1 Corinthians 13:13 “And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.”
Wow! If the Word says that Love is more important than Faith and Hope …. we better get it right! Unfortunately, the mainstream church has adopted the world’s view of Love instead of God’s View. As a result, sin is ignored in our meetings and the deception of the enemy has run amok in the Body of Christ.
So what does the Love of God look like to you? Do you see God as a “Loving Father”? What is a “Loving Father? Does He overlook our sin? How does the Love of God and the Judgement of God co-exist?
How do we show God’s Love in our relationships? Is it by handing out a lot of hugs? Is it by “covering each others sin”? Is it by only speaking “nice words”?
Below are a collection of articles that address the Love of God according to scripture. Please feel free to check them out and “Speak Your Mind” below!
Love Redefined: Hurts So Good!
Love … we’re called to walk in it … it’s one of the 3 things that will remain … God even defines Himself by it!
The modern day church THINKS they know what God’s Love is. We’re told to be nice to everybody, feed the poor, accept people the way they are, don’t lose your temper in traffic, be patient with each other … all of this SOUNDS like God’s Love … BUT IS IT?? I want to do a small study about the Lovingkindess of God. It’s not some obscure term that will be kept mysterious and unattainable until we go to be with Him. We won’t be able to pull the “His Ways are NOT Our Ways” excuse when we see Him. His Word is clear. [Read More]
Love Redefined: The Line in the Sand
I John 3:1 AMP “SEE WHAT [[a]an incredible] quality of love the Father has given (shown, bestowed on) us, that we should [be permitted to] be named and called and counted the children of God! And so we are! The reason that the world does not know (recognize, acknowledge) us is that it does not know (recognize, acknowledge) Him.”
The Great Adoption
God’s Love is so special that He calls us out from the World and calls us His Own. This is a Great Adoption. We belonged to, and were in covenant with, the World … now, if you are truly following Him, you are blessed with the name “Child of God”. [Read More]
Love Redefined: What a Legalistic Friend We Have in Jesus!
I kind of chuckled to myself as I read this during my bible study today.
John 15:14 “You are My friends if you do whatever I command you.”
How many of us had a kid like that in our neighborhood? The kind of kid that would only be your friend if you did everything they said? I remember one kid in particular, and I didn’t stay his friend very long. In fact, nobody in the neighborhood wanted to be friends with him, because of his “My way or the highway” attitude.
And yet that’s how Jesus set it out in the Word. If you want to be His Friend, you do everything He says … there is no way around it! [Read More]
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Thank you for all the great work you are doing! I want to point something out that may help you go deeper with your writing.
A definition ought to be focused on the CAUSE. The benefits of the definition are the EFFECTS. Everything you presented in these posts are benefits/characteristics of “love”. The actual definition according to the Bible can be found in a couple of places. The most direct was from Jesus during the Sermon on the Plain:
“32 For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love them.
33 And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even the same.
34 And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again.
35 But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.” (Luke 6:32-35)
Love is giving something without expecting anything in return.
The word “agape” was actually translated as “charity” where it sounded grammatically correct BECAUSE charity is giving something without expecting anything in return. If you apply this definition from Jesus to every instance of “love” throughout the Bible, you will see WHY the Bible can confidently state the EFFECTS of Love.
Hi John,
You said “Love is giving something without expecting anything in return.” While I agree that this is definitely PART of the definition, I don’t believe (so far) that it is the FULL definition. In fact, giving something without expecting anything in return is an EFFECT of love. If you love, you will give without expecting anything in return.
But you can do other things out of love as well. Time doesn’t permit me to go into it deeply, but I think you get where I’m coming from?
That’s why I point out Psalm 107 … the very last part (v43) says that “Whoever is wise will observe these things, And they will understand the lovingkindness [khesed] of the LORD.”
We need to read what comes before that verse, in order to understand what God’s Love truly is.
Many blessings and thanks for the input!