Jesus’ Commands – involving Yourself and Others

Enough talking. Here is my grouping of the Commands of Jesus that involve His Commands for the Elect to follow to show their love for our Lord and Savior. I have broken these Commands into three Groups – Fruit of the Holy Spirit, Virtues, and Other Commands - including sin to avoid. In this post, I will start with a portion of the Fruit of the Holy Spirit (which I differentiate from a Virtue, with a Virtue being what a Believer in Christ can do on their own, and the Fruit of the Spirit only being available to Believers by work of the Holy Spirit.

John 14:15 If you love Me, keep My commandments A classified list of the commandments of Christ follows (from JH Smith, 'New Treasury of Scripture Knowledge', entry for 1 John 2:3) which was developed from Nave's Study Bible, pp. 297-299, and other sources). The redundancy, with verses sometimes in two different lists, is intended. If you have suggestions for making the list better, please share them with me.

 

OUTLINE:

1. Fruit of the Holy Spirit
   
   1. Asceticism;
      
   2. Bless Others;
      
   3. Conflict;
      
   4. Endurance/Perseverance/Patience;
      
   5. Faithfulness/Standing Firm;
      
   6. Fruitfulness;
      
   7. Humility/Meekness;
      
   8. Joy;
      
   9. Love Others (by Actions/Kindness/Goodness)
      
   10. Love Others (Brethren)
       
   11. Love Others (Evangelism)
       
   12. Love Others (Giving/Generosity)
       
   13. Love Others (Mercy)
       
   14. Obedience;
       
   15. Peace;
       
   16. Repentance;
       
   17. Righteousness;
       
   18. Spirit Filled;
       
2. Virtues
   
   1. Chastity;
      
   2. Honesty;
      
   3. Justice;
      
   4. Love Others, Family;
      
   5. Moral Actions;
      
   6. Prepared for Christ's Return;
      
   7. Temperance;
      
   8. Wisdom;
      
   9. Work, Labor.
      
3. Other Commands
   
   1. Baptism/Fasting/Prayer/Tithing
      
   2. Beware of/Guard
      
   3. Commands for You;
      
   4. Confession of Christ;
      
   5. Faith/Belief in God;
      
   6. Forgiveness;
      
   7. Renunciation of sources of temptation/hate sin;
      
   8. Sin – Commandments enjoining / Guard Against;
      

 

Fruit of the Holy Spirit –

1. Asceticism
   

Self-denial, Mt 16:24 (Then Jesus told his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.). Mk 8:34 . 10:21 (And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, "You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me."). Lk 9:23 . 18:22.

Self-discipline, Mt 5:29, 30. Mk 9:45-48 . see Renunciation.

Surrender, Mt 8:22 (And Jesus said to him, "Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead."). 16:24 (Then Jesus told his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.). Mk 10:21 (And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, "You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.").

Take up the cross, Mk 8:34.

1. Bless Others:
   

Greeting/Blessing, Lk 10:4, 5. (instructions to the sending out of the 72.] - Carry no moneybag, no knapsack, no sandals, and greet no one on the road. ⁵ Whatever house you enter, first say, 'Peace be to this house!' ⁶ And if a son of peace is there, your peace will rest upon him…)

Salute/blessing, peace on a house as you visit it, Mt 10:12 (As you enter the house, greet it. ¹³ And if the house is worthy, let your peace come upon it, but if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you.). Lk 10:5 (Whatever house you enter, first say, 'Peace be to this house!).

1. 
   Conflict
   

Buy a sword, Lk 22:36. He said to them, "But now let the one who has a moneybag take it, and likewise a knapsack. And let the one who has no sword sell his cloak and buy one.

Sword, buy one, Lk 22:36. But see, Sword, put in its place (avoid conflict), Mt 26:52.

1. 
   Endurance/Perseverance/Patience
   

Endurance, Mt 10:22. and you will be hated by all for my name's sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. Mt 24:13. Mk 13:13.

Patience/endurance, Lk 21:19. By your endurance you will gain your lives.

Perseverance, Mt 24:14 (And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.). Jn 15:9 (As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love.).

1. Faithfulness/Standing Firm
   

Diligence, Lk 12:58 As you go with your accuser before the magistrate, make an effort to settle with him on the way, lest he drag you to the judge, and the judge hand you over to the officer, and the officer put you in prison.

*17:10 (more about humility?) So you also, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, 'We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.'

Jn 9:4. We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work.

Faithfulness, Mt 24:45 Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his master has set over his household, to give them their food at the proper time? Lk 12:42

Lk *16:10. One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much.

Fidelity to government, Mt 22:21.

Fortitude under persecution, Mt 5:10-12. 10:26-28 (So have no fear of them, for nothing is covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. ²⁷ What I tell you in the dark, say in the light, and what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops. ²⁸ And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.). Mk 13:9, 11-13. Re 2:10.

Steadfastness, Jn 15:9. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love.

1. Fruitfulness, Jn 15:16 (You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.)
   

Lk 8:15 (As for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience.)

Consistency, Mt 6:24 (No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.). 12:33 (Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad, for the tree is known by its fruit.)

Invest wisely (use gifts to produce fruit), Mt 25:27. Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest (Give more to God than just your own faith?)

1. Humility/Meekness= enduring injury with patience and without resentment
   

Clothing, undue display condemned, Mt 23:5.

Do more than is asked, even under coercion, Mt 5:41, 42. And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. ⁴² Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you

Lk 6:29, 30. To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from one who takes away your cloak do not withhold your tunic either. ³⁰ Give to everyone who begs from you, and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back.

Lk 17:10. So you also, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, 'We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.'

Eat what is set before you, Lk 10:8. Whenever you enter a town and they receive you, eat what is set before you. (Jews had pride in their dietary restrictions?)

Humility, Lk 17:10 (So you also, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, 'We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.'). 18:14 (I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.).

Meekness, Mt 5:39, 40 (But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. ⁴⁰ And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well.). Lk 6:29.

Nations to humble themselves under judgments, Mt 23:34-39.

Take the last or the lowest place, Mk 9:35 (And he sat down and called the twelve. And he said to them, "If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all." – receive Me as a child). Lk 14:10 (But when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, so that when your host comes he may say to you, 'Friend, move up higher.' Then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at table with you.).

1. Joy
   

Cheerfulness (Take Heart), Mt 14:27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, "Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.

Jn 16:33 I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.

1. Love Others (by actions/Kindness/Goodness)
   

Golden Rule, in conduct, Mt 7:12. Lk 6:31.

Go and do likewise, Lk 10:37. (Good Samaritan parable) - He said, "The one who showed him mercy." And Jesus said to him, "You go, and do likewise.)

Hospitality, Lk 14:12. He said also to the man who had invited him, "When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return and you be repaid.

Influence for righteousness, Mt 5:16. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

Kindness to enemies, Lk 6:35 But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil.

Kindness to needy, Mt 25:35, 36 (For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, ³⁶ I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.'). Lk 14:13 (But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind).

Love for enemies, Mt 5:44 (But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,). Lk 6:27-29 (But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, ²⁸ bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. ²⁹ To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from one who takes away your cloak do not withhold your tunic either.)

Love for man/others, Mt 19:19 (You shall love your neighbor as yourself.). 22:39 (And a second [i.e., Greatest Commandment] is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.). Mk 12:31. Lk 10:27. Jn 13:34 (A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.). 15:12 (This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. ¹³ Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.), 15:17 (These things I command you, so that you will love one another.).

Returning good for evil, Mt 5:4 (). ???wrong verse?, perhaps he meant Mt 5:9 (Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.)

Salt, have in yourselves, Mk 9:50.

1. Love Others (Brethren)
   

Fraternal reproof, Mt 18:15-17 (f your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. ¹⁶ But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. ¹⁷ If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.). Lk 17:3, 4

Rebuke, Lk 17:3. So watch yourselves! "If another believer sins, rebuke that person; then if there is repentance, forgive.

Reconciliation between brethren, Mt 5:23-25.

Strengthen thy brethren, Lk 22:32. (to Peter - And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers,

Support of the ministry, Lk 10:7. And remain in the same house, eating and drinking what they provide, for the laborer deserves his wages. Do not go from house to house.

 

And so, the List of Jesus' Commands is started! I pray that it is a blessing to you, and that the Holy Spirit work through us to bring our obedience to these Commands to completeness. In Christ, /s/Tom