because you love...

John 14:15 "If you love me, keep my commandments".

This statement portrays the beauty of the Christian belief. Love. In the laws of Moses, you were commanded to obey. If you did not obey, bad things would happen. You obeyed the Mosaic laws to prosper and to avoid hell.

Many ministers and churches today preach that if you don't live right, you will go to hell, so you must live right in order to get to heaven. Basically a rewards program. But that is not what Jesus taught, he taught love.

Here is another way to read this "Keep my commandments, for no other reason than that you love me." The Love of Christ should be the only motivator for obeying Christ. He tells us that because of his love for us he brings comfort and peace, but that is for those who love him.

We need to ask ourselves, why do we obey Christ, why do we go to church, why do we read the bible? If the answer is not "Because I love God' then we need to do a serious rethink of our faith.

Love is the only reason and motivation to follow Christ. If you love him... well you finish the sentence

Amen