John 14:15–31; 15:10–14

“If Ye Love Me, Keep My Commandments”

As the Savior and His Apostles observed Passover in the upper room, the Savior taught His Apostles important truths. With His suffering in Gethsemane and Calvary yet to come, Jesus instructed these men whom He dearly loved, “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15). This lesson can help you show your love to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ by obeying Their commandments.

How do you show love?

How can you tell if someone loves you? What words, actions, or attitudes indicate their love?
How do you show your love for others?
What if you love someone, but your attitude or actions have not always shown that love? What could you do?

As the Savior continued to instruct His Apostles during the Last Supper, He taught of His love for us and taught how we can show our love for Him.

Study John 14:15, 21, 23–24 and John 15:10–14, looking for what the Savior said we could do to show our love for Him and Heavenly Father.

What did the Savior emphasize in these verses about how we can show love for Him?

What do these verses teach about the Savior’s love for you?
What are some situations in which the truths the Savior taught in these verses would be helpful?

Sister Carole M. Stephens, formerly of the Relief Society General Presidency, taught about God’s motive for giving us commandments and our motive for being obedient to them.

Watch the video “Going to Grandma’s” (4:02), located at ChurchofJesusChrist.org.

4:2

We may feel at times that God’s laws restrict our personal freedom, take from us our agency, and limit our growth. But as we seek for greater understanding, as we allow our Father to teach us, we will begin to see that His laws are a manifestation of His love for us and obedience to His laws is an expression of our love for Him.

(Carole M. Stephens, “If Ye Love Me, Keep My Commandments,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2015, 119)

List some laws and commandments that you feel demonstrate Heavenly Father’s love for you. To help you think of some commandments, you might review the Ten Commandments (see Exodus 20:3–17) or For the Strength of Youth [booklet, 2011].

How are the commandments you listed a “manifestation of [God’s] love for us”?
How can your obedience to these commandments be an “expression of [your] love for Him”?

Choose one of the commandments from your list. It could be one you are working on keeping or one you have been tempted to break but have chosen to obey.

The following questions will help you assess your motives for keeping God’s commandments. As you think about your responses, it is important to know that you may have various reasons for keeping the commandments. Regardless of your current motives, continue to be obedient, and with time your desire to obey out of love can increase.

Our Savior’s example of love

Jesus Christ gave us the perfect example of how to obey God’s laws and commandments out of pure love. After the Last Supper, He said, “But that the world may know that I love the Father; and as the Father gave me commandment, even so I do” (John 14:31). Jesus then went to suffer for our sins and our “pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind” (Alma 7:11) in the Garden of Gethsemane and again on the cross.

Why was the Savior willing to obey Heavenly Father? (See John 15:13; Hebrews 12:2.)

Elder D. Todd Christofferson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles invited us to consider carefully what the love of Jesus Christ can motivate us to do. You may want to watch the video “Abide in My Love,” available at ChurchofJesusChrist.org, from time code 14:27 to 14:50, or read the following statement:

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Will you not love Him who first loved you? [see 1 John 4:19]. Then keep His commandments [see John 14:15]. Will you not be a friend to Him who laid down His life for His friends? [see John 15:13]. Then keep His commandments [see John 15:14]. Will you not abide in His love and receive all that He graciously offers you? Then keep His commandments [see John 15:10].

(D. Todd Christofferson, “Abide in My Love,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2016, 51)

As you strive to keep the commandments out of love for Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, you will feel an increase of Their love in your life (see John 14:21). If you struggle to be obedient, or to even desire to be obedient, Heavenly Father can help you if you humbly ask Him for a change of heart. Remember, too, that one of the commandments is to repent, and we can keep this commandment while working to overcome our weaknesses.

Optional: Want to Learn More?

Why does God require our obedience to His commandments?

President Dallin H. Oaks of the First Presidency taught:

God requires us to obey His commandments because only through that obedience, including repentance, can we return to live in His presence and become perfect as He is.

(Dallin H. Oaks, “Two Great Commandments,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2019, 74)

Does it matter why I obey the commandments?

Each of us should ask ourselves why we obey God’s commandments. Is it because we fear punishment? Is it because we desire the rewards for living a good life? Is it because we love God and Jesus Christ and want to serve Them?

It is better to obey the commandments because we fear punishment than not to obey them at all. But we will be much happier if we obey God because we love Him and want to obey Him. When we obey Him freely, He can bless us freely. He said, “I, the Lord, … delight to honor those who serve me in righteousness and in truth unto the end” [Doctrine and Covenants 76:5]. Obedience also helps us progress and become more like our Heavenly Father. But those who do nothing until they are commanded and then keep the commandments unwillingly [will] lose their reward [see Doctrine and Covenants 58:26–29].

(Gospel Principles [2009], 201–2)