David,
Unfortunately, what you say is true, about couples getting married, "getting to know one another," and things are not always as we were "sure" they would be.

For the most part, before we get married, we do everything we can to please the ones we plan to spend our lives with. We "put our best foot forward," so to speak, and maybe even afterward. Isn't this true with most of us?

But, sometimes, circumstances cause changes in ourselves. Just as I wrote in my testimony, my husband spent a year in Korea, part of that time on the front lines. During that time, I became a mother. We had totally different experiences, which we could not share together. We were both changed by our experiences, and, somehow, were never quite able to "put it all back together again."

Bur, Jesus is not like us frail humans, for the longer we know Jesus, the more we learn we can trust Him. I know you have also found this to be true. The more experiences we go through,whatever they may be, we know He shares them with us, and if we choose to ask Him and to allow Him, He will daily draw near to us, through the good times and the bad.

Circumstances that happen to us, and between us, often change people, and so many times we don't know how to deal with those changes. But, the longer I know my Jesus, the closer is our walk together. I may change, my husband may change, but, this I have learned to believe and to know from Heb.13:8,our Lord is: "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today and for ever."

So, Daryl, I believe that because He never changes, that what He has promised He will do, He then enables us to desire to "feed His lambs," because we love Him.

OK

Fair enough Dora.

You make a good point re how getting to know Jesus better will progressively advance our trust level with Him.

I was trying to be a bit funny in the last post; but, there is a converse side to this question of obey/keep.

For instance; I have ben studying quite a bit re the atonement lately. In those studies; I am getting to know my Lord better than I ever have.

However, I have a serious question about this.

As I get to know Him, I see what He is really like, and that in turn, seems to be lighting up a bit of what I am really like.

You see, when we see Christ as He really is, especially in Isa.53; well, let me put it this way:

"Who wants to be like that? And what on earth would make them want to be like that?"

I would venture to guess that the answer to that would help explain the difference between "keep" and "obey."

"If you love me, keep my commandments."

What kind of love is Jesus talking about? It can't be human love for it lacks the power to obey His commandments. Thus, it must be agape love, which is the gift of God given to those who want it and receive it by faith. From start to finish obedience is the gift of God, the fruit of agape love.

"For it is God which worketh in us both to will and to do of His good pleasure." Phil 2:13.

Yes, David,
I recognized what you were saying, but I did come across in a rather serious way with my answer. But, you did make me stop and think...what good advice can we give to young people? I went to Messages to Young People,p.460, and read, "If men and women are in the habit of praying twice a day before they contemplate marriage, they should pray four times a day when such a step is anticipated."

Now, lest some may think we are leaving the subject here, we are comparing marriage to knowing Jesus, and doesn't He call us His bride?

In Isa 53, I read the account foretold of all that Jesus went through. You asked the question, David, "Who wants to be like that?" I take it you are asking why do we think Jesus would allow such things to be done to him? We go back to the answer we had at first...Love. It says in v.11, "He shall see the travail (distress) of His soul and shall be satisfied..." If He loved us enough to go through all of that, and still think it worth it, I feel that when we truly realize His love, we will be enabled to "keep" His commandments. And, I read all I could find on "keep" and "obey," they seem much the same to me.

Our son does not "keep" or observe the Sabbath, not at this point in his life, anyway. But, he always says, "No, I don't keep all of them, but, I do keep the fifth one." He is a very good son, and what he does to show it, holding this commandment in high esteem, is from love. I believe that is the only kind of obedience, or holding in high esteem, that God accepts from us....Love and appreciation of Him, of Who He is, and what He has done, as in Isa. 53, and what He is doing for us each day.

[ December 02, 2002, 06:48 PM: Message edited by: Dora ]

I have one more question to ask, before replying to the above; if I may...

Why does Jesus use the Word "if?" (in Jo.14:15).

Is this a "supplied word," by the translator; or is it an inspired Word," by Jesus?

The word "If" is not a supplied word, meaning that it is the original text.

Had it been a "suplied word," then there would be room for substituting other words.

As usual; the Bible should be it's own expositor; and so I would like to begin explaining my answer to the question I posed above by the following Scripture:

John 15:10 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.