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Love is the attribute of God that means the most to humanity. If God did not love His creations, he would surely have disposed of us long ago in favor of a better model. As I read through the Bible I come across many instances of mankind’s failures. Each time God’s love and patience are tested but He keeps working with us. He spared the world because of Noah and was sure to rescue Lot from Sodom before destroying that city.
John tells us that “God is love.” (1John4: 8) Love is God’s nature. How much does God love the world? “For God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not die but have eternal life.” (John3: 16) The Greek language has a word for this kind of love, “agape”. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary gives agape this definition, “self giving loyal concern that freely accepts another and seeks his or her good”.
God loved His chosen people. Beginning with Abraham, he watched over the Israelites throughout their generations. “The Lord did not love you and choose you because you outnumbered other peoples; you were the smallest nation on earth. But the Lord loved you and wanted to keep the promise that he made to your ancestors. That is why he saved you by his great might and set you free from slavery to the king of Egypt.” (Deut. 7: 7-8) God chose Abraham to start a special nation that would be God’s own and from which He would bring His Son into the world.
John also tells us, “Let us love one another, because love comes from God.” (1John4: 7) God expects us to show love towards each other. He also expects that we will love Him totally. “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.” (Deut. 6: 5) Jesus repeated this as a commandment when challenged by the Pharisees. They tried to trap Jesus and asked Him “Which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” (Matt22: 36)
Jesus responded with the Word, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the greatest and most important commandment. The second most important commandment is like it; Love your neighbor as you love yourself.” (Matt.22: 37-39) He was only quoting the Scriptures that these Pharisees would have been very familiar with, Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18. Jesus didn’t change the law; He fulfilled it. His sayings about love were not new, only his emphasis was new.
So, what the Bible says about love is that God loves us and we should love God and love each other. How do we show our love for each other? We cannot create love. It is a gift from God to us. “For God has poured out his love into our hearts by means of the Holy Spirit, who is God’s gift to us.” (Romans 5: 5) “The Spirit produces love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, humility and self-control.” (Galatians 5: 22-23)
Jesus said that love was a sign of his followers. “If you have love for one another, then everyone will know that you are my disciples.” (John 13: 35) He also taught his disciples another kind of love. “You have heard that it was said, love your friends, hate your enemies. But now I tell you: love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may become the children of your Father in heaven.” (Matt. 5: 43-45)
It was the Apostle John who wrote extensively on the word love and what it means for the believer. “Do not love the world or anything that belongs to the world. If you love the world, you do not love the Father.” (1John2: 15) God does not honor divided loyalties; He wants first place in our hearts. Paul even noted in 1 Timothy 6: 10, “For the love of money is a source of all kinds of evil. Some have been so eager to have it that they have wandered away from the faith and have broken their hearts with many sorrows.” This verse is often misquoted. There’s nothing wrong with money, only the love of money.
John’s emphasis continues with “We love because God first loved us. If we say we love God, but hate others, we are liars. For we cannot love God, whom we have not seen, if we do not love others, whom we have seen.” (1John4: 19-20) We act out our love for God by showing love to those around us. That is how he wants us to use the love He has given us; by helping those we come in contact with every day.
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