1 John 3:24 24And the one who keeps his commands remains in him and he in this one; and in this we know that he remains in us, from the Spirit whom he has given to us.
John is once again vague with his pronouns, whether this verse refers to God the Father or Jesus Christ the Son. The close connection of love and unity between the persons of the Trinity leads to the conclusion that it does not matter. To abide or be in a relationship with Jesus, as the Mediator and High Priest, is to be in a relationship with God. Commands are now plural and could refer to the two commands in verse 23 or to all the corollary commands that come out of believing and loving. Loving Jesus is shown by obeying him (John 14:15; 15:5).
The essential aspect of relationship is reemphasized in this verse. One of John’s favorite words is remaining, abiding, dwelling, or other similar English words (menō). The words attempts to capture the intimate relationship with God that comes through faith and obedience. As Jesus taught in John 15, a person grows stronger and more fruitful by being in this relationship with him. How does one know that this relationship is not imagination or an emotional feeling of a clear conscience but is deeper, genuine, spiritual, and experiential? John introduces the Holy Spirit in his letter for the first time. The answer to the previous question is that the Spirit is the source of the assurance that our faith is in someone real and is not make-believe.
The Holy Spirit witnesses to our conscience that we abide in Jesus Christ and guides us to love others with the obedience of faith. The Spirit takes the small spark of our decision and helps it grow by opening our eyes and hearts more to the needs of people around us. In this way, the Spirit tenderizes our hearts.
We abide in Christ and Christ in us by the two foci of faith and obedience. Faith must come first; otherwise, our obedience degenerates into a works-based salvation. But without works, the faith is only intellectual and has not penetrated to the heart. Obedience must be the natural or first priority response of faith. When we hear the word “obedience,” we may have in our mind a list of dos and don’ts. Obedience is much deeper. Obedience that comes from faith is not optional for Christ followers. To be a “follower” or “believer” requires what these words imply: listening to Jesus and acting upon what we know and have heard through the Holy Spirit. John brings together the ideas from Paul in Ephesians 2:8-9—that we are saved by grace through faith—and from James in James 2:24—that our faith must be active.
John gets deeper into walking in the light by connecting obedience to the Holy Spirit and explains that obedience is expressed primarily through loving others. Obedience begins with confession of sin and grows into perfect love. If we love, we will fulfill all other commands and become more like Jesus. The other commands guide us into knowing how to love.