God's love for Christ is unconditional as we see in verse 9, Christ says in John 5:19 "Truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner." So as much as God loves Christ, that is just as much as Christ loves us, UNCONDITIONALLY!
Now if we have love, we have Christ for the bible says "Beloved, let us love one another, for God is of love; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God." (1 John 4:7) Notice how John says "born of God" to be born of God literally means to be born again. We see in John 3:3-6 a conversation Jesus has with Nicodemus expressing to him how someone is born again. Jesus says "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." (John 3:3) Then He says in verse 6 "That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit."
So then the question of how do we truly know were following Christ, would be answered with a question of are we walking according to the Spirit?
You see in Romans 8:5, Paul tells us how we are to walk according to the Spirit, he says, "For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit." So in Romans 8:5 he shows us how to walk according to the Spirit, but then in Galatians 6:4-5 he shows us how we know if our walk is acceptable to God he says, "But let each one examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. For each one shall bear his own load."
Going back to Romans 8 instead go to verse 7 in Romans 8:7 the bible says, "Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be." Now notice the word "subject" going back to John 15:10 Jesus said "If you keep My commandments," Paul was a man who understood discipline something the flesh does not obtain, nor can the flesh obtain, discipline. That's what Paul meant in Romans 8:7 by saying, "not subject to the law of God, NOR INDEED CAN BE." You see in 1 Corinthians 9:27 he says, "But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified." the Greek word for disqualified means "disapproved after testing." So to know that you follow Christ is to know that your talk matches your walk, and discipline is a key element. We must have discipline to stay away from the lusts of the flesh, that's why in Galatians 6:22 one of the fruits of the Spirit is self-control.
We have discipline because we have accepted Christ into our lives, we know longer live setting our minds on earthly things, but on things above. (Colossians 3:2) But we are transformed by the renewing of our mind. (Romans 12:2) We could argue whether or not were walking according to the Spirit, but it's that walk that's going to show us the truth. You can't argue a transformation the Greek word for transformation is "Metamorphoo" which is the root of the word "Metamorphosis" meaning "a striking change in appearance or character." You see when Christ was transfigured in Mark 9:2-3 it deeply affected John and Peter, who mention it in their writings. John says "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth." (John 1:14) and Peters says, "For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty. For He recieved from God the Father honor and glory when such a voice came to Him from the Excellent Glory: "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." (2 Peter 1:16-18) So it is all about your transformation and self-control, for we have been given a good conscience by the grace of God, if we reject that conscience we will suffer shipwreck in our faith. (1 Timothy 1:19) "Now he who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him, And by this we know that He abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us." (1 John 3:24) So we know that if we have control over our carnality and discipline over our bodies to subjection to the law of God, then the Spirit dwells in us. "And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you." (Romans 8:10-11)
So when we talk the talk about Christianity let us walk the walk, that we may not misconduct the Christain faith. But instead let us walk the walk, exercising godliness which is profitable in all things, promised in this life and that which is to come. (1 Timothy 4:8)
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