What Does It Mean to Love Christ?

My position: In John 14:15 Jesus makes it plain that there is an expectation of obedience if we claim to love Him. John 15:1-10 goes further to explain how and why He loves us and how to abide (continue) in His love which is required to stay on the vine. It starts off with the vine (Jesus) having branches (us) that either yield fruit or not. He tells us that if we don't bear fruit, we will be cut off. He explains that the only way to bear fruit is to abide in Him (continue in His ways). There is no way to bear fruit outside of His way. He informed that the Father is glorified when they (those who became His disciples) bear much fruit, which qualified them to be His disciples. Jesus told the disciples that His Father loved Him, and that He loved the disciples in the same manner. He was clear to mention that He had to keep His Father's commandments in order to abide (continue) in the Father's love, and then lovingly and simply said that in order for them to abide (continue) in His love, they had to keep His commandments as well. I think Jesus clearly explained what it means to love Him, and therefore, we must walk in step with what love is to Him.

All scripture references: NKJV

Jhn 14:15 -- "If you love Me, keep My commandments.

Jhn 14:21 -- "He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him."

John 15:1-10 -- "I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. 2 "Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every [branch] that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 "You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. 4 "Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. 5 "I am the vine, you [are] the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. 6 "If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw [them] into the fire, and they are burned. 7 "If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. 8 "By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples. 9 "As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. 10 "If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love.