The Importance of Keeping the Words of the Father.

Jesus Kept His Father’s Word

Then said the Jews unto Jesus, Now we know that You have a devil. Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and You say, If a man keeps My saying, he shall never taste of death.  Jesus answered, If I honour Myself, My honour is nothing: it is My Father that honours Me; of whom you say, that He is your God:  Yet you have not known Him; but I know Him: and if I should say, I know Him not, I shall be a liar like unto you: but I know Him, and I keep His saying. John 8:52-55.

As believers in Jesus Christ, we are to always set Jesus as our standard of living in this world. Here, He declared that He kept the words of His Father. There are several meanings regarding “Keep the words of the Father.” To keep is to observe, to retain, to hold fast to fulfil as a command.

As Jesus Christ gave of Himself to honour the words of His Father, so too are we in the pursuit of desiring to be pleasing to the Father. Jesus Christ exposed the falsehood of the religious authorities; they gave the appearance of being stalwarts of the word of God.

Jesus Christ never minced His words. He exposed the religious authorities; here were a people who appeared righteous from their outward appearance towards the people, but Jesus declared they were not of His Father, if they were of God they would have gladly received both Jesus and His teachings.

Those Who Love Jesus Will Keep His Word.

Judas said unto Jesus, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that You will manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world?  Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man loves Me, he will keep My Words: and My Father will love him, and We will come unto him, and make Our abode with him.  He that does not love Me will not keep My sayings: and the Word which you hear is not Mine, but the Father’s which sent Me. John 14:22-24.

Those who both hear and keep the Word Will Be Fruitful.

Herein is My Father glorified, that you bear much fruit; so shall you be My disciples.  As the Father has loved Me, so have I loved you: continue you in My love.  If you keep My commandments, you shall abide in My love; even as I have kept My Father’s commandments, and abide in His love. John 15:8-10.

But those on the good ground are they, in an honest and good heart, having heard the Word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience. Luke 8:15.

Love towards Jesus Christ is far beyond just mere words spoken; it is the motivation of our lives, desiring to be not just hearers but doers of His word. We must develop in and through our lives the same intensity in receiving and observing the word of the Father as Jesus did.

We are called to hold firmly to the words of Jesus by continuing in His Word, for He has declared that this is the key to a life of true freedom. As we remain faithful, we will know the truth, and it is this truth, revealing the fullness of who He is, that releases God-ordained freedom into every area of our lives.

One final thought that every believer must receive and retain in their lives is gaining the full revelation of what Jesus has declared If a man keeps My saying, he shall never taste of death.  John 8:52.

The death that Jesus refers to goes far beyond the cessation of our natural lives, Jesus speaks of what is commonly declared as the second death, which is total separation from the presence of the Father.  Jesus hereby states the imperative, the essential requirement to going beyond mere hearing about Him through His Word on a singular occasion, but endeavouring to live a life in which our existence as believers is being totally committed to continue, to remain fixed to His Word.