“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."

The secret to overcoming is remaining in the love of Christ. We can do nothing ourselves. We must believe that he loves us and will give us the fruit.

This is why prayer is essential. John 15:7, "If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you." We're asking the Father to bless us, because the Son paid for our sins. We're not going out and trying to live the Christian life ourselves. We're leaning on him, and walking by faith.

God's love enables us to love, and there's no other way. Stay in this love, and believe always. Start your day FULLY LOVED, and then go do good works: Drink it in from the Bible, song, and prayer.

First, "if you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love." The only way to love is to be loved! If God's against us, what can we do? If he doesn't help, what can we accomplish? Can we turn from sin, if it's not forgiven? If condemnation hangs over us, or God's no longer gracious, what can we do? Our Lord affirms that it is nothing! John 15:4, "Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me." Without belief in God's all supplying love, we can only fail in self strength. The devil is too strong, and God's never ordained us to walk in unbelief!

No, get your heart right, and then go do good works. Drink in forgiveness and peace.

Have you failed? Confess it, forsake it, and then go forward with God's favor. Are you troubled? Get God's promised help, though you may not know how he'll work it out. Be assured that he's with you, and for you!

Secondly, Christ kept the Father's commands. "I have kept my Father's commands." He obeyed always, so we'd be saved! Here's the great doctrine of substitution - the Just for the unjust, so that he can bring us to God [1 Pet 3:18]. He died obediently to put away our sin - the sin of all who trust him. He paid the penalty, so we'd be justified! He proved that God is righteous to forgive our sins. Romans 3:26, "it was to prove at the present time that he himself is righteous and that he justifies the one who has faith in Jesus." He is righteous to show us grace, because Christ earned our redemption. All that God gives us in forgiveness, help, and power, he is righteous to give!

This gospel thrills us, and liberates our souls. It casts off the bondage and the burden. It frees us to walk with God as friends, ever receiving. It opens our hearts to take in his goodness. It puts us in a right mind to rely on him. This is what God wants: he wants us walking by faith, and himself providing us with good works, enabling us to love people!

Thirdly, Christ remained in his Father's love. "I have kept my Father's commands, and remain in his love." He always believed God loved him! The Perfect Being also walked by faith.

As a Man, he trusted the inheritance - that he'd been eternally elected to be God in the flesh [Psalms 2:7; Luke 1:35]! Eternal Deity united with perfect Humanity in one Person. He suffered to earn his throne, but it was given by predestination!

John 13:3-5
"Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going to God, got up from the table, took off his outer robe, and tied a towel around himself. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was tied around him."

The Son is the Father's eternal equal, and yet he obeyed him as a servant, counting his Father worthy of the agonizing death at Golgotha (the Place of the Skull,) so he could be glorified.

John 12:28 Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.”

How'd he do it? He believed God loved him every step of the way! He believed while tempted and rejected. He believed while God punished him for our sins. He believed, so he served others!