Answer
First John 5:3 says, “For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome” (ESV). This verse begins with a recurrent biblical principle: loving God is best expressed by obeying His commandments. Love for God leads us to trust in His wisdom and desire to fulfill His will. John emphasizes that, contrary to common perception, God’s commandments are not burdensome. When we understand this, our journey in Christ becomes a delight, not a drudgery.
When something is burdensome, it is heavy, oppressive, and difficult to bear. Many people view God’s commandments this way, seeing them as tiring obligations rather than joy-inducing instructions. The Christian life involves abandoning harmful desires for better ones. To use a food analogy, Christianity involves jettisoning junk food for a diet of healthy, nutritious meals. God’s commandments are for our good, guiding us toward living as the Creator intended. The notion of God’s being against our happiness is false. The truth is that, in His grace, God turns us away from destructive ways of seeking what we think will make us happy.
Furthermore, God’s commandments are not burdensome because we are empowered to obey them. The gospel reveals God’s love, and that forms the basis for our commitment. We encounter true love in the Father’s willingness to give His Son and in Jesus’ giving of His life for us (1 John 3:16; 4:10). Additionally, God’s Spirit dwells within us, reminding us of God’s love and giving us the power to overcome sin (Romans 5:5, 8:12–13). Peter affirms, “His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence” (2 Peter 1:3).
To accept God’s commandments as not burdensome, we must realize how grievous and poisonous sin is. Sin destroys us, wrecks our relationships, and turns us away from God. Far from being a source of freedom, sin enslaves us (John 8:34). Sin is the burden, and God’s commandments offer freedom from the burden. A helpful analogy is training a dog. As long as the dog resists its master’s commands, it requires a leash or other restraints. But a well-trained dog who has learned to submit to the commands of its master can roam more freely. Similarly, when we submit to God’s commands, we find restrictions being released and the freedom to move about burden-free.
Love plays a big role in understanding how God’s commandments are not burdensome. To love someone is to care deeply about his well-being, place his needs above our own, and want the best for him. God has no needs, but He has a will and desire for His creation. Our care for God should translate to valuing His desires and will above ours. This love for God is a response to His love for us (1 John 4:10). The better we understand the gospel, the better we can love God and the more willingly we obey His commandments.
God’s commandments are not burdensome because God wants what is good for us, God’s Spirit empowers us, and God’s love motivates us.
