Yet His words, "If you love me, you will obey me." are sometimes overlooked in that chapter of John (Chapter 14). Tucked between the promise for the present, "Ask for anything in my name and I will do it" and then followed with a promise for the future, "I will ask the Father for an advocate, and He will send the gift of the Spirit of truth who will abide with you forever." it can be granted a position of lesser prominence.
Yet Jesus's emphasis on the importance of love followed by obedience is, in my opinion, the linchpin of all proper theology. No relationship with Christ, no obedience to Christ. No obedience means no works of lasting significance. [Side bar: Even seeing God face-to-face did not guarantee a true relationship. Satan, who held the position of worship leader in Heaven, who witnessed His power and authority, did not love or obey God, instead choosing to rebel in an attempt to overthrow God Himself. Seeing God sitting on His throne did not guarantee a heart of love and devotion but instead resulted in pride and ambition that resulted in Satan's banishment.]
That is why I believe that Jesus said in Matthew 7:22, "Many will say to me on that day, (the Judgement Day), Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles? Then I (Jesus) will tell them plainly, 'Depart from me for I never knew you . . . "
His so-called followers, were shocked to discover that their works existed outside of an relationship with Jesus Christ himself. They didn't love Jesus, they wanted to use Him. Their motivations were not flowing out of love but out of pride. Without the Spirit to guide us, to show us our true hearts, we are incapable of doing anything of value for God's Kingdom. This verse then is a sobering warning that we must allow God to search our hearts and most importantly, to determine that we really belong to Him.
Have you ever wondered how so many people in the Bible performed miracles while not possessing a true relationship with Christ? There are several times in the Bible that we see unbelievers accomplishing what appear to be miracles, starting all the way back in the book of Exodus (Chapters 7 and 8). Satan has long granted supernatural power to false teachers and false prophets, including the power to control his demonic realm. In fact, Jesus warned us that in the end times even the believers of God might be deceived. Satan has used deception to fool believers past, present and future, and to try to advance his own kingdom. (Mark 13:22-23) Anything that Satan can do to deceive you from realizing your true identity in Christ, (Ephesians 1-2) is always part of his agenda.
Loving someone means that you want to know them deeply, and your desire is to please them, not cause them harm. And the rewards for obeying God are literally unimaginable. "For those who love God all things will work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose." (Romans 8:28) First comes love, followed by obedience and then comes understanding. This sequence is vital to all good theology.
Next is obedience, "If you love me, you will obey me." (John 14:15) It is impossible to understand the things of God without being a believer and follower of Jesus Christ, (And not just knowing about Jesus, even the evil one knows that Jesus exists, but he will never submit and obey Jesus's commandments). If you truly love Jesus Christ, your desire will be to obey Him, to bring Him joy through your obedience and to help advance His Kingdom, not your own.
The result of having a relationship with with Jesus and obeying His Words is the gift of understanding. "Anyone who wants to do the will of God, (obey) will know whether my teaching is from God or is merely my own." (John 7:17) It is impossible to discern the things of God when we are not obeying the commandments of God. "But people who aren't spiritual can't receive these truths from God's Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them and they can't understand it, for only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means." (1 Corinthians 2:14)
So to recap, first comes love, followed by obedience and then understanding. This sequence is vital to all good theology and living a life pleasing to God.
