After stating the necessity for abiding, Jesus turns to give the results of abiding:

The trichotomy of the Father's love (agape) is seen as it emanates from Him to the Son, the Son to us, and us to others. Each is a channel through which His love reaches all. For God so loved the world -- ALL, everyone, therefore, it is imperative that as Christ modeled the role for us, we should imitate His actions to all others.

And so, when we cease to obey, His love between us suffers. The world's love from the Father suffers when we stop His flow through us, and consequently, our love between Him and us suffers likewise. The channel can remain open only when one remains obedient to Him in this Commandment.

Jesus has shown us in these short few words the formula for total Joy. His joy (meat) was made full in doing the work (will) of the Father, being obedient to His commandments to Him. Joy is the end-product of the action of love. It will be no less for us. Our joy can only be full when being obedient to Christ's commandments to us. The joy in Him was the direct result of His love for us in being obedient to His Father's command: to Love us as the Father loves us. Now do you see? Our joy will only be as we love each other. Love & Joy -- they are inseparable! This is in Paul's mind when he declares that Love is the greater, even above Faith and Hope! Remember the first two fruit of the Spirit? Making sense yet? No? O.K., imagine this: what if you had a friend that you loved so much you would give your very life for that one? Now count the joy of that friendship. How much joy? Love? Equal, right? Now do you see? Look next what Jesus follows with in vs.13 for illustration. So simple, isn't it?

Wonderful! A Chosen Friend of Jesus! A friend whose love is shown by His life He freely gave. How great then His Joy? This, to me, is unfathomable. It is too deep for me to comprehend. I can only experience it as: (1) I let Him love me, and (2) I experience the Joy produced in me by loving you as I have let Him love me. As I know my joy for you, I know His joy for me. Do you see? Joy is the by-product produced in the heart of the one who loves another as Christ loved that one. It is the end-product of being obedient to His One Commandment which maintains that abiding relationship. This will be discussed in more detail in Ch.17.

Jesus has called us from sin, enlisted us as servants, but loves as a Friend. He will not keep anything hidden from this Chosen One. Ours is a relationship built upon mutual trust, rooted in the Father's love. As we trust Him, He must in turn trust us. He is our Elder Brother to be obeyed, yet loved as a trusted friend! And so, as He is loving us, we are to be that open channel in choosing others, all others, without restriction, for His love to flow through unto them; hereby we keep His commandment.

Abraham obeyed His commandment of old and was called a friend to God. Study II Ch.20:5-15, key vs.7; Isa.41, key vs. 6-10 (brother loving brother - vs.7), obedient to be called friend (vs.8), therefore:

    The promise of not being "cast away" (vs.9),
    His encouragement (vs.10, compare with Jn.10:33), and
    God?s abiding presence (vs.10);

Finally look at James' (our Lord's brother) teaching on this very subject, using Abraham as the supreme example: study the whole book, but the key is seen in James 2:14-23. Continue in your own search. Do you see how the Plan of God has always been the same -- true in Abraham's day, still today.

So what fruit are we to bring forth as a result and to maintain this abiding relationship? First and foremost: Love! Then Joy, Peace, Long-suffering, Gentleness, Goodness, Faith, Meekness, Temperance -- exactly as Paul says, and "against such there is no Law" (or commandment)!