).

Truth Magazine, XVIII:10, p. 14
January 9, 1974