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The Golden Rule and “You will remain in my love if you do as I command”

This is more elaboration on a point I made in this post on John 15.

First to Recap:

The “golden rule” is for many the “gold standard” for how we should treat each other. I should be treated as I wish to be treated. This becomes our implicit definition of love.

John 15 has the wonderful command of “love”.

• Christians are to love one another (John 13). “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples if you love one another.” This in the context of Jesus washing his disciples feet.
• We like to imagine that “love” is opposite of obligation and constraint but in John 15 the two are seen as one thing. Is this in alignment with the golden rule or opposing it?

John 15:9–17 (NET)

⁹ “Just as the Father has loved me, I have also loved you; remain in my love. ¹⁰ If you obey my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. ¹¹ I have told you these things so that my joy may be in you, and your joy may be complete. ¹² My commandment is this—to love one another just as I have loved you.¹³ No one has greater love than this—that one lays down his life for his friends. ¹⁴ You are my friends if you do what I command you. ¹⁵ I no longer call you slaves, because the slave does not understand what his master is doing. But I have called you friends, because I have revealed to you everything I heard from my Father. ¹⁶ You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that remains, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he will give you. ¹⁷ This I command you—to love one another.

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