Yes, we are to “remain in Jesus’ love.” We are to live in it. To dwell in it. To abide in it. This is precisely how we live free from pornography and all impurity.
But how are we to remain in Jesus’ love?
There are several things the Scriptures give us to help us remain in the love of Jesus:
First, if we live in the shadow of the cross, we will stay in Jesus’ love. As we see Jesus’ thorn-crowned head, his blood-stained brow, his tear-filled eyes, His sword-pierced side, His nail-embedded hands and feet, we will be able to say with Paul, Jesus “loved me and gave Himself for me!” (Galatians 2:20). As you come daily and often to the cross, you will see from His head, His hands, His feet “sorrow and love flow mingled down,” and you will rejoice that He loves you more than life itself! This is the primary way that we remain in Jesus’ love.
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Secondly, we remain in Jesus’ love as we actively seek to obey Christ: “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” (John 15:10 NIV). As we see that Jesus “became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross” (Philippians 2:8 KJV) for us, we desire to obey His commands just as He obeyed His Father’s commands. In doing so, we will remain in His love.
John 15:11 NIV I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.
Question 3. According to John 15:11, what are the results of remaining in Jesus’ love through obeying His commands?
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Do you remember the second fruit of the Spirit listed in Galatians 5:22-23? “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy…” As we remain in Jesus’ love, we experience Jesus’ joy. Jesus wants His joy to be in us, and as we live in His love and obey His commands His joy is in us, and our joy is complete. It is full and overflowing.
Then, as we remain in Christ, we have love to share with those around us, too. That is Jesus’ commandment, that we love each other:
John 15:12-13 NIV My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. (13) Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.
This is the highest expression of our faith in Christ, that we love other people as Jesus has loved us. Notice how Paul connected faith in Christ and love for people:
Colossians 1:3-4 NIV We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, (4) because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all God’s people.
Question 4. According to John 15:12-13, what is the greatest expression of love?
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