Love one another, for love is of God
He is loves is born of God and knows God
He who does not love does not know God
For God is love, God is love.
More songs have been written about love than about any other topic. It has inspired some of the world’s best, and worst, poets. It has set on fire, and broken, countless hearts throughout human history. Many things are said about love. Yet for the final word on this topic, we must turn to the Bible. In I Corinthians 13, the apostle Paul, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, provides the world’s most beautiful ode to love.
Love suffers for a long time. Our modern “throw away” society encourages us to get rid of people in our lives who are difficult to get along with, whether they are friends, family, or acquaintances. Yet this attitude runs in complete contrast to the love described by Paul. True love puts up with people who would be easier to give up on.
What does the bible say about love?
It is the Greatest Gift.
1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.
4 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
8 Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away.(1 Corinthians 13:1-8 NKJ)
There is a song in our song books that speaks of the grace and the love that our Savior has for us.
Into the heart of Jesus, deeper and deeper I go,
Seeking to know the reason why He should love me so,
Why He should stoop to lift me up from the miry clay,
Saving my soul, making me whole, Tho I had wondered away.
Behave Like a Christian.
2 “I know your works, your labor, your patience, and that you cannot bear those who are evil. And you have tested those who say they are apostles and are not, and have found them liars; 3 and you have persevered and have patience, and have labored for My name’s sake and have not become weary. 4 Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love. 5 Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent. (Revelation 2:2-5 NKJ)
The Greatest Commandment is to “love the Lord your God” (Matthew 22:37) Leaving the first love means a great diminishing of the church’s initial love, or a turning away from the love of the Lord. By showing the attitudes that Jesus demonstrated while He was on earth, “with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love,” (Ephesians 4:2 NKJ)
9 Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. 10 Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; (Romans 12:9-10 NKJ)
These attitudes do not come naturally, but must be cultivated by the determination to place others above ourselves. The greatest proof of the truth of the gospel message and of the reality of Jesus’ love is the love believers show to each other. Christ is the model for such self-sacrificial love.
The Outworking of Love.
16 By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 17 But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? 18 My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. 19 And by this we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before Him. (1 John 3:16-19 NKJ)
To Love in Word is to speak loving words but to stop short of doing anything to prove that love. The opposite of loving in word is loving in deed and in truth. Believers who begin to truly love will know their behavior has its source in the truth and therefore will have confidence before God.
It is well with my soul.
When peace like a river attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea-billows roll,
What ever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say,
“It is well , it is well with my soul.”
12 For thus says the LORD:
“ Behold, I will extend peace to her like a river,
And the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing stream.
Then you shall feed; On her sides shall you be carried,
And be dandled on her knees. (Isaiah 66:12 NKJ)
By truly going deeper in to the love of Jesus we will have the peace that we sing about.
Our prayer is that your week is blessed with the knowledge and understanding of God’s Love for you.