Question and Answer | Remaining In His Love
In John 15:10 Jesus says, "If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commands and remain in his love." What command is Jesus referring to?
In answering this question, it’s important to look at the broader context of the verses. In verses 1 to 8, we see Jesus’ vivid picture of the vine and the branches. He is “the true vine” (v. 1), and we are the branches who draw our strength from our attachment to Him and produce fruit from that attachment. Then, verses 9 to 11 talk about the connection between love and obedience.
The keyword in John 15:1–11 is “abide” (in many translations “remain”), used a number of times. What that means is that we should stay close to Christ, “remain” in His love, just as He has remained in the Father’s love and obeyed His commandments. The greatest glory of the Christian life is that by our life and conduct we bring glory to God. Obedience to Christ’s teachings shows that we are His children, the means by which we transmit His love to the world and the way we glorify God (vv. 7–8). Remaining in His love is shown by keeping His commandments, the greatest of which is to love one another (v. 12).
BY Dr. Rosalie de Rosset
Dr. Rosalie de Rosset has been teaching at Moody Bible Institute in the Communications Department for over five decades. She is occasionally featured on Moody Radio. Rosalie is a published author, respected speaker, and talented writer. She lives on the northside of Chicago, a city she enjoys for its natural beauty and multi-faceted art offerings.