Keeping God’s Commandments

SERMON OUTLINE

• I. It Is Not Grievous
• II. It Is A Privilege

TRANSCRIPT

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, greetings in the blessed name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

Firstly, I do praise and thank God for this privilege to share His Word to all of you. And again, I'm so grateful to Reverend Paul for giving me this opportunity. Tonight, before we go for prayer, let us meditate upon the Word of God, which is taken from 1 John 5:3. Let me read, "For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous." May the Lord bless all of us by the reading of His holy and sacred Word of God. Amen.

Here in 1 John 5:3, we see the love of God and keeping God's commandments. So I would like to entitle my short exaltation from God's Word as "Keeping God's Commandments."

So firstly, I would like to ask a question: Do we need to keep God's commandments today as New Testament believers? Before giving the answers with regard to this question, firstly I think it is important to know two false views on keeping God's commandments.

The first one is called antinomianism. It literally means "against the law". This teaching denies and is against keeping God's law, and stresses that the whole law, including the moral law, together with ceremonial and judicial or civil law, has been abrogated when our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ died on the cross.

And they also stress that therefore we need not to keep God's commandments in this New Testament era, because they said we are no longer under law, but under grace. Is it biblical? Of course, when we study and look into the teachings of the Bible, this teaching—antinomianism—is false. It is not in accordance with the teachings of the Bible.

And another one, another false view on keeping God's law, is that of Jewish legalism or ritualism. This also can be seen especially in the life of Pharisees and the Jewish religious leaders like priests and scribes. These groups of people kept God's law, God's commandment, so that they might be saved. In other words, they thought that keeping God's commandments was necessary for salvation. So they pushed the people, they forced the people to keep God's commandments to the minutest detail, so that they might be saved.

But when we look into the teachings of the Bible, salvation is not by works or by keeping God's commandments, but by grace through faith in our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Therefore, regarding keeping God's commandments, these two views are false: Antinomianism and also Jewish legalism or ritualism.

Then what is the biblical and the right teaching on keeping God's commandments? It is important to know about the commandments given in Old Testament and also in New Testament. Because in our text here we see: "For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous." (1 John 5:3) So here, Apostle John, whom our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ loved, says: This is the love of God, which is demonstrated in keeping His commandments.

And when he talks about commandments, these commandments refer to which one?

Given in the Old Testament, there are three types of laws:

1. The moral Law, or the Ten Commandments, given by God through Moses to the people of Israel.
2. Another one is called ceremonial law—this talks about and describes things pertaining to sacrifices, temple worship, orders, and even how to build the temple, and how to make the priestly garments.
3. Another one is judicial or civil law, given to the nation of Israel in the Old Testament. Since God had chosen Israel to be a nation, God has given them a law pertaining to governing or ruling His people.

When we talk about God's commandments, generally speaking, these commandments sometimes refer to ceremonial law, judicial law, and also the moral law. So here in our text, which one is referred to by this term “commandments"?

I believe this refers to the moral law—the Ten Commandments—what our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ has also affirmed and commanded His disciples to keep. If we read Matthew 22:37–40, there we see to love God and to love others is the core law of God, Moses and the prophets.

Yet our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ did not abrogate or destroy the moral law, but rather He affirmed and also commanded His disciples to keep God's commandments—specifically speaking, the moral law. Therefore, we can conclude that ceremonial law and judicial law had been abrogated when our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ died on the cross, when the New Testament church was born.

We, the New Testament believers, need not to follow or keep the ceremonial law—in other words, the worship law given to the Israelites—and also the judicial law, or the law pertaining to ruling and governing the people of God as a nation. We are not obliged or responsible to keep all those laws in detail.

But when we come to the moral law, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ has commanded us, the New Testament believers, to keep God's commandments: to love God with all our heart, with all our might, with all our strength, with all our soul — and love others as we love ourselves (Matthew 22:37–40).

But here, one thing we need to notice is that though we believe that ceremonial law and judicial law have been abrogated, but we should keep in mind is that we also need to keep the ceremonial law. When we talk about the ceremonial law, I mean, its essence. The essence of the ceremonial law because the purpose and the essence of ceremonial law is none other than holiness. God requires from His people holiness when we come before Him, when we worship Him. So we also keep the principle given or found in ceremonial law.

Likewise, concerning the judicial law, God has given judicial law, the law pertaining to keeping or ruling God's people in harmony and in order. The essence of the judicial law given to the people of Israel is none other than justice. Therefore, though we don't have a land as a church—because we are the spiritual body of Christ—we don't have land, we don't have president, we don't have the ruling government, but, spiritually speaking, we are the body of Christ. As a church, we need to practise justice among one another in the church, and even also in relation to the people around us. We need to practise and exercise justice, which is the essence of the judicial law given to the people of Israel as a nation.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, here in our text we see the love of God, and it is demonstrated in keeping His commandments. Here, the love of God, I believe, specifically refers to our love for God. Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ also said in John,"If ye love me, keep my commandments." (John 14:15) Therefore, if we truly love God, then we have to keep His commandments—the moral law. To love God and to love others, to serve God and to serve other people.

I. It Is Not Grievous

Then He continues and says: "his commandments are not grievous." (1 John 5:3b)

This is the second question: Do you feel or do you think that keeping God's commandment is so grievous, so burdensome? And do you think that God has given us His commandments to burden us, to make us troubled?

Actually, not. He has given us all His laws so that we might know our responsibility here on earth as sons of God, as children of God, as Christians, as believers. Without His commandments, without His instruction, without His testimonies, without His injunctions revealed in the Bible, how can we know His will? How can we know our responsibility?

Therefore, we should keep in mind that God's commandments are not meant to burden us, but to help us know our responsibility, so that we keep ourself holy in the sight of God. According to Samuel Bolton, one of the Westminster divines, the moral law or the commandments of God has brought us to the Gospel for our salvation, or justification, or positional sanctification. That same Gospel again brings us back to the moral law or the commandments of God, so that we might know our Christian responsibility for our progressive sanctification.

Yes, according to 1 Thessalonians 4:3, “[It] is the will of God, even [our] sanctification”. The will of God for the believer is that we might be sanctified day by day, we might be growing spiritually day by day in the grace of God, so that our testimony might bring glory to our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

And also, in Philippians 2:12, we read, "Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling." Fear and trembling. I believe this fear and trembling do not mean fear of God's judgment or punishment, or judgment of eternal hell, but rather this fear does mean fearing of God's anger. As a believer, as sons of God, we fear that we might displease our God. We fear that we might anger our God. We fear that we might break His commandments and live in sin and against the will of God.

Here we see: "Work out your own salvation," not ‘work for your own salvation.’ Therefore, as believer, as Christians, true believer, we need to work out the salvation we experience, the salvation we freely receive from God, through keeping His commandment. Therefore, as the Apostle John says, "His commandments are not grievous." Yes, when we keep God's commandment out of love for God—if we truly love God—then keeping His commandments is not burdensome anymore.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, can we say together with Apostle John, ‘God's commandments are not grievous’? How I longed and covet so that we might be able to say together with Apostle John, ‘God's commandments are not grievous for me, keeping God's commandment is not a burden.’

In order to feel that way, in order to declare God's commandments are not grievous, the most important thing is that we love God. We experience and acknowledge His love for us. Indeed, in John 3:16 and also in Romans 5:8, God's love—God's unconditional love, God's sacrificial love—is clearly revealed. And I believe all of us here experience God's love of salvation, His grace, and even His mercies in our daily life.

Though we deserve punishment because of our sins committed knowingly, unknowingly, even from our hearts, we deserve punishment and judgment every second, every day. But because of His mercies, abundant mercies, God would draw back, hold back His judgment and punishment upon us. If He judged us according to our sins, we would have been consumed already.

So, experiencing, having known and acknowledged God's love for us, we should love God. We must love God. If we love God, then keeping His commandment would not be burdensome, would not be so difficult. We will not feel that it is difficult. We will not feel that God's commandments are grievous. But rather, keeping God's commandment is easy and light, not burdensome. Because our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ also says in Matthew 11:30, "For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light."

How true it is. When we come by faith to our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, we are saved. We have been free from the bondage of sin. Now we are bearing and carrying the law of love. The Ten Commandments is actually the law of love—loving God and loving other people.

Here, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ as if saying to us, keeping God's commandment, keeping My commandment, is easy, and the burden that I have put upon your shoulder—loving God, loving other—is light, not heavy.

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, do you think that keeping God's commandment is grievous and heavy? Actually, if we love God, then it is not heavy at all. It is not so difficult at all.

Of course, since the sinful nature of us is still in us, sometime we find it difficult, we find it so burdensome following, keeping God's commandments or carrying out our responsibilities as Christian, as believers. Sometime we feel that. But when we remember, when we are reminded of God's love for us, then keeping God's commandments become not difficult, but easy and light.

So the main important thing is that: Do we love God as we ought to love Him? He has first loved us. Therefore, we must love also. We must love Him. If we love Him, then we must keep His commandments. As parents, as ministers of God's Word, as children, as a housewife, as employers, as employees—all Christians—we must keep God's commandments in our workplace. Wherever we are, and whatever we are, we must carry out our responsibilities revealed in the Bible.

II. It Is A Privilege

Actually, if we love God, keeping God's commandment is not grievous and burdensome. It is really a privilege. Keeping God's commandment, or serving God and serving others is not grievous at all, but rather, it is a privilege and a joy. If we love God, then we will love His commandments.

Here, the best example—biblical example—can be seen in the life of the psalmist. In Psalm 119, we can see how the psalmist love God and His commandment. In other words, how he loves keeping God's commandment, and how he takes delight, and how he enjoys reading, keeping, studying God's commandments.

Let me read some verses for all of us:

• "I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, as much as in all riches. I will meditate in thy precepts, and have respect unto thy ways. I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word." (Psalm 119:14–16)
• "Thy testimonies also are my delight and my counsellors." (Psalm 119:24)
• "Make me to go in the path of thy commandments; for therein do I delight." (Psalm 119:35)
• "The law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver." (Psalm 119:72)
• "Let thy tender mercies come unto me, that I may live: for thy law is my delight." (Psalm 119:77)
• "O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day." (Psalm 119:97)
• "Thy testimonies have I taken as an heritage for ever: for they are the rejoicing of my heart." (Psalm 119:111)
• "Trouble and anguish have taken hold on me: yet thy commandments are my delights." (Psalm 119:143)
• "I rejoice at thy word, as one that findeth great spoil. I hate and abhor lying: but thy law do I love." (Psalm 119:162–163)

All these verses reveal how the psalmist loves God's law and meditates and keeps God's commandments, and it is a joy for him, and it is a delight for him. He loved God and God's commandments much more than silver and gold and the worldly riches, and even fame.

In our text, we see: "The love of God is that we keep God's commandments." And of course, God's commandments are not grievous.

Those who believe that Jesus is Christ, the Son of God, those who believe Jesus is the Messiah have overcome the world. Though Satan is trying his best, tempting God's people, God's children—but those who abide in Christ, those who keep God's commandment—overcome the world and the temptation of Satan.

In 1 John 2:15–17, we see: "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him." Here, the Apostle John exalts the children of God—those who believe that Jesus is the Christ, or that Messiah, the Son of God—because there were people, those who denied that Jesus was Messiah. Of course, the Pharisees, the Jewish leaders—they denied that Jesus was the Son of God. Jesus is the Son of God. Jesus is the Messiah.

But there were God's children to whom the Apostle John wrote this letter. They believed that Jesus is Messiah, so they loved the Lord. They keep God's commandments, and they do not feel burdensome—they do not feel it is so difficult to keep God's commandments. They love God. They love God's commandments. Keeping God's commandment, they have overcome the world and the temptations of Satan through the worldly things.

Here, the psalmist also loves God's commandments—studies, keeps, and takes delight and enjoys God's commandment more than the worldly things, more than anything else.

So let me ask you, brothers and sisters in Christ:

Do we really love God?

Do we really love God's commandments?

Do we take a delight in listening and studying God's Word?

Do we take a delight in serving God and serving others?

Do we enjoy keeping God's commandment?

Do we find delight in the service of God?

If we really love God, we will find joy in keeping God's commandments. Keeping God's commandment is not grievous or burdensome or heavy if we truly love Him. If we truly love Him, then we will love His commandments also, and keeping those commandments become a joy and a privilege. And serving the Lord become a joy and a privilege. In Psalm 100:2, we see: "Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing."

Brothers and sisters in Christ, let us love the Lord. We do not love enough our God, our Saviour. We do not love God as we ought to love Him. Remembering His love for us—how He gave us His only begotten Son, how the Son, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, died on the cross for our salvation—once again, let us be reminded of God's so great love, so that we might love Him and love His commandments.

So that we might find joy in keeping His commandments, serving others, serving God, loving others, loving God. And we may know that, and we may experience that keeping God's commandment is not a burden, but rather it is a privilege.

May the Lord help us. Let us pray.

Our merciful and gracious heavenly Father, how we thank Thee for Thy love. How we thank Thee for Thy sacrificial love.

Lord, make us to remember always Thy love in our life, so that we might love Thee and love Thy commandments more than anything else—more than worldly riches, silver and gold, and even fame. But we love Thee and Thee alone.

And also, Lord, we pray that you would grant us the empowering power of the Holy Spirit, so that we may carry out and keep Thy commandments. Lord, continue to bless all of us here as we are going to pray, cleanse us from all our sins and unrighteousness, and hear us from heaven, Thy throne of grace, our prayers. Commit ourselves and the time unto Your mighty hand with thanksgiving.

In Jesus' name we pray, Amen.

THE BOOK OF 1 JOHN

The Benefits Of Prayer

The Benefits Of Prayer

Selected Scriptures

Message 5: To Fight the Good Fight of Faith is to Hate the World

Message 5: To Fight the Good Fight of Faith is to Hate the World

1 John 2:15-17

Message 8 – Asking and Receiving

Message 8 – Asking and Receiving

1 John 3:20-24

Keeping God’s Commandments

Keeping God’s Commandments

1 John 5:3

Message 9: Our Confidence in Prayer

Message 9: Our Confidence in Prayer

1 John 5:14-15

Message 10: To Pray or Not to Pray

Message 10: To Pray or Not to Pray

1 John 5:16-17

Am I a Committed Christian?

Am I a Committed Christian?

John 21:18-23