The Topic of Love

I want to speak today on the topic of love...

What do you think love is? Our society has many definitions that are not at all in line with the biblical meaning of love and I think we can fall into a trap, so I want this to be a reminder for us all.

Let's start with what (or Who) does God say love is. Let's get into it.

1 Cor 13:4-8 says, "Love is patient, love is kind, it does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud, it is not rude,

it is not self seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs, love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth, it always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres, love never fails."

So...here we see the very nature of love. Do you see yourself in these attributes? If not, then you can ask God to give them to you... He delights in doing so.

Now, we get into the book of 1 John...

1 John 4:16 says, "...God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them." Now we see that we don't turn love on and off like a light switch, or love sometimes and not other times. Proverbs 17:17 says, "A friend loveth at all times..." and John 15:13 says, "Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends."

What these passages are saying is that love is a way of life. Think on that for a second... When we are living in God and God in us, we are living in Him...we are living in love.

Now, God is a person, and we must remember that He is the one who defines what love is, because, as we have just seen in these passages, love comes from Him...It's who He is! ...His very character and nature.

Not to say, of course, that this is all He is, although I believe everything else flows from who He is...we also know He is Holy and Righteous and perfect and the Truth and He forgives and sanctifies and redeems...also judges, the righteous and the unrighteous.

Oh, how I long to see you fulfilling the Gospel in your life!

Dear friends, Jesus gave up His life for us all... which is the ultimate expression of His love for us. 1 John 4:10

Do you know who you are? Has this helped you, in some way, see the reality and richness of the Truth of who you are in Him? You are love!

May we all continue to seek to know the One who is love.