At Roser Church, where I serve as Senior Pastor, we are reflecting on a few passages in 1 John that reveal truth about love. In 1 John 2:3, the apostle writes:
“We know that we have come to know him if we keep his commands.” 1 John 2:3 (NIV, 2011)
This verse begs a question: What are those commands that define our way, so that, when we keep them, we actively demonstrate our genuine knowledge of the One we claim to follow? I took quick walk through the New Testament, focusing on the Gospels, and compiled this summary of Christ’s commands. Click here for a printable version of this list.
While reading the list, please keep in mind:
- We have intentionally omitted commands given to particular people that apply specifically to them, like, for example, the man with a skin disease whom Jesus commands to “show yourself to the priest….” (Matthew 8:4)
- We have included a few passages that, while not necessarily written in an imperative grammatical form, nevertheless strongly imply a clear mandate.
- This list is obviously a subjective summary, with plenty of room for discussion. This is not an exact science.
In other words, this is one attempt to summarize a vast and complex body of material. It may nevertheless provide an overview of the type of person that Jesus seeks to develop as His disciple.
One Way to Summarize the Commands of Jesus…
- Jesus affirms commands from the Law of Moses (Matthew 4:4, 7, 10; 5:17-19; 5:21-48; 7:12; 15:1-9; 19:18; 22:37-38; Mark 7:9-13; 10:18-19; 12:29-31; Luke 4:3-13; 18:19-20)
- Repent and believe (Matthew 4:17; Mark 1:15; Luke 5:31; 13:1-5)
- Follow Me (Matthew 4:19; 8:22; Mark 10:29-30; Luke 9:59-62; see John 12:46)
- Rejoice (Matthew 5:12; Luke 5:31, 10:20)
- Let your light shine (Matthew 5:16)
- Reconcile with family and adversaries (Matthew 5:23-26)
- Avoid lust at all costs (Matthew 5:27-30)
- Do not divorce without proper cause. (Matthew 5:31-32; 19:8; Mark 10:10-12; Luke 16:18)
- Do not swear oaths that you do not keep (Matthew 5:33-37)
- Turn the other cheek and go the extra mile (Matthew 5:38-42; Luke 6:29-30)
- Love your enemies (Matthew 5:44; Luke 6:27-28, 35)
- Be perfect like your heavenly Father is perfect (Matthew 5:48)
- Don’t practice righteousness to be seen by others (Matthew 6:1)
- Don’t give to those in need to get attention (Matthew 6:2-4)
- Don’t pray to get attention (Matthew 6:5-6; Luke 18:9-14)
- Don’t pray with an empty repetition of words; use the Lord’s Prayer as an example (Matthew 6:7-13; Luke 11:1-4)
- Hear the word of God and obey it (Luke 11:28)
- Be generous to the poor (Luke 11:41; 12:33)
- Practice justice and love (Matthew 23:23; Luke 11:42)
- Forgive others when they sin against you (Matthew 6:14; 18:22; Mark 11:25)
- Don’t fast to get attention (Matthew 6:16-18)
- Store up treasures in heaven (Matthew 6:19-21; Luke 12:32-34; John 6:27)
- You cannot serve two masters (Matthew 6:24; Luke 16:13)
- Do not worry (Matthew 6:25-34; Luke 12:22-31)
- Seek first His kingdom (Matthew 6:33)
- Do not judge others (Matthew 7:1-5; Luke 6:37-42)
- Do not give sacred things to “dogs” (Matthew 7:6)
- Ask, see, knock (Matthew 7:7-11; Luke 11:9-13; see John 16:23-24)
- Do to others what you would have them do to you (Matthew 7:12; Luke 6:35)
- Be merciful (Luke 6:36)
- Enter through the narrow gate (Matthew 7:13-14)
- Watch out for false prophets (Matthew 7:15-19)
- Learn what it means that “I desire mercy, not sacrifice.” (Matthew 9:9-13; 12:3-8)
- Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out workers (Matthew 9:35-37; Luke 10:2)
- Follow the example of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:37)
- Be as shrewd as snakes and innocent as doves (Matthew 10:16-17)
- Don’t worry about what to say if you are brought before the authorities (Matthew 10:19-20; Luke 12:11-12; 21:14-15)
- Do not fear those who persecute you (Matthew 10:26-33; Luke 12:4-7; 21:12-18; John 15:18)
- Take up your cross (Mark 8:34-38; see Matthew 10:37-39; 16:24-28; Luke 9:23-26; 14:27; see John 12:15)
- Use your wealth to gain eternal friends (Luke 16:9)
- “Come unto me” and “take my yolk upon you” (Matthew 11:28-30)
- Do not blaspheme the Holy Spirit (Matthew 12:31-32; Luke 12:9)
- Guard against greed (Luke 12:15-21)
- Everyone must give account on the “day of judgment” (Matthew 12:36-37)
- Understand what it means that what comes out of people defile them (Matthew 15:10-20; Mark 7:14-23; Luke 6:43-45)
- Become like children to enter the kingdom of God (Matthew 18:1-5; Mark 10:15)
- Aggressively remove things within you that cause you to stumble (Matthew 18:6-9; Mark 9:43-47)
- Let the “little ones” come to Christ. Do not despise them or cause them to stumble (Matthew 18:10; 19:14; Mark 9:36-37, 42; 10:13-14; Luke 9:48; 17:1-2; 18:15-17)
- Handle conflicts with brothers and sisters wisely (Matthew 18:15-20; Luke 17:3-4)
- Don’t seek first place kingdom, serve to be great in the kingdom (Matthew 20:20-28; Mark 9:33-35; 10:31, 35-44; Luke 14:7-11; 22:24-30)
- Invite the less fortunate into your fellowship (Luke 14:12-14)
- Pray persistently, without doubt (Matthew 21:21; Mark 11:22-24; Luke 18:1-8)
- Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s (Matthew 22:21; Mark 12:17; Luke 20:25)
- Love God and others (Matthew 22:37-38; Mark 12:29-31; John 13:34; 15:17)
- Watch out for and do not seek to become like the Pharisees (Matthew 23:1-12; Mark 12:38-40; Luke 12:1-3; 20:45-47)
- Do not believe those who come false reports about people claiming to be the Messiah (Matthew 24:4-34; Mark 13:5-23; Luke 17:20-37; 21:8-10)
- Keep watch and be prepared for the Lord’s coming. (Matthew 24:36-44; 25:13; Mark 13:35-37; Luke 12:35-40, 54-59; 21:20-34)
- Take, eat, drink the elements of the Lord’s Supper (Matthew 26:26-29; Mark 14:22-24; Luke 22:14-22; 1 Corinthians 11:23-25)
- Go and make disciples (Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15 in the longer ending)
- You must be born again (John 3:1-8)
- Let anyone who is thirsty come (John 7:38)
- Walk in the light (John 12:25-26)
- Do not be troubled, believe (John 14:1-4, 27)
- Believe Him when He says that the Father is in Him (John 14:11)
- Keep His commands (John 14:15)
- Remain in Him and in His love (John 15:4, 9)
- Remember that a servant is not greater than his master (John 15:20)
- Take heart! He has overcome the world (John 16:33)