²⁴ He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father’s who sent Me.

Verse 24 is the negative side of verse 23. Those that do not love Christ will not apply His teaching to their lives.

²⁴ He who does not love Me does not keep My words;

The logical outcome of people not loving Jesus is that they will not apply principles of Jesus’ Word to their lives.

and the word which you hear is not Mine

Note that the term “words” in the previous sentence is in the plural, whereas the term “word” in this phrase is singular. The “word” here may be the entire corpus of what the Father gave Jesus.

but the Father’s who sent Me.

To reject Jesus’ word is to cast off the Father’s word. The Father and Son communicate the same thing.

PRINCIPLE:

Rejection of the Word of God is a serious matter for the believer.

APPLICATION:

The heart of all commandments is love for the Lord. There is no keeping His commandments without loving Him. Reluctant response is no response. Love inevitably issues in application of His precepts for our lives. To rebel against Christ is to rebel against the Father who sent Him.

Jesus expects love from us. Rejection of Jesus’ word for our souls shuts our hearts to the Lord. Reluctant response to the Lord betrays lack of love for Him. If our heart is not in it, that creates a vacuous soul. True love for Him inevitably issues in desire to know and do what He says. Lack of love for Jesus will result in spiritual poverty.

Jesus’ words are our rule for doctrine and life. Rejection of these words is the negation of God’s word for our lives. Love for Jesus is something concrete; it is no ethereal concept or something abstract. True love involves application of Jesus’ protocols to our lives.

Mere obedience without love for the Lord is sheer legalism. Love for Him will generate positive volition. This person does what he or she does from the motivation of love.