The Obedient: Love One Another

Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. (Philippians 2:8)

When we look at Jesus, we see the prime example of obedience. When God devised the plan to redeem man from the dominion of Satan and sin, the plan required a blood sacrifice—meaning, someone had to die. The Son of God came to earth to be that sacrifice, but as the Son of Man, He was subject to grief, distress, and anguish as He approached His hour of sacrifice. Yet He said to His Father, “not as I will, but as You will.” As the Man Jesus, He was obedient to His Father unto death on a cross (Matthew 26:36–44; Hebrews 5:8–9).

It is recorded in Mark 1:15 that when Jesus began His ministry His first command was “repent and believe in the gospel.” When He was about to depart from this world and return to heaven, He gave additional commands to his apostles; believe the gospel, be baptized, remember Him through Communion, and go, make disciples of all nations, baptize them and teach them to observe all that He commanded (Matthew 28:18–20; Luke 24:45–49; Acts 1:4–8; 1 Corinthians 11:23–25). What would this world be like if the apostles had not obeyed Jesus?

How much importance does Jesus put on obedience to Him? He said that those who keep His word will never see death (John 5:24; 8:51). Also, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him” (John 14:23). These are just a few examples of what Jesus has promised to those who are obedient to Him. His apostles were rewarded for their obedience to the Lord—they received God’s Holy Spirit (Acts 2:1–4; 5:32).

The day before He died on the cross, Jesus gave a new commandment, “that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:34–35; 1 John 4:7–21).