Continuing to the Third Step

John 14:23-24 American Standard Version (ASV) 23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my word: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. 24 He that loveth me not keepeth not my words: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's who sent me. I want you to understand the difference between "commands" and "words". In the "expectation of covenant", or what you are expected to do to respond to a covenant to keep it viable, are "commands" or an expectation of action that will be in keeping with the purpose of the covenant or the reason the covenant approach was made to a person. Therefore, we can see in the Law and the Ten commandments, God's expectation of action that would be in keeping with His approach to Abraham and to Moses when He revealed to them Himself as the instigator of covenant with man. His purpose in creating man and an environment for his existance was simply stated, "Let Us make man in Our image." The Law was to reveal the Holiness and Nature of God to man as he attempted to obey and respond to His Nature. The Law was to lead people to Christ and be able to respond to Him. However, the Law had been replaced with the traditions and burdens of the religious rulers and did not reveal the Nature of God so they did not recognize the anointing of Christ in Jesus.

In the New Covenant that Jesus is introducing to us in this passage, Jesus gives a "new" commandment that we love one another. This commandment is a fulfilling of the commandments of the Old Covenant and brings us closer to the purpose of the Covenants, i.e., that we become like Jesus, the exact representation of the Father,
Hebrews 1:3(ASV) who being the effulgence of his glory, and the very image of his substance, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had made purification of sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;

The sacrifice of the New Covenant, Jesus, the Lamb of God, also brings us closer to this fulfillment for it opens the Way to the Father. Now we can come boldly into His Presence through the flesh of Jesus, Hebrews 10:19-23, for His sacrifice is greater than that of bulls and goats, Hebrews 9:12-14.

Hebrews 10:19-23 (ASV) 19 Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holy place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by the way which he dedicated for us, a new and living way, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; 21 and having a great priest over the house of God; 22 let us draw near with a true heart in fulness of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience: and having our body washed with pure water, 23 let us hold fast the confession of our hope that it waver not; for he is faithful that promised:

Hebrews 9:12-14(ASV) 12 nor yet through the blood of goats and calves, but through his own blood, entered in once for all into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption. 13 For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling them that have been defiled, sanctify unto the cleanness of the flesh:
14 how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish unto God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

The "words" or "teaching" of Jesus also goes a step further and brings us into a closer relationship with God. The words of Jesus lead us to see the Heart of God in giving us these covenants. The Holy Spirit brings His Words to us in those quiet moments when we stop to listen to His voice whispering to the ear of our heart. We learn to listen to the words of Jesus as we read them in the Scripture. We come into a more intimate relationship to know Him, whom to know is Life. In "keeping" His words, we often find that we cannot share them with everybody. They are not open to rejection or argument or dismissal. These have become a part of us and are not displayed for ridicule.

This "keeping" leads to the greatest reward of all and is what each step has been leading us toward: the indwelling of the Father and the Son. We receive the Holy Spirit as our Guide and Counselor to prompt us to this promised purpose of God. Jesus paid the price for us to go all the way to this goal. I have heard it preached that Jesus had the Spirit without measure and a relationship with the Father that allowed Him to fulfill the Father's will on this earth, and in the same breath, give to us the hope we will have this in heaven. Jesus did not come to this earth to only give us a hope for heaven. He came that we might follow in His footsteps. He did not come to enrich Himself--He is God eternal! He came for our sake and all He did on this earth was for our sake and an example of what we can be.

Don't let unbelief stop you from this journey. Jesus showed us the Way and all I can say is, "go for it!"