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Reciprocate God's Love

How do we reciprocate God's love? Jesus said:

If ye love me, keep my commandments (John 14:15).

Peter denied Jesus three times (Luke 22:61) before He was crucified. The risen Christ asked Peter three times if he loved him, and three times Peter said yes:

He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep (John 21:17).

Jesus loved Peter, just like He loves us. Jesus heard Peter say that he loved Him three times, and three times Jesus told Peter to feed His sheep. Did Peter do what Jesus asked Him to do? Did he reciprocate God's love? Keeping Jesus' commandments means that we love Him. Referring back to the opening text, Jesus said if we love Him, we will obey His commandments. That's how we reciprocate His love for us.

On the day of Pentecost, approximately ten days after Jesus told Peter to "feed His sheep", Peter did just that when he preached the Gospel of Jesus Christ, Jesus' death, burial and, resurrection, in the first sermon (Acts 2:14-41) in the New Covenant. After the multitude asked Peter and the other disciples what they should do (Acts 2:37), Peter preached Acts 2:38 and about three thousand sheep were fed, they were saved (Acts 2:41).

Application Today

It is important to verbalize "I love Jesus" in our daily walk with Him. We must though reciprocate His love for us by actually doing what He instructs us to do. We know that:

All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16).

So when the Bible commands us to do such things as:

Love God with all our heart, body, soul and mind
Love our neighbors as we love ourselves
Be holy
Be righteous
Be thankful
Not to be disobedient to our parents
Not to love money
Not to blaspheme God
Not to be proud
Not be sexually immoral
Not be drunk
Not to slander people
Not to lie
Not to cheat
Not to steal
Not to lust
Give to the poor
Deal with anger before the sun goes down
Not to use foul or abusive language
Not to be bitter
Many other sins ( see Keeping Out the Darkness)

but we do not obey, can we really say that we love Jesus? We simply are not reciprocating the love that He has for us when we don't obey Him.

For those who have obeyed the Gospel of Jesus Christ by obeying Acts 2:38, and consequently are born again, our sins will readily be forgiven through repentance (see Repentant Lifestyle).

For those who have not been born again, to reciprocate Jesus' love you first must obey the Gospel of Jesus Christ. To understand this more fully, please go to Obeying the Gospel.