The believer must know that the Christian walk is not a finalized product it is a developing process, it is a process of pruning and purging toward the goal of increasing the quantity and quality of spiritual fruit.
Jesus obeyed the Father's commandments and therefore abides in His love. Like wise, if we are to abide in His love we must obey His commandments. His command is that we love one another, not as the world would love one of it's own, but, as Jesus loved us even to the giving of His own life. How is it that we can give our lives to one another? Sacrificing, investing our time/energies/resources, surrendering our personal interest/advancement, etc...
The reality of our situation is this: We have been chosen, we have been ordained, we have been empowered, for the purpose of bearing fruit, if we continue to abide. Abiding has everything to do with obeying, obeying everything to do with giving ourselves in love to one another. How quickly this all can get mis-construed if we fail to keep these facts in focus. Christianity then is not a play along at home board game. It is not a play along with only those few other Christians that you personally like and get along with. It is a fruit producing "doing all things for the Lord as He loved us" obedience.
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