Keep and Teach the Commands of Jesus
“Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but what matters is keeping the commandments of God.”—1 Corinthians 7:19 (AMP)
There is one way that a Christian can ensure that he will be demoted to the lowest ranks in the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus described that in His Sermon on the Mount:
“So whoever breaks one of the least [important] of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, will be called least [important] in the kingdom of heaven”—Matthew 5:19 (AMP)
I once listened to a fellow believer tell me that he had been teaching people that it was no longer necessary for New Testament believers to tithe (giving 10% of our income to God), and that he had Scriptures to back up this claim.
I felt sad for him, because he had no idea of the disastrous consequences of teaching people to ignore the commands of God. He seemed to be ensuring that he would be relegated to the lowest ranks in the Kingdom of Heaven.
Christians who receive God’s gift of salvation and practice some aspects of Christianity when it suits their lifestyles, but routinely ignore the commands of God are also called by another name. These Christians are known as “the vomit of God.” These lukewarm believers are described in Revelation 3:15-16:
“I know your deeds, that you are neither cold (invigorating, refreshing) nor hot (healing, therapeutic); I wish that you were cold or hot. So because you are lukewarm (spiritually useless), and neither hot nor cold, I will vomit you out of My mouth [rejecting you with disgust].” (AMP)
Of course, God will not allow these lukewarm Christians to occupy ranks anywhere near His throne after He has vomited them out, and so it seems that these Christians will be relegated to the very outskirts of Heaven, among the lowest ranks.
At one point, Jesus addressed this obvious disconnect in people who profess to be Christians, but have no real intention of keeping His commands:
“Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?”—Luke 6:46 (NIV)
On the other hand, Jesus taught us that those who diligently keep and teach His commands will be great in heaven.
“Therefore, whoever ignores one of the least of these commands and teaches others to do the same will be called the lowest in the kingdom of heaven. But whoever keeps these commands and teaches people to keep them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.”—Matthew 5:19 (CEB)
This is also how we prove our love for the Lord. Jesus didn’t say, “If you love me, spend more time in worship.” Or “If you love me, make sure you read your Bible, pray, and attend church regularly.” Jesus said, “If you love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15).
This is also how Jesus demonstrated his love for His father God.
“but so that the world may know [without any doubt] that I love the Father, I do exactly as the Father has commanded Me [and act in full agreement with Him].”—John 14:31 (AMP)
We would never want to live outside of Christ’s love. We can only abide in His love by keeping the commands of Jesus.
“I have loved you, [just] as the Father has loved Me; abide in My love [continue in His love with Me].
If you keep My commandments [if you continue to obey My instructions], you will abide in My love and live on in it, just as I have obeyed My Father’s commandments and live on in His love.”—John 15:9-10 (AMPC)
“For the [true] love of God is this: that we habitually keep His commandments and remain focused on His precepts. And His commandments and His precepts are not difficult [to obey].”—1 John 5:3 (AMP)
Jesus even makes this astounding promise to those who keep His commands. Those who keep His commands will not only be loved by God in return, but they will be granted a special revelation of Jesus Himself that is not promised to other believers!
“The person who has My commands and keeps them is the one who [really] loves Me; and whoever [really] loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I [too] will love him and will show (reveal, manifest) Myself to him. [I will let Myself be clearly seen by him and make Myself real to him.]”—John 14:21 (AMPC)
By keeping His commands, we qualify ourselves to receive whatever we ask.
“and we receive from Him whatever we ask because we [carefully and consistently] keep His commandments and do the things that are pleasing in His sight [habitually seeking to follow His plan for us].”—1 John 3:22 (AMP)
Consistently keeping the commands of Christ is vital if we ever hope to become His friends.
“You are My friends if you do whatever I command you.”—John 15:14 (NKJV)
This is how we come to know and understand God. We cannot ignore His commands and still know God.
“This is how we know that we know him: if we keep his commandments. The one who claims, ‘I know him,’ while not keeping his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in this person. But the love of God is truly perfected in whoever keeps his word. This is how we know we are in him.”—1 John 2:3-5 (CEB)
We abide in Christ if we keep His commands.
“The one who habitually keeps His commandments [obeying His word and following His precepts, abides and] remains in Him, and He in him.”—1 John 3:24 (AMP)
This is how we know that we love our brothers and sisters.
“By this we know [without any doubt] that we love the children of God: [expressing that love] when we love God and obey His commandments.”—1 John 5:2 (AMP)
“And this is love: that we walk in accordance with His commandments and are guided continually by His precepts. This is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, that you should [always] walk in love.”—2 John 1:6 (AMP)
This is what Jesus commanded us to do in His Great Commission:
“Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”—Matthew 28:20 (NLT)
God’s commands are life itself!
“For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak.
And I know that his commandment is life everlasting: whatsoever I speak therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak.”—John 12:49-50 (KJV)
There are those in the church who say that there is no longer any need to observe the commandments of Scripture. That is not what Jesus taught.
It is true, of course, that we do not achieve salvation through works or through keeping commandments, but **we are not talking about salvation here. We are talking about obtaining the highest ranks in the Kingdom of Heaven. **
If we truly desire to be considered worthy to obtain the highest ranks in God’s Kingdom, we cannot achieve that by disregarding His Word and His commandments.
“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.”—2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NKJV)
“The Law therefore is holy, and [each] commandment is holy and just and good.”—Romans 7:12 (AMPC)
If the commandments of God can be safely ignored now, (as some Christians erroneously claim) why do Jesus and the Apostles continue to quote the commandments in the New Testament and admonish us to keep them?
“Continue to command these things and to teach them.”—1 Timothy 4:11 (AMPC)
“I solemnly charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and [in the presence] of Christ Jesus, who made the good confession [in His testimony] before Pontius Pilate, to keep all His precepts without stain or reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ”—1 Timothy 6:13-14 (AMP)
“Honor [esteem, value as precious] your father and your mother [and be respectful to them]—this is the first commandment with a promise—so that it may be well with you, and that you may have a long life on the earth.”—Ephesians 6:2-3 (AMP)
“For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them.”—2 Peter 2:21 (NKJV)
This is the mark of true disciples. True disciples keep the commands of Christ.
“Here [comes in a call for] the steadfastness of the saints [the patience, the endurance of the people of God], those who [habitually] keep God’s commandments and [their] faith in Jesus.”—Revelation 14:12 (AMPC)
Keeping Christ’s commands gives us the right to enter the New Jerusalem and to eat of the fruit of the Tree of Life.
“Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.”—Revelation 22:14 (KJV)
The Rewards of Those in the Highest Ranks
The Bible makes it very clear that there are different destinies, different levels of responsibilities, and different ranks in the Kingdom of Heaven.
“The sun is glorious in one way, the moon is glorious in another way, and the stars are glorious in their own [distinctive] way; for one star differs from and surpasses another in its beauty and brilliance.** So it is with the resurrection of the dead.”**—1 Corinthians 15:41-42 (AMPC)
We are told in Daniel 12:3 that, “Those who are [spiritually] wise will shine brightly like the brightness of the expanse of heaven, and those who lead many to righteousness, [will shine] like the stars forever and ever.” (AMP)
Those who will be considered worthy of the very highest ranks in the Kingdom of Heaven are known as the Overcomers. The extraordinary rewards that are exclusively offered to them should motivate each of us to strive single-mindedly to be included among these ranks of God’s most trusted bond-servants.
There are eight specific promises that are given exclusively to these Overcomers. The first seven promises are all accompanied by this admonition: “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”
May you have an ear to hear what the Spirit is saying. May you understand the meaning of His message, and may you give yourself fully to it.
“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.”—Revelation 2:7 (NKJV)
“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.”—Revelation 2:11 (NKJV)
“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it.”—Revelation 2:17 (NKJV)
“And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations—‘He shall rule them with a rod of iron; They shall be dashed to pieces like the potter’s vessels’—as I also have received from My Father; and I will give him the morning star. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”—Revelation 2:26-29 (NKJV)
“He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”—Revelation 3:5-6 (NKJV)
“He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God. And I will write on him My new name. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”—Revelation 3:12-13 (NKJV)
“To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”—Revelation 3:21-22 (NKJV)
“He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son.“—Revelation 21:7 (NKJV)
