Look! Today I'm placing before you both a blessing and a curse.
You will receive a blessing if you obey the commandments of the Lord your God that I'm giving you today.
But you will receive a curse if you disobey the commandments of the Lord your God and don't keep to the path I'm ordering you to follow today by worshiping some other unknown gods.
“Does the Lord prefer burnt offerings and sacrifices, or obedience to what he says?” Samuel asked. “Listen! Obedience is better than sacrifice. Paying attention is more important than offering the fat of rams.
If you had only listened carefully to what I told you! Then your blessings would have flowed like a river, and goodness would have washed over you like the waves of the sea.
This is the commandment I gave them: Obey me, and I will be your God, and you will be my people. Follow everything I have commanded you to do, so that all will go well for you.
If you love me, you will keep my commands.
Those who keep my commands are the ones who love me, those who love me will be loved by my Father. I will love them too, and will reveal myself to them.”
But Peter and the apostles answered, “We have to obey God rather than men.
We can be sure that we do know him if we follow his commands.
Anyone who says, “I know him,” but doesn't do what he says, is a liar. They don't have the truth.
But those who follow God's word have his love totally fill their minds. This is how we know that we live in him.
Whoever claims to be living in him should behave like Jesus.