His Commandments Are Not Burdensome (1 John 5:1-5)

“Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves Him who begot also loves him who is begotten of Him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome. For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” (1 John 5:1-5 NKJV)

How do we know that we are born of God? We are born of God if we believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Promised Messiah. Jesus was promised to come, how to be born, how to live, what to do, and how to die and live again. He was the Word in the beginning. He was with God and the Word was God. But the Word became flesh and dwelt among the people of His own in the first century.

Apostle John wrote in his epistle how Jesus intimately was close with the people He made. “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life—the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us—that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. And these things we write to you that your joy may be full.” (1 John 1:1-4 NKJV)

Jesus tells His disciples that He came by the door according the promises and prophecies given in the Law, Prophets, and Psalms. “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.” (John 10:1-2 NKJV) The Great Shepherd appeared on the earth according to the Scripture and died and buried and rose again from the dead according the Scripture. There is nothing Jesus did what was not foretold and prophesied in the Scripture. With a long preparation of His coming as the Son of Man, the Christ, the Redeemer, the Savior for some four thousand years or more, finally the promise of God has been fulfilled by the birth of a baby laid in a manger, as the son of Mary. His name is Immanuel, God with us. He is the Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6).

Then how do we know that whether we believe in Him or not? We know that we believe in the Christ of God by loving one another, obeying the commandments of God. God is love. God never stops loving His children, even in the midst of discipline and training. If we don’t jump into conclusion too quickly by judging every situation with bitterness, growling, and murmuring and mumbling, we can see how much our God patiently loves us as Dear Father, full of mercy, grace, kindness, generosity, and long suffering. In Him, there is no variableness, nor shadow of turning (James 1:17). He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. That’s the good news. Is it not? God loves us now and forevermore.

As God loved us first, we now respond to His love in obedience to His commandments, love one another. His commandments are not so burdensome as many think. Jesus invites people to give true rest. “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-30 NKJV)

Obeying the commandments of God is not burdensome because otherwise we must take the cross of ego, the undying chunks of desire and lust, wanting ever more. The ego and selfishness sitting in our body all the time never satisfy with no matter how much you earn, achieve, or climb the ladder of success. Apostle Paul is a good example. He thought he was doing the right thing for God, arresting and persecuting the cult of Nazarene, the follower of Jesus. But when he saw a great light, he decried, “Who are you Lord?” Then the Lord said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads.” (Acts 9:5 NKJV) He was in complete unrest and confusion. He was enslaved by his ego centric motivation and got lost completely until Jesus rescued him.

In his epistle to the Philippians, he wrote that what he desired the most was to know Jesus and the resurrection power. “But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death, if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.” (Philippians 3:7-11 NKJV)

In this way, we overcome the world by faith in Jesus Christ. By keeping on obeying the commandments of God, loving one another by the gift of faith given from heaven above, we overcome the world as Jesus Christ obeyed the Father unto death. Jesus says, “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33 NKJV)