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I started this short series with a passage from 2 Peter 2:20-21:

If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and are overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning. It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them.

They “they” who escaped the corruption of the world only to be entangled in it again are the false prophets Peter accuses at the beginning of the chapter of introducing “destructive heresies” and “denying the sovereign Lord who bought them.” (2 Pet. 2:1) Peter says these false prophets are like dogs returning to their vomit. (v. 22) Seducing the unstable (v. 14) and appealing to the lustful desires of the flesh, they entice “people who are just escaping from those who live in error.” (v. 18)

In the introductory article, I note that the words of judgment Peter unleashes on these false prophets might lead to a concern that we could one of those unstable ones who are enticed and entrapped. Those who struggle with sins that so easily entangle us might easily feel condemned in this tirade.

The solemn warning that such ones are better off not knowing Jesus. than knowing the way of righteousness and turning their back on the sacred command is enough to send a shiver down the spine. The actions Peter describes, however, are the fruits of turning away from the sacred command. These fruits are not the problems in themselves, but the symptoms of disconnecting from the way of righteousness and the sacred command.

In the second article, I explored the way of righteousness. The way of righteousness is the way of Jesus, who is the Way! Knowing Jesus and knowing the way of righteousness is the same thing.

The way of righteousness means embracing and walking in light of his sacrifice on the cross by which we are justified and we are considered righteous before God the Father. It means trusting in Jesus and the grace of God the Father. It means ceasing from our striving to earn the way and the pride that goes with our achievement.

The way of righteousness means following Jesus and maintaining relationship with Jesus, who is our Living Water, our Bread of Life, and the Vine in which we have become the branches (extensions of him). Knowing the way of righteousness and turning from the sacred command is to disconnect and to go our own way.

But what is the sacred command? This was my big question as I read through this passage recently, and this question is ultimately what motives me to write this short series.

I admit, that I wasn’t sure as I read through this passage. I should have known, because Jesus was pretty clear about it. But, I didn’t. I had lost sight of it. It’s so easy to lose sight of what’s important in the turmoil in the world that often spills over into my own heart.

Fortunately, I was rescued by my daily Bible reading. I have been reading thorough the Gospels since the beginning of the year, and I am in the Gospel of John right now. Jesus lays out his commands in John 14 and 15. He syas:

“If you love me, you will obey my commandments. Then I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to be with you forever….”

John 15: 15-16

As I read this, I was immediately struck by the order of these statements: 1) Obey my commandments; then 2) I will ask the Father; and 3) He will give you another Advocate to be with you forever.

The Advocate is the Holy Spirit. The Father gives Him to us at the request of Jesus, but we must obey the commandments of Jesus first.

This seems backwards to the way of righteousness that was explained in the previous article. The way of righteousness is the way of Abraham, who believed (trusted) God, and God credited it to him as righteousness. Circumcision was merely the sign that Abraham counted himself in God’s camp; it wasn’t the work that gained him rightesousnes.

But, Jesus seems to be saying, here, that we must obey first. Then he will ask, and God the Father will give us the Holy Spirit – the sign that seals our faith, that testifies with our spirit that we are children of God.

But Jesus isn’t done yet. He goes on to say:

“The person who has my commandments and obeys [keeps] them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and will reveal myself to him.”

John 14:21

“Has my commandments”? How does a person have a commandment?

The Greek word, ἔχω (echó), means to have, hold, possess. This suggests we hold his commandments and possess them. We hold them tight, and we treasure them, keep them, and put them to use.

THIS is how we love Jesus; and if we love Jesus we are loved by the Father and by Jesus. Notice how circular this is: it is relational, like God who is Trinity (relational in Himself).

But WHAT are the commandments? In John 15, Jesus elucidates,

“Just as the Father has loved me, I have also loved you; remain in my love. If you obey my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commandments and remain in his love.”

John 15:9-10

Now the action is going the other way: God the Father has loved Jesus, and Jesus has loved us, so remain in his love. We do this by obeying his commandments. I am reminded of the first letter we have written by John: “We love because he first loved us.” (1 John 4:19)

So, our love isn’t an action we initiate; it is our response to an action (love) that God initiates. The way of righteousness is the way we thought it was after all!

BUT … what are the commandments Jesus keep talking about!! Jesus finally gets to the point:

“My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.”

John 15:12

He adds the example that no greater love can a person show for another than to lay down his life for his friends. (v. 13) Then he said to his followers, “You are my friends if you do what I command.” (v.14)

There he goes again! But he doesn’t leave us guessing. He doubles down:

“This is my command: Love each other.”

John 15:17

So, there it is. The mystery is solved: the sacred command is to love each other!

Why do we make it so complicated?

Jesus told us in each of the Gospels that there are two great commandments, and all the law and the prophets boils down to two things and two things alone: 1) Love God; and 2) Love your neighbor!

Paul echoes Jesus and John saying,

You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

Galatians 5:13-15

Now go back and read 2 Peter 2 over again. The corruption of the world is the temptation to exalt ourselves and to indulge ourselves at the expense of others. Peter and Paul say, “Don’t do that!” Don’t be tempted to go your own way.

That isn’t the way of righteousness (Jesus) that you have known. Don’t turn back on the sacred command – to love one another! Love as God has loved you!