“If ye love me keep my commandments.” — John 14:15
I love the word keep in this scripture. Keep means “to have and retain possession of something.” We have been given God’s commandments as a precious gift, and he wants us to possess them, to retain them, for them to become part of us. To keep call also mean: “cause to continue in a specified course.” Is this not what the commandments to for us when we make them the guide by which we live, when we are diligent in our striving to obey them? Another definition of keep is: “continue doing or do repeatedly or habitually.” As we keep his commandments, the living of them becomes habitual until we become as He intends us to be, even as He is. Christ teaches us that this is how we show our love for Him and we have learned in this study that this is how we abide in His love for us.
“If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.” — John 15:10
Oh how different the world would be if we all loved God like this! Though in this world there will be strife and wickedness, yet among the followers of Christ there can be unity and peace that is not of this world.
“These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” — John 16:33
The thousands of acts of keeping the commandments throughout our lives and drawing ourselves nearer and nearer to God are the way by which we will draw into our hearts and lives the power of Christ and his atonement and have the peace that He promises. Truly, a thorough study of the commandant, like the one we have done here at the daily manna over the last three months, can only convince us that faith without works is dead! As James taught:
Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?” — James 2:17-20
The commandments are not restrictions but rather they are the principles of truth that sustain us in the God given gift of agency by which we are made free. They activate in us the faith necessary to lay hold of His salvation and every good gift. They protect us from the fiery darts of the adversary and the temptations that so easily beset us. They bind us in a covenant relationship with Christ, the purpose of which is to change us into a new creature after his image, to be spiritually begotten of Christ and eventually become perfect.
“This day he hath spiritually begotten you; for ye say that your hearts are changed through faith on his name; therefore, ye are born of him and have become his sons and his daughters.
“And under this head ye are made free, and there is no other head whereby ye can be made free. There is no other name given whereby salvation cometh; therefore, I would that ye should take upon you the name of Christ, all you that have entered into the covenant with God that ye should be obedient unto the end of your lives.
“And it shall come to pass that whosoever doeth this shall be found at the right hand of God, for he shall know the name by which he is called; for he shall be called by the name of Christ.
— Mosiah 5:7-9, Book of Mormon
It is this relationship between faith and obedience, between works and grace, we come to truly know God and experience a transformation which makes bad men good and good men better. In our faith and knowledge of this true progression we can seek to establish a Zion people in these last days before the coming of Christ. Just imagine if the followers of Christ in this world were to live true to the faith what our society would look like.
In the Book of Mormon there is a description of such a Christian people, who for a time lived in a Zion society, one that came about because of this perfect partnership between works and faith — and sustained by their love of God. Look at what it was like to live in this way:
“And it came to pass that there was no contention in the land, because of the love of God which did dwell in the hearts of the people.
“And there were no envyings, nor strifes, nor tumults, nor whoredoms, nor lyings, nor murders, nor any manner of lasciviousness; and surely there could not be a happier people among all the people who had been created by the hand of God.
“There were no robbers, nor murderers, neither were there [tribes]; but they were in one, the children of Christ, and heirs to the kingdom of God.
“And how blessed were they! For the Lord did bless them in all their doings; yea, even they were blessed and prospered… and there was no contention in all the land.
— 4 Nephi 1:15-18, Book of Mormon
My hope and resolution after having completed this study of the commandments of God is that my commitment to keep his commandments will be renewed and that my faith will be expressed in my works, which include a daily joyful repentance for the ways I fall short of the glory of God.
So shall I keep thy law continually for ever and ever.
And I will walk at liberty: for I seek thy precepts.
I will speak of thy testimonies also before kings, and will not be ashamed.
And I will delight myself in thy commandments, which I have loved.
— Psalms 119:44-47
“The work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever.” — Isaiah 32:17
“I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them.” — 1 Nephi 3:7
“I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me.” — 1 Timothy 1:12
“Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God; Who also hath made us able…” — 2 Corinthians 5-6
“I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” — Philippians 4:13
“He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.” — John 15:4-5
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