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Obedience Out Of Love or Fear? 2 2

V16b-18, God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. 17 In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment, because in this world we are like him. 3 3

18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. 4 4

Most people obey authority out of fear. Most Christians obey God out of fear. Does the Bible say “Fear the Lord.”? Yes. 5

Ps 128:1-4, Blessed are all who fear the LORD, who walk in his ways Ps 128:1-4, Blessed are all who fear the LORD, who walk in his ways. You will eat the fruit of your labor; blessings and prosperity will be yours. Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house; your sons will be like olive shoots around your table. Thus is the man blessed who fears the LORD.

It is good to obey God out of fear. It is good to fear God. It is good to obey God out of fear. It is better to obey God out of love. 7 7

V19, We love because he first loved us. 3:1, How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God. 8

Jn 14:21, 23-24, Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me … Jesus replied, "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching … 24 He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. 9 9

Jn 15:10, If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love.

The desire to love and obey Christ is two sides of the same coin. 11 11

V20-21, If anyone says, "I love God," yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen. 21 And he has given us this command: Whoever loves God must also love his brother.

Mt 22:37-40, Jesus replied: "`Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 39 And the second is like it: `Love your neighbor as yourself.' 40 All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."

Jesus says there are essentially only two commands: love God and love your neighbor as yourself. Most of us have no problem loving the self.

Lk 9:23, Jesus said, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” Jesus gives the solution.      

Everyday put the self to death on the cross. When I put the self to death I can put God at the center and love him with all my heart. When I put the self to death I can put someone else at the center and love him/her.

5:2-3, This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. 3 This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome.

No one has to tell me to read the Bible. No one has to tell me to go to church. No one has to tell me to love the church. No one has to tell me to give. No one has to tell me to share Christ.

When you are in love with Jesus obeying him is not burdensome at all.