“Jesus answered and said to him, ‘If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him’ ” (John 14:23).
In both this gospel narrative and in his epistles, John emphasizes the absolute necessity of keeping the commandments. Jesus here ties the idea of doing what God has said with love—our love for God and God’s love for us—two inseparable entities.
To proclaim love for God but to fail to keep God’s word is contradictory: but to show a love for God by keeping His commands shows consistency, depth of spiritual character, and sincerity.
The idea of God coming to any person and making His home with him communicates the intimate bond God will develop with anyone who desires Him to—God will live in that person through the power of His word.