Remain in His love

John 15:9-17

Who doubts that love precedes the observance of the commandments? Whoever does not love, cannot keep the commandments in the long run. These words then do not declare where love comes from, but how it is shown, that no one might deceive himself into thinking that he loved our Lord, when he did not keep His commandments. "Remain in My love", then, is to continue in Jesus' grace; and, our keeping of His commandments will be evidence to you that you abide in His love. It is not that we keep His commandments first, and that then He loves; but that He loves us, and then we keep His commandments. This is that grace, which is revealed to the humble, but hidden from the proud.

Our Lord came to die for His enemies, but He says that He is going to lay down His life for His friends, to show us that by loving, we are able to win over our enemies, so that they who persecute us are by anticipation our friends. Love then is one fruit, now existing in desire only, not yet ripe. Yet even with this desire whatever we ask in the name of the Only-Begotten Son, the Father gives us: "That whatsoever you shall ask the Father in My name, He may give it you". We ask in the Savior's name, whatever we ask, that will be profitable to our salvation.