“Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been fathered by God, and everyone who loves the father loves the child fathered by him. By this we know that we love the children of God: whenever we love God and obey his commandments. For this is the love of God: that we keep his commandments. And his commandments do not weigh us down, because everyone who has been fathered by God conquers the world. This is the conquering power that has conquered the world: our faith.” 1 John 5:1-4 NET https://bible.com/bible/107/1jn.5.1-4.NET

We must feel tension in the Christian life to live appropriately in it. This tension is the gift of salvation from God and the requirement from God that I obey Him. I have been pardoned from all my disobedience against God, given to all who ask Him in sincere repentance and faith, believing that Jesus, God Himself, died on the cross as punishment for my disobedience. Jesus’ death was a substitute for the one I deserve, freeing me now to be pardoned by God so that I can live forever with God in the kingdom of God. It is the work of God in Jesus that I believe that saves me from the wrath to come. How do I know that I believe? How does God know I believe? How does anyone know, I believe? By obeying everything God commands in Jesus the Savior. My obedience to God demonstrates my faith in God. If I obey God, I love God and show my faith in God. If I disobey God, if I continue to rebel against God, I prove that I do not love God and that I have no faith in God. The Christian life is the tension between salvation by faith and salvation proven by works. What is the command I am to obey? The same command motivated God to save me by His work and not by my works. I am to love God and people as God loves me and all people, especially His children. My love for God and others demonstrates my faith in God, proving I have been saved by God, Who loves me and gave His life for me.