Commands of Christ
Learn and live out Jesus’ teachings in your heart and life
Jesus said, “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15).
We believe that Jesus’ words are not optional. They are essential! The Commands of Christ are not just a to-do list; they are an invitation to a relationship with God Himself. What are these commandments, and what does it mean to “keep” them? We cannot keep—observe, remember, and apply—them without first knowing what they are. Fifty general commands Jesus gave us during His earthly ministry are listed below.
After reading through these commands, you may wonder, How can I possibly follow all of them? The answer is, you can’t! Only by believing in Jesus Christ as Savior and allowing Him to live His life through you can you truly love and follow God. As you read through the commands Jesus gave, ask God to help you observe these words, apply them, and faithfully follow them through the power of His Holy Spirit.
Browse All Commands
Learn more about the heart of the Great Commission with teaching resources for application and growth.
Go to Offenders
Beware of Covetousness
Honor Marriage
Forgive Offenders
Be a Servant
Be a House of Prayer
Ask in Faith
Bring In the Poor
Render to Caesar
Love the Lord
Love Your Neighbor
Await My Return
Take, Eat, and Drink
Be Born Again
Keep My Commandments
Watch and Pray
Feed My Sheep
Baptize My Disciples
Receive God’s Power
Make Disciples
The Commands of Christ Podcast
Join us each week for a fresh look at Jesus’ commands.
Weekly discussions on the Commands of Christ with accompanying resources for deeper application and growth. New episodes released every Monday.
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Application
Commands of Christ
The commands Jesus gave us during His time on earth are a powerful way to understand His heart for us and His heart for true discipleship among all peoples.
The Expression of Christ
Our words are an expression of who we are and what we believe. In the same way, Christ’s words are an expression of Who He is. By immersing our lives in the Word of God, especially the commands Christ spoke while He was on earth, we can know the heart of God. As we learn more of God’s heart, we will be able to walk more closely in intimate fellowship with Him.
Central to Discipleship
Jesus drew specific attention to His commands during one of the last times He spoke to His disciples while He was on earth. We generally refer to this passage as the Great Commission:
And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach [disciple] all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. (Matthew 28:18–20, emphasis added)
“He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.”
John 14:21
Christ and His Love Revealed
The Word of God gives incredible promises for keeping Christ’s commands! John 14:21 contains two significant ones:
He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. (Emphasis added)
This verse promises us not only that God will love us, but that He will also reveal Himself to us. What glorious promises for us to claim!
Can we truly obey all of Jesus’ commands?
Jesus said “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15). But since we cannot live in perfect obedience at all times, how can we truly love Him?
The word keep in this verse does not entail completing a checklist or achieving a percentage grade. In reality, if we strive to obey the commandments through our natural abilities, we will either fail or despair. This is not the life Christ calls us to live. In fact, the Greek word translated keep means “to guard” or “to watch.” It tells us to hold Jesus’ words before our eyes, thinking and meditating upon them throughout each day. As we do this, God’s Word cleanses us, renews us, and enables us to walk in obedience to Him as a natural result.
While meditation on Scripture brings many forms of blessing into our lives, the greatest blessing is God Himself. As we meditate on the written Word, we fellowship with the living Word, Jesus Christ.
