100 New Testament Verses About Keeping Christ’s Commandments

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100 New Testament Verses About Keeping Christ’s Commandments

100% New Testament Theology

A Scripture Study Prepared by the Priory of Salem Institute of Theology

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The New Testament repeatedly teaches that love for Christ is not merely a feeling, an idea, or a verbal profession. True love for Christ is expressed through obedience to His commandments. Our Lord Himself said, “If ye love me, keep my commandments.”

This does not mean that Christians are saved by human merit or by works apart from grace. Rather, Scripture teaches that the grace of God changes the heart, writes God’s law within, and produces a living faith that obeys. The Christian life is therefore not rebellion covered by religious language, but discipleship marked by love, faithfulness, repentance, and obedience.

From the words of Jesus Christ, to the Epistles of St. John, St. James, St. Paul, St. Peter, and the Book of Revelation, the New Testament consistently identifies the faithful as those who hear the word of God and keep it.

The following passages demonstrate that keeping Christ’s commandments is not an optional addition to Christianity, but a central evidence of love, faith, discipleship, and the new life in Christ.

Many modern debates ask whether obedience to Christ is necessary. The New Testament repeatedly answers that those who love Christ keep His commandments, those who know Him walk as He walked, and those who have living faith bear the fruit of obedience.

100 New Testament Verses About Keeping Christ’s Commandments

 

“If ye love me, keep my commandments.” — John 14:15 (love produces obedience)

“He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me…” — John 14:21 (obedience demonstrates love)

“If a man love me, he will keep my words…” — John 14:23 (love acts upon Christ’s teaching)

“He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings…” — John 14:24 (disobedience reveals the heart)

“If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love…” — John 15:10 (obedience maintains fellowship)

“Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.” — John 15:14 (friendship with Christ involves obedience)

“Why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?” — Luke 6:46 (profession alone is insufficient)

“If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed.” — John 8:31 (true disciples persevere)

“Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you…” — Matthew 28:20 (obedience is part of discipleship)

“Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments…” — Matthew 5:19 (commandments matter)

“Whosoever shall do and teach them…” — Matthew 5:19 (obedience honored)

“If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments.” — Matthew 19:17 (obedience expected)

“Blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.” — Luke 11:28 (hearing and obeying)

“Every one which heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them…” — Matthew 7:24 (obedience is wisdom)

“He that doeth the will of my Father…” — Matthew 7:21 (doing God’s will matters)

“Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord…” — Matthew 7:21 (mere profession insufficient)

“Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only…” — James 1:22 (obedience required)

“For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer…” — James 1:23 (hearing alone insufficient)

“Whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein…” — James 1:25 (continuing obedience blessed)

“Faith, if it hath not works, is dead…” — James 2:17 (obedience demonstrates faith)

“Faith without works is dead.” — James 2:20 (living faith acts)

“Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.” — James 2:24 (faith is demonstrated)

“As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.” — James 2:26 (obedience reveals living faith)

“Hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.” — 1 John 2:3 (obedience evidences salvation)

“He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar…” — 1 John 2:4 (disobedience contradicts profession)

“Whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected…” — 1 John 2:5 (love and obedience united)

“He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk…” — 1 John 2:6 (imitate Christ)

“He that doeth righteousness is righteous…” — 1 John 3:7 (righteousness practiced)

“And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments…” — 1 John 3:22 (obedience linked to fellowship)

“This is his commandment, That we should believe…” — 1 John 3:23 (faith itself commanded)

“He that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him…” — 1 John 3:24 (abiding through obedience)

“For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments…” — 1 John 5:3 (love defined)

“And his commandments are not grievous.” — 1 John 5:3 (obedience is not burdensome)

“This is love, that we walk after his commandments.” — 2 John 1:6 (love expressed through obedience)

“Walk after his commandments.” — 2 John 1:6 (Christian walk defined)

“Keep yourselves in the love of God…” — Jude 1:21 (remain faithful)

“Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity.” — 2 Timothy 2:19 (obedience required)

“The author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him.” — Hebrews 5:9 (saving faith obeys)

“If ye be willing and obedient…” — (Old Testament principle echoed throughout the New Testament)

“Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” — Philippians 2:12 (active obedience)

“Do all things without murmurings and disputings.” — Philippians 2:14 (obedience in practice)

“Walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called.” — Ephesians 4:1 (worthy conduct)

“Be ye therefore followers of God…” — Ephesians 5:1 (imitate God)

“Walk in love…” — Ephesians 5:2 (obedience in love)

“See then that ye walk circumspectly…” — Ephesians 5:15 (careful obedience)

“Children, obey your parents in the Lord…” — Ephesians 6:1 (obedience commanded)

“Honour thy father and mother…” — Ephesians 6:2 (commandment repeated)

“Servants, be obedient…” — Ephesians 6:5 (obedience in vocation)

“Put on therefore… humbleness of mind…” — Colossians 3:12 (virtuous living)

“Let the peace of God rule in your hearts…” — Colossians 3:15 (submission to God)

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly…” — Colossians 3:16 (living by God’s word)

“Whatsoever ye do… do all in the name of the Lord Jesus.” — Colossians 3:17 (obedience in all things)

“Walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing…” — Colossians 1:10 (pleasing God)

“Be not conformed to this world…” — Romans 12:2 (obedience through transformation)

“Present your bodies a living sacrifice…” — Romans 12:1 (obedience as worship)

“Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil…” — Romans 12:9 (practical holiness)

“Owe no man any thing, but to love one another…” — Romans 13:8 (love fulfills God’s law)

“Love worketh no ill to his neighbour…” — Romans 13:10 (obedience expressed through love)

“Let us walk honestly, as in the day…” — Romans 13:13 (upright conduct)

“Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ…” — Romans 13:14 (obedient living)

“Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid.” — Romans 6:1-2 (grace does not excuse disobedience)

“Let not sin therefore reign…” — Romans 6:12 (obedience required)

“His servants ye are to whom ye obey…” — Romans 6:16 (obedience reveals allegiance)

“Being then made free from sin…” — Romans 6:18 (freedom produces righteousness)

“They that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh…” — Galatians 5:24 (obedience through self-denial)

“If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.” — Galatians 5:25 (Spirit-led obedience)

“Bear ye one another’s burdens…” — Galatians 6:2 (fulfill Christ’s law)

“Let us not be weary in well doing…” — Galatians 6:9 (perseverance)

“Giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue…” — 2 Peter 1:5 (growth required)

“Give diligence to make your calling and election sure.” — 2 Peter 1:10 (obedient perseverance)

“Grow in grace…” — 2 Peter 3:18 (continued growth)

“As obedient children…” — 1 Peter 1:14 (obedience expected)

“Be ye holy…” — 1 Peter 1:15-16 (holiness commanded)

“Abstain from fleshly lusts…” — 1 Peter 2:11 (self-control)

“Sanctify the Lord God in your hearts…” — 1 Peter 3:15 (devotion to God)

“Here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.” — Revelation 14:12 (faith and obedience united)

“Blessed are they that do his commandments…” — Revelation 22:14 (obedience rewarded)

“To him that overcometh…” — Revelation 2:7 (obedient perseverance)

“He that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end…” — Revelation 2:26 (enduring obedience)

“Hold fast till I come.” — Revelation 2:25 (remain faithful)

“Hold that fast which thou hast…” — Revelation 3:11 (perseverance)

“He that overcometh shall inherit all things…” — Revelation 21:7 (victory through faithfulness)

Continue This Scripture Study Series

This article is part of a larger Scripture study prepared by the Priory of Salem Institute of Theology examining repentance, conversion, obedience, holiness, and the new life in Christ.

Related Reading

Recovering True Orthodoxy: Scripture Teaching, Not Merely Cultural Sentiment

Conclusion

The Orthodox Church of the Culdees affirms the historic Christian doctrine that salvation is by the grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ. Yet Scripture consistently teaches that this faith is living rather than dead, active rather than passive, obedient rather than rebellious, and transformative rather than merely intellectual.

For this reason the historic Churches developed catechumen instruction, baptismal vows, confession of faith, confirmation, and preparation for Holy Communion. Candidates publicly renounced Satan, forsook the works of darkness, confessed Christ, and committed themselves to walk in newness of life through the power of the Holy Spirit.

St. Andrew’s Orthodox Church of the Culdees practices inter-communion broadly with churches that preserve the mainstream Gospel of Jesus Christ, requiring communicants to be converted, baptized, confirmed where applicable, and prepared for the Holy Mysteries.

We understand Orthodoxy in its broad historic sense: the reception of the Ecumenical Faith, the practice of the Sacraments, and Apostolic Succession. While maintaining our own traditions, including Saturday liturgies and the Biblical Holy Days preserved within our communion, we gladly recognize fellow Christians who confess Christ, repent of sin, seek holiness, and endeavor to walk in obedience to the Gospel.

“If ye love me, keep my commandments.” — John 14:15

“Hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.” — 1 John 2:3

“This is the love of God, that we keep his commandments…” — 1 John 5:3

“Here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.” — Revelation 14:12