April 17th. Embracing Jesus, this is the love of God that we keep His commandments,

and His commandments are not burdensome. For everyone who has been born of God overcomes

the world, and this is the victory that has overcome the world, our faith. Notice,

loving God is not just keeping His commandments. It is having a kind of heart for God that means

that commandment keeping is not burdensome. That's what John says. But then he puts that truth

in terms of new birth and faith rather than love. He says, without a break,

four, that is, here's why God's commandments are not burdensome.

Everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. So the new birth is what overcomes the

worldly obstacles to keeping God's commandments without burdensomeness.

And finally he adds, and this is the victory that has overcome the world, our faith.

So the new birth overcomes the worldly obstacles to burden-free commandment keeping

because the new birth gives rise to faith. So the miracle of new birth creates faith,

which embraces all that God is for us in Christ as supremely satisfying, which makes obedience to

God more desirable than the temptations of the world. And that is what it means to love God.

The 18th century pastor and theologian Jonathan Edwards wrestled with this text and concluded,

saving faith implies love. Our love to God enables us to overcome the difficulties that attend

keeping God's commands, which shows that love is the main thing in saving faith,

the life and power of it, by which it produces great effects.

I think Edwards is right, and that numerous texts in the Bible support what he says.

Another way to say it is that faith in Christ is not just ascending to what God is for us,

but also embracing all that He is for us in Christ. True faith embraces Christ in whatever ways

the scriptures hold Him out to poor sinners. That's another quote from Edwards.

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