1 John 3:23

And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.

John brings everything down to its simplest form. After all the discussion about commandments and obedience, he tells us what God ultimately requires. It comes down to two things. Believe in His Son. Love one another.

That is the heart of it.

The same idea appeared during the ministry of Jesus. A group of people once came to Him asking a question that people have been asking ever since.

In John 6:28–29 they said,

Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?
Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.

They were expecting a list. They wanted duties, steps, requirements, something measurable they could accomplish. But Jesus surprised them. He said the work of God is singular.

Believe.

Believe on the One the Father has sent. Trust Him. Rest your life on Him. Receive Him.

Everything begins there.

Because once a person truly believes in Jesus Christ, something else begins to grow naturally in that life. Love for other people starts to appear. The same grace we receive from Christ begins to flow outward toward others.

Faith and love always travel together.

You cannot genuinely believe on the Son of God and remain untouched in the way you treat people. When a person realizes the mercy he has received, he becomes far more willing to extend mercy. When he understands how much he has been forgiven, he becomes slower to condemn.

That is why John places these two commandments side by side.

Believe in Jesus.

Love one another.

Christianity is not built on an endless list of religious tasks. At its center is a relationship of trust with Christ and a life that reflects His love toward others.

And when those two things are present, the rest begins to fall into place.