How does John 14:23 connect with James 1:22 about being doers of the word? Passages Under Consideration • John 14:23: “Jesus replied, ‘If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word. My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.’” • James 1:22: “Be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” Core Connection—Obedience Flows from Love • John 14:23 highlights the relational motive: love for Christ issues in keeping His word. • James 1:22 stresses the practical expression: genuine reception of the word is proven by doing it. • Together they show that devotion (love) and action (doing) are inseparable dimensions of authentic faith. Shared Call to Action 1. Hear Christ’s teaching. 2. Internalize it as truth. 3. Demonstrate allegiance by obedient practice. – John grounds obedience in a love relationship. – James guards against self–deception by insisting on tangible follow-through. Motivations Presented • Presence: “We will come to him and make Our home with him” (John 14:23). Obedience invites intimate fellowship with the Father and the Son. • Integrity: “deceiving yourselves” (James 1:22). Doing the word protects against hollow religiosity and spiritual self-delusion. • Reward of abiding versus risk of deception—both passages urge wholehearted responsiveness. Practical Outworking • Daily reading with an immediate step of obedience in view (Luke 6:46). • Confession and alignment when Scripture exposes sin (Psalm 119:9). • Concrete acts of love that mirror Christ’s commands (John 15:10; 1 John 3:18). • Consistent application builds a lifestyle where God “makes His home” in the believer. Additional Scriptural Echoes • Matthew 7:24-27—wise man builds on the rock by “hearing and doing.” • 1 John 2:3-6—knowing Christ verified by keeping His commands. • Romans 2:13—“the doers of the Law will be justified.” Summary Takeaways • Love for Jesus (John 14:23) and obedience to the word (James 1:22) are two sides of the same coin. • Christ promises abiding presence to those who keep His word; James warns of self-deception if we do not. • The believer’s aim: hear the word, cherish it, and translate it into faithful, practical action each day. |
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