The Keeping of God's Commandments is Undoubtedly and Truly the Perfection of Our Love to God
John Cotton, B. D. 1 John 2:3-5 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.… I. WHAT IS HERE MEANT BY PERFECTION? II. HOW DOES SUCH A KEEPING OF THE COMMANDMENT ARGUE LOVE TO BE PERFECT? 1. There is a perfection of all the parts of love in such men. (1) An affection unto fellowship with Christ. (2) An affection to be doing good to Him. 2. In perfection there is a readiness to a work; so such a man as keeps God's commandments, his love is ready, he is forward to every good duty, because it is a commandment of God. 3. There is perfect love in him, because it is constant and durable and will not change. III. WHEREIN DOES IT APPEAR THAT IF I KEEP GOD'S COMMANDMENT MY LOVE IS PERFECT? 1. From the contrariety of our tempers naturally to any commandment, so that if you see anyone willing and ready to be at God's command you may say, certainly the love of God hath overcome him. 2. You may know such a man's love to be perfect that keeps His commandments, because whatsoever weak beginnings of love you find in such as keep God's commandments, that man's love grows more perfect every day; such a man still grows in fruitfulness; he grows ready to every good work (John 15:2), so that the love of God is perfected in him by obedience.Uses: 1. For trial of our love to God, whether it be perfect or no, sincere or counterfeit, how dost thou find thy heart affected to God's commandments? 2. For direction to all such as desire perfection of love to Christ — keep His commandments; take heed of breaking any one of them. 3. Of consolation to all such as apply themselves to be doing of God's commandments. (John Cotton, B. D.) Parallel Verses KJV: And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. WEB: This is how we know that we know him: if we keep his commandments.