Why Obey God?

This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world. (1 Jn 5:3)

John puts it so simply: love God = obey God. Why do we obey him? Because we love him. Why do we not obey him? Because we don’t love him enough. If I am passionately in love with him I will want to obey him. And it won’t be too hard because God has given us his Spirit. The same power that overcame death in the Resurrection can overcome the world in me. If only I truly love him. I have set myself the task of knowing him more deeply and intimately. Out of that intimacy comes an ever-increasing love for God that impels me to obey, and to do so joyfully, empowered by his Spirit. That’s what it means to be a true disciple.