The Law of Freedom

For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome. 1 John 5:3

The apostle John wanted his readers to know and fully understand what it meant to be a true believer of Jesus Christ. He wanted them/us to be confident in our identity as God’s children, and confident in living out our faith in a world that doesn’t always understand it.

For the non-Christian, Christianity is often seen as following a system of dos and don’ts, which to them means living a restricted life. This gives the impression of a demanding God, setting down numerous rules that are impossible to keep. We know that nothing could be further from the truth, as today’s verse reminds us: The commands of God come from a place of love; a place that lifts burdens – not one that adds to them. God does not want to hold us captive under rules and regulations – He wants us to live in freedom within the life that He intended for us from the beginning.

For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. Galatians 5:1

When our lives are transformed by the love of God, then following His commands becomes a natural by-product of our faith and trust in Him. Our obedience flows from relationship, not obligation. The Father loves us, and every precept that is found in His Word leads us to love. Jesus reiterates this in His summary of the commandments:

You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. You shall love your neighbour as yourself. Matthew 22:37,39

The whole law rest on love. Now, what is burdensome about that?

Let us show our love for God by committing to be all-in – heart, soul, mind – and to have an attitude of love in all that we do.